Thursday 12 February 2009

The Problem With The Turtles

Ever read The Problem With Music by Steve Albini?? Well, here's The Turtles' version. It's funnier.



Any resemblance is between these guys and a certain space-informed improv duo, 40 years into the future, is purely coincidental.

Anyway, Flo & Eddie seem like nice guys. They were in The Turtles, who had that hit with 'Happy Together'. After they split they joined Zappa's band, did session work all over the place (including the backing vocals on 20th Century Boy by T Rex!).

From the Wikipedia entry:
Flo & Eddie: Howard Kaylan ("Eddie") and Mark Volman ("Flo" aka "Phlorescent Leech") are a comedic musical duo. The two were the original founding members of the Top 40 pop group The Turtles. After The Turtles dissolved, Kaylan and Volman first joined the Mothers of Invention as "Phlorescent Leech & Eddie". Due to contractual restrictions made early in their career, Mark and Howard were prevented from using the name "The Turtles", as well as their own names in a musical context.

When bandleader Frank Zappa was injured during a concert in London in 1971, Kaylan & Volman found themselves at an impasse, as the Mothers Of Invention were out of action for a time. They responded to these events by recording "The Phlorescent Leech & Eddie" on Reprise with the other members of the MOI.

Although the album failed to chart, they continued releasing albums including the more successful Flo & Eddie, Illegal, Immoral and Fattening, Moving Targets, and Rock Steady with Flo & Eddie.

During the 1970's Kaylan and Volman continued to do session work, lending their trademark harmonies to T-Rex, John Lennon, Roger McGuinn, Hoyt Axton, Ray Manzarek, Stephen Stills, Keith Moon, David Cassidy, Alice Cooper, Tonio K., Blondie, Bruce Springsteen, The Knack, Psychedelic Furs, Sammy Hagar, Livingston Taylor, Burton Cummings, Paul Kantner, Duran Duran, The Ramones and others.

They also had their own TV show. Here they are, interviewing two jerks:





God, the guys in KISS are such douches. Anyway.

Doing the US national anthem at an American football game:




And their hit. Yes!




1 comment:

  1. ha ha 'we didn't like them anymore, they had dogs'
    gem
    x

    ReplyDelete