The Turtles / Flo & Eddie

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Chief, Jun 21, 2019.

  1. Chief

    Chief Over 12,000 Served Thread Starter

    I have been absolutely enchanted by the music these guys made. Their albums are uneven, but the good stuff is exceptionally good. I’ve been obsessed for months.

    Particularly as they got a little further into their career (further away from folk rock), the quality of the music got so much better. “Happy Together” is the least of it. I think these guys are brilliant.

    The Flo & Eddie albums are better still, even sublime. I can theorize why they were never a big act, but it’s a terrible shame because they had the songs, the performances, and it was perfect seventies rock. And of course, it didn’t help that the Turtles got screwed by White Whale. If only they had that one perfect album, their own Odyssey & Oracle, then the Turtles would have an entry point for for a deeper dive beyond the hits.

    My playlist on Spotify of “30 Turtles Songs” contains around 70 songs because I keep finding more that I like.

    30 Turtles Songs, a playlist by mrdave236 on Spotify
     
    Ken, Bingo Bongo, cwitt1980 and 21 others like this.
  2. Ignatius

    Ignatius Forum Resident

    Also recommend "Cheap", which was retitled Dirty Duck for DVD.
     
  3. Chief

    Chief Over 12,000 Served Thread Starter

    I'll have to check it out. I read about it a little. It seems like the sort of the thing, among others, that guaranteed Flo & Eddie a cult following, and no more.
     
  4. CliffL

    CliffL Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sacramento CA USA
    One question I've had about Flo and Eddie for a long time...how did they hook up with Marc Bolan and T. Rex and become his back up singers? They really added a lot to those great T. Rex records back in the 70s. I definitely agree that the Turtles are one of the great and underrated bands.
     
  5. vince

    vince Stan Ricker's son-in-law

    ...AND, for that matter, how did they hook up with The Psychedelic Furs to be on THIS?!??!
     
  6. James spencer

    James spencer Forum Resident

    Location:
    Ohio
    The Turtles might not have an Odessey and Oracle but Turtle Soup and Battle of the Bands are pretty darned close. I've turned a lot of people on to the band through those two records. Battle of the Bands especially.
     
  7. CliffL

    CliffL Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sacramento CA USA
    Battle of the Bands was the one that did it for me also, way back in 1985. One of my favorite Turtles tracks is "Grim Reaper of Love", I first heard it just a few years ago on the "Nuggets: Los Angeles" CD.

     
  8. Chris DeVoe

    Chris DeVoe RIP Vickie Mapes Williams (aka Equipoise)

    Todd Rundgren. He produced the album, play vibes on Love My Way and brought Flo and Eddie in.

    Todd was the Zelig of pop music.
     
  9. Frank Discussion

    Frank Discussion Forum Resident

    Location:
    Phoenix, AZ
    Great to see this thread.
    In the past I followed Flo and Eddie very closely. I've always enjoyed the "Flo and Eddie " albums/CD's.
    And can completely agree that they are a bit uneven. But most of their "serious" songs I could listen to over and over.
    In fact a month ago came across "The Best Of Flo and Eddie" (Rhino 1987 CD) and bought it. Even though I could have made my own CD from the releases I have. Thought it would be nice to have in the car.
    My favorite songs are their "road/musician" songs. Songs like Keep it Warm, Mama (Open up), Just Another Town, and Another Pop Stars Life.

    They ended up on several albums, singing background, becuase they were great and sort of became the "flavor of the year" so to speak. Not sure just how they fell into some of those recording. Would be interesting to know.

    As far as the Turtles go I was mainly familiar with their hits. And enjoyed them as well, just don't know their stuff in great detail.
     
    alchemy likes this.
  10. elaterium

    elaterium Forum Resident

    I have their first solo album which is very good though the lyrics can be rather puerile.
     
    izgoblin likes this.
  11. how many members of the original band are still around. are mark and howard on speaking terms with them. would be nice to see that band playing together again
     
  12. RedRoseSpeedway

    RedRoseSpeedway Music Lover

    Location:
    Michigan
    They could do a show with Jim Tucker, Jim Pons and John Barbata
     
    readr and DEAN OF ROCK like this.
  13. kwadguy

    kwadguy Senior Member

    Location:
    Cambridge, MA
    If they play anymore, I doubt they would bother to go back to the original band. They just like doing stuff together as a duo, making jokes, etc. Actually, that was prime Flo & Eddie. As of the past couple of decades, they mostly tour as "The Turtles" as part of oldies tours and just play the hits, straight. Which is sad.
     
    MarkTheShark likes this.
  14. Schoolmaster Bones

    Schoolmaster Bones Poe's Lawyer

    Location:
    ‎The Midwest
    All of the Turtles studio albums are good to great. The first two F&L albums are pretty solid as well.
     
  15. Schoolmaster Bones

    Schoolmaster Bones Poe's Lawyer

    Location:
    ‎The Midwest
    They also added some Pop magic to Bruce Springsteen’s “Hungry Heart”.
     
  16. kwadguy

    kwadguy Senior Member

    Location:
    Cambridge, MA
    The first two F&E records are really good. The next two, on Columbia, have their charms. The reggae album...well, I just pretend it doesn't exist even if I do have it.
     
    izgoblin likes this.
  17. Chris Schoen

    Chris Schoen Rock 'n Roll !!!

    Location:
    Maryland, U.S.A.
    I have the "Moving Target" album (vinyl) that I acquired, and have never played it yet.
     
  18. Schoolmaster Bones

    Schoolmaster Bones Poe's Lawyer

    Location:
    ‎The Midwest
    Some good tracks on that. Definitely not a waste of time.
     
  19. Joel1963

    Joel1963 Senior Member

    Location:
    Montreal
    I can listen to To See the Sun over and over again.
     
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  20. MarkTheShark

    MarkTheShark Senior Member

    They are worth more than that. The last couple times I saw them, they didn't even do "You Showed Me," let alone something like "Outside Chance."
     
  21. boyfromnowhere

    boyfromnowhere Senior Member

    Location:
    missouri, usa
    I wish I would've bought the "complete albums" box set when it was available at a decent price!
     
    BeSteVenn and apple-richard like this.
  22. LandHorses

    LandHorses I contain multitudes

    Location:
    New Joisey
    I also love the Frank Zappa albums that Flo & Eddie are involved with.........but I'm somewhat in a minority in that opinion.
     
  23. MIKEPR

    MIKEPR Forum Resident

    Location:
    PARK RIDGE IL.
    Their 1965-66 stuff I think were just as great.

    This song was probably recorded during that era but didn't get released till 1969 on Wooden Head.
    Don't know why it was held back.

     
  24. RedRoseSpeedway

    RedRoseSpeedway Music Lover

    Location:
    Michigan
    I’m a big fan of the albums Happy Together and Battle Of The Bands
     
    wayneklein, FJFP and Folknik like this.
  25. Sluggy

    Sluggy Forum Resident

    Location:
    The Red Centre
    'Eddie, are you kidding me?'
     
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