By late 1971, the band was concerned with Knight’s managerial style

By late 1971, the band was concerned with Knight’s managerial style and fiscal responsibility. This growing dissatisfaction led Grand Funk Railroad to fire Knight in March 1972. Knight sued for breach of contract, which resulted in a protracted legal battle. Knight even showed up to repossess the band’s gear before a benefit gig for the drug rehab Phoenix House at Madison Square Garden on December 23, 1972. But the band’s new lawyer, John Eastman ( Paul McCartney ‘s brother-in-law), was able to convince Knight to wait until after the show, to avoid a potential riot of fans. The show went ahead and was taped for the ABC show In Concert . In VH1 ‘s Behind the Music Grand Funk Railroad episode, Knight stated that the original contract would have run out in about three months and that the wise decision for the band would have been to wait out the time. However, at that moment, the band members felt they had no choice but to continue and fight for the rights to their careers and name. The legal battle with Knight lasted two years and ended when the band settled out of court. Knight became the clear winner with the copyrights and publisher’s royalties to every Grand Funk recording made from March 1969 through March 1972, not to mention an enormous payoff in cash and oil wells. Farner, Brewer, and Schacher were given the rights to the name Grand Funk Railroad.