Here are five things you might not have known about Mark "Flo" Volman:
1. First rock n roll band to perform in the White House.
I knew the Turtles performed in at Nixon's daughter's wedding, but I'd not remembered they were the first rock 'n roll band to perform there.
2. Snorted coke on Abraham Lincoln's desk.
Volman 'fesses up in this Rolling Stone excerpt from his book Shell Shocked: My Life with the Turtles. I bet they weren't the only ones to have ever done this. I've heard rumors, and maybe you've heard them, too...
3. He insured his hair for $100,000 against fire, theft or loss due to illness.
I guess if you have assets, you need to insure them, right?
4. After the band folded the terms of their contract forbade Volman and Kaylan from using their real names again in a group.
This explains why they performed as Flo and Eddie after that. And this is the primary lesson from today's blog post. Read your contracts.
5. After leaving the Turtles Flo and Eddie were recruited by Frank Zappa.
This explains why that guy in 200 Motels looked so much like that front man from the Turtles. Flo and Eddie cut their teeth on the possibilities of rock and became core players in The Mothers of Invention. As of a couple years ago Flo and Eddie were still doing 60 concerts a year.
6. He's also a Youth Advisor in the Presbyterian Church he attends.
According to Wikipedia, "Volman runs his businesses with his wife, Emily Volman, who met each other as college sweethearts. They are also active members of Harpeth Presbyterian Church in Brentwood, Tennessee, where they both invest their time as Youth Advisors."
Meantime, life goes on all around you. Enjoy the music.
You need to read Howard's book...Mark may have met Emily in college but it was much later in life...b
ReplyDelete