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| Flo & Eddie Give Back Catalog the CD Treatment Music industry legends Mark Volman and Howard Kaylan, founding members of the legendary music group The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie, have recently reissued their back catalog on CD. Two titles in particluar appear on compact disc for the very first time. Volman and Kaylan, along with The Turtles, have sold over 60 million records worldwide, and have sung on hit records for such notable artists as John Lennon, Bruce Springsteen, T. Rex, Todd Rundgren and Ozzy Osbourne. Along with The Turtles, Flo & Eddie have toured continuously for the past three decades, building on their legacy as one of the most successful musical groups in the history of recorded music. After an exhausting but historic stint with music icon Frank Zappa in 1972, Volman and Kaylan signed a solo deal with Warner Bros records under the guise of Flo & Eddie and released several critically acclaimed albums. Produced and written by Mark and Howard 'The Phloresent Leach & Eddie' was the duo's first release on Warners in 1972 and featured former Mothers of Invention members Don Preston, Jim Pons and Aynsley Dunbar. Recorded at Ike Turner's “Bolic Sound" studio in Inglewood, CA, “The material was much closer to the songs we had been writing during the final stages of The Turtles", says Volman. “We did new versions of two songs that we actually recorded in our final Turtle 'Shell Shocked' recording." The album, with cover art designed by Henry Diltz and Gary Burden of CSN&Y, Joni Mitchell and Jackson Brown fame, received much praise by fans and critics alike upon release and has since become a collectors item. To accompany the Alice Cooper 'Billion Dollar Babies' world tour in 1973-74, in which Flo & Eddie were the opening act, the duo released their second eponymous LP. The album was produced by Alice Cooper producer Bob Ezrin and engineered by Jack Douglas and Shelly Yakus. Featuring Lou Reed/Alice Cooper guitarist Steve Hunter, the LP showcased some great cover songs, including the Small Faces “Afterglow", which many consider one of the best songs Flo & Eddie ever recorded. Both LP's have remained out of print and sought after by music collectors, who have been asking for a CD release of these two albums for over 27 years. Much to the elation of Flo & Eddie fans worldwide the time has come! “It's great for us to finally live up to the promises we have been making for the past 20 years", says Volman. “ 'They're coming, we promise'. Well, they are finally here. We are so glad to be able to present them in their unchanged state. We have tried to improve the sound so it would showcase the musicians and the songs. These records were the first opportunity for us to write, produce and perform songs that made sense to us at the time." Along with the reissuing of the first two Flo & Eddie albums on compact disc is the release of the band's hilarious 1975 live album 'Illegal, Immoral and Fattening' and 1976's 'Moving Targets'. Although both titles have been previously issued on CD, the sound quality and packaging, including extensive liner notes, of the new reissues are superior. In the case of 'Illegal, Immoral and Fattening', which for the most part was recorded live at the Roxy in L.A., music writer Alan Robinson explains, “There's enough profanity to warrant a big 'Parental Advisory' sticker on the cover, and it's more the laughs of the Class Clown (George Carlin) than perhaps Lenny Bruce or Richard Pryor. Amongst their targets are Joni Mitchell and even Carl 'Kung Fu Fighting' Douglas, exposing the pretentions of Rock's then elite, as well as the sappiness of transient trends." 'Moving Targets' is rather “more an attempt to make a more 'straight' sounding record", says Robinson, “with stuff that could actually get played on the radio." Although the album did not receive much airplay at the time, it did contain a re-recorded version of The Turtles 1967 hit “Elenore", as well as the clever and endearing “Keep It Warm". write your comments about the article :: © 2008 Jazz News :: home page |