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Mark Volman

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Mark Volman
Volman performing in 2008 billed as "The Turtles Featuring Flo & Eddie"
Volman performing in 2008 billed as "The Turtles Featuring Flo & Eddie"
Background information
Birth nameMark Randall Volman
Also known asFlo
Phlorescent Leech
Born (1947-04-19) April 19, 1947 (age 77)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres
Occupations
  • Musician
  • songwriter
  • professor
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitar
  • keyboards
  • tambourine
Years active1965-present
Labels
Websitewww.theturtles.com

Mark Randall Volman (born April 19, 1947) is an American vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter, best known as a founding member of the 1960s rock band The Turtles, and, along with his bandmate and friend Howard Kaylan, a member of the 1970s rock duo Flo & Eddie, where he used the pseudonym Flo (abbreviation from Phlorescent Leech). Volman also became a stand-out figure upon joining Frank Zappa's band, The Mothers of Invention.

Volman graduated at Loyola Marymount University in 1997, and is currently an Associate Professor and Coordinator of the Entertainment Industry Studies Program at Belmont University.

Early life

Volman was born in Los Angeles, California, on April 19, 1947. He grew up in Westchester, a suburb of Los Angeles, where he performed in the proto-Turtles band the Crossfires and graduated from Westchester High School in 1965.

Music career

The Turtles

Main article: The Turtles

In 1963, Volman was attending Westchester High School, when he joined Surf rock group The Crossfires, along with Howard Kaylan, Al Nichol, and Chuck Portz. By 1965, they had changed their name to The Turtles, and their debut album, It Ain't Me Babe, was released later on that year. During their five-year run, the Turtles would garner hits such as You Baby, She'd Rather Be with Me, and You Showed Me, however, are best known for their 1967 hit single Happy Together, a song that is still regularly heard due to its popular usage in the media and advertising.

After many years of legal issues and problems with managers, the Turtles disbanded in 1970. As the Turtles folded, Volman and Kaylan discovered that the terms of their contract forbade them to use not only the name 'The Turtles', but also their own names.

In 2015, Kaylan and Volman celebrated their 50th year, touring and performing more than 60 concerts a year, billed as "The Turtles ... Featuring Flo & Eddie" with their Happy Together Tour, a classic revue-format show featuring some popular bands of the mid-to-late 1960s musical era.

During this tour in 2015, Volman was diagnosed with throat cancer, but was declared cancer-free in 2016.[1] According to The Hollywood Reporter, Volman and Kaylan have been "leading the charge against the uncompensated use of their music — and using state-based misappropriation, conversation and unfair competition claims because sound recordings only began falling under federal copyright protection in 1972."[2]

Since reforming in 1983, Volman remains a member of The Turtles, and currently co-runs the Happy Together Tour nostalgia circuit (which features bands such as The Association, The Box Tops, The Buckinghams, and The Cowsills) with Kaylan, although Kaylan retired from performing in 2017.

The Mothers of Invention

Kaylan and Volman were recruited by Frank Zappa, joining the Mothers of Invention. Since White Whale records owned their names and the Turtles name, they performed in the band, and later worked together as Flo & Eddie in music, in film (they provided music and voices for animated films like Down and Dirty Duck), and in radio broadcasting.

In 1971 Volman appeared on the soundtrack to Zappa's humorous pseudo-documentary film, 200 Motels.[3]

Flo & Eddie

Main article: Flo & Eddie

When Frank Zappa was injured at a concert in London in 1971, the Mothers of Invention were unable to perform without him, and so, Kaylan and Volman released the album The Phlorescent Leech & Eddie in September 1972.[4] As the duo, they also worked as session singers, singing backing vocals for the likes of T. Rex, Bruce Springsteen, Steely Dan, and David Cassidy.

Book

Volman announced the release of his book, Happy Forever: My musical adventures with The Turtles, Frank Zappa, T. Rex, Flo & Eddie, and more, set to be released on June 20, 2023.[5][6][7][8]

Personal life

Volman married high school sweetheart, Patricia Lee Hickey in January 1967, and they were married for 25 years. The couple had two daughters, Sarina Marie and Hallie Rae Volman. Volman married his second wife, Emily in 2000.[9][10]

In December 1968, NME magazine reported that Volman had insured his distinctive frizzy hair for US$100,000 against fire, theft or loss due to illness.[11]

Education

In 1992, at age 45, Volman started his bachelor's degree at Loyola Marymount University. He was an active undergraduate member of the choir and a Founding Father of the California Chi chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. Volman graduated with a B.A. degree in 1997 magna cum laude and was the class valedictorian speaker. During the speech he led the graduates in a chorus of "Happy Together". CBS Evening News covered Volman's graduation and interviewed his parents, who were perplexed at their son's academic accomplishments.[12]

Volman earned a Master's degree in Fine Arts with an emphasis in screenwriting in 1999, also from Loyola. Since that time, he has taught Music Business & Industry courses in the Communications and Fine Arts department at Loyola. He has also taught courses in the Commercial Music Program at Los Angeles Valley College.

He is currently an Associate Professor and Coordinator of the Entertainment Industry Studies Program at Belmont University, in the Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business and conducts seminars about the music industry for various academic institutions from junior high school to university level. In addition, he offers consulting on music business and entertainment through the website Ask Professor Flo.[13]

Discography

With The Turtles

Main article: The Turtles discography

Studio albums

Year Album Label
1965 It Ain't Me Babe White Whale
1966 You Baby
1967 Happy Together
1968 The Turtles Present the Battle of the Bands
1969 Turtle Soup

Singles

Year Title (A-side / B-side)

Both sides from same album except where indicated

Album Label
1965 "It Ain't Me Babe" / "Almost There" (from You, Baby) It Ain't Me, Babe White Whale
"Let Me Be" / "Your Maw Said You Cried (In Your Sleep Last Night)"
1966 "You Baby" / "Wanderin' Kind" (from It Ain't Me, Babe) You, Baby
"It Was a Very Good Year" / "Let the Cold Winds Blow" It Ain't Me, Babe
"Grim Reaper of Love" / "Come Back" (from Wooden Head) Golden Hits
"We'll Meet Again" / "Outside Chance" (from Golden Hits) Wooden Head
"Making My Mind Up" / "Outside Chance" (from Golden Hits) Happy Together
"Can I Get to Know You Better?" / "Like the Seasons" (from Happy Together) Golden Hits
1967 "Happy Together" / "Like the Seasons" Happy Together
"She'd Rather Be with Me" / "The Walking Song"
"Guide for the Married Man" / "Think I'll Run Away"
"You Know What I Mean" / "Rugs of Woods & Flowers" (from Happy Together) Golden Hits
"She's My Girl" / "Chicken Little Was Right" (Non-LP track. A re-recording of this song later appeared on The Turtles Present the Battle of the Bands) More Golden Hits
1968 "Sound Asleep" / "Umbassa the Dragon" (Non-LP track)
"The Story of Rock and Roll" / "Can You Hear the Cows" (Non-LP track)
"Elenore" / "Surfer Dan" The Turtles Present the Battle of the Bands
1969 "You Showed Me" / "Buzzsaw"
"House on the Hill" / "Come Over" Turtle Soup
"You Don't Have to Walk in the Rain" / "Come Over"
"Love in the City" / "Bachelor Mother"
"Lady-O" / "Somewhere Friday Night" (From "Turtle Soup") More Golden Hits
1970 "Teardrops" / "Gas Money" Non-LP track (released under the alias: "The Dedications")
"Who Would Ever Think That I Would Marry Margaret?" / "We Ain't Gonna Party No More" More Golden Hits
"Is It Any Wonder?" / "Wanderin' Kind" (from Wooden Head) Golden Hits
"Eve of Destruction" / "Wanderin' Kind" (from Wooden Head) It Ain't Me, Babe
"Me About You" / "Think I'll Run Away" Happy Together
1978 "To See the Sun" /"The Owl" /"Surfer Dan" (Alternate Version)/"The Last Thing I Remember" (Alternate Version) Rhino Records 12″ EP Picture Disc (1968 Outtakes)

With The Mothers of Invention

Main article: Frank Zappa discography
Volman (and Frank Zappa in background); December 1971, Hamburg

Studio albums

Title Year
Burnt Weeny Sandwich 1970
Weasels Ripped My Flesh
Chunga's Revenge
Fillmore East – June 1971 1971
200 Motels

Singles

Single (A-side, B-side)

Both sides from same album except where indicated

Album Year
"Tell Me You Love Me"

b/w "Will You Go All the Way for the U.S.A.?" [sic]

Chunga's Revenge 1970
"Tears Began to Fall" (remix)

b/w "Junier Mintz Boogie" (non-album track)

Fillmore East – June 1971 1971
"Magic Fingers"

b/w "Daddy, Daddy, Daddy"

200 Motels
"What Will This Evening Bring Me This Morning"

b/w "Daddy, Daddy, Daddy"

With Flo & Eddie

Main article: Flo & Eddie § Discography

Albums

References

  1. ^ Volman cancer free
  2. ^ Gardner, Eriq (2 October 2014). "After SiriusXM Success, The Turtles Take on Pandora in $25 Million Lawsuit". Billboard. Retrieved 24 September 2019.
  3. ^ Tobler, John (1992). NME Rock 'N' Roll Years (1st ed.). London, UK: Reed International Books Ltd. p. 223. CN 5585.
  4. ^ Flo and Eddie. ISBN 9780946719518.
  5. ^ "Jawbone Press". Jawbone Press. Retrieved 2023-05-12.
  6. ^ "Mark Volman book".
  7. ^ Staff, Best Classic Bands (2023-04-17). "Mark Volman of The Turtles Sets 'Happy Forever' Autobiography". Best Classic Bands. Retrieved 2023-05-12.
  8. ^ "Happy Forever ebook by Mark Volman". Rakuten Kobo. Retrieved 2023-05-12.
  9. ^ Groups.google.se
  10. ^ The Phlorescent Teach, nashvillescene.com; accessed April 19, 2015.
  11. ^ Tobler, John (1992). NME Rock 'N' Roll Years (1st ed.). London, UK: Reed International Books Ltd. p. 191. CN 5585.
  12. ^ Profile, RagBaby.com, April 9, 1999; accessed April 19, 2015.
  13. ^ Ask Professor Flo; accessed April 19, 2015.
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