How can I get an autographed picture?
Send a self-addressed stamped envelope to:
The Turtles
1113 Murfreesboro Road, Suite 106
Room 330
Franklin, Tennessee 37064
Do Flo & Eddie/The Turtles really contribute to this web site?
Yes, they certainly do. Without input from Howard and Mark, this site would consist of two pages, a brief history of The Turtles, and a partial discography (which is actually how the web site started out).
About the email: Who really reads it? Does it really go to The Turtles, Flo & Eddie, Mark and Howard?
– All email addressed to The Turtles (turtles@theturtles.com) either goes to both Flo(Mark) in L.A. and Eddie(Howard) in Seattle, or to the particular band member to whom it was addressed.
– Any email addressed to mvolman@theturtles.com goes to Mark.
– Any email addressed to hkaylan@theturtles.com goes to Howard.
What did you think of Frank Zappa? Whatever happened between you guys and Frank? Did you remain friends?
Howard: “Frank was an icon for a generation, and a true genius…also one of the greatest guitar players….”
After the incident in London, England, Mark and Howard continued touring with the members of The Mothers. This was the first Flo & Eddie Band.
Howard: “Yes, we DID see Frank after the Rainbow Theatre accident…It took a while, but Frank sat in with us in NYC at the Bottom Line one year, and we sat in with his band in Detroit the year after….”
“Toward the end, we became good friends again, going up to his famous studio and watching our old concert footage; laughing about the good old days. He knew that the clock was ticking but he kept chain-smoking, coffee drinking and eating anchovy pizza…The man was one of the few real geniuses I’ve ever had the honor to work with.”
In addition to a couple of live onstage guest appearances, in 1987 Mark and Howard reunited with Frank….
Howard: “Frank’s original intention was to get the “Filmore East” band back together to do one huge world tour….”
“So we got together in L.A. at a rehearsal hall for two days….”
Unfortunately, it was not to be. Apparently there are tapes of the rehearsals in existence somewhere.
When asked which of his bands were Frank’s favourites, Gail Zappa was quoted in an interview as saying he liked all of them, but mentioned Mark, Howard and Aynsley Dunbar as particular favourite members for their talent and senses of humour.
Whatever happened to the original members of The Turtles?
Al Nichol lives in Nevada
Jim Tucker is an electrical contractor in California.
Chuck Portz is retired and lives California.
Don Murray passed away March 22nd, 1996, from complications following surgery. After The Turtles, he played with The Surfaris for many years and was in the process of re-forming The Crossfires with Tom Stanton at the time of his death.
Chip Douglas went on to produce The Monkees and lives in Hawaii
John Barbata has his own group in Oklahoma
Jim Pons and John Seiter are both retired from the film department of the NY Jets.