Turtles Co-Founder Mark Volman Gone at 78

Mark Volman, whose chunky black frames and wild hair made nerds in rock cool a good 30 years before Rivers Cuomo, passed away on Sept. 5 following a short illness.

Volman, most famous for his role as the co-leader of the celebrated ‘60s band The Turtles and his work with Frank Zappa, was living with the complications of Lewy body dementia at the time of his passing. However, his diagnosis never prevented him from performing concerts and being active in the music community.

Shortly after the news spread about his passing, several prominent names in rock took to social media to express their sorrow over losing the man who, along with fellow Turtles alumnus Howard Kaylan under the handle Flo and Eddie, sang background vocals for countless songs, most famously T.Rex’s “Bang a Gong (Get It On)” (where you can clearly hear Mark’s timeless falsetto) and Bruce Springsteen’s “Hungry Heart.”

 

AUDIO: Bruce Springsteen “Hungry Heart”

“Sad to hear about the passing of my friend Mark Volman,” wrote Micky Dolenz on Facebook. “We had a lot of great times over the years, and I’ll always remember his humor, kindness, and that incredible voice that helped give us so many timeless songs with the Turtles.”

“Well I guess the sad news is true!” wrote Peppy Castro of the Blues Magoos. “Mark Volman has graduated to rock ‘n’ roll Heaven. A piece of me dies and goes with him. From my early days as a Magoo. The Magoos and the Turtles were constantly thrown together. We were on the same bills and in the same teen magazines. Etc. It spawned a lifetime friendship. They inspired the Blues Magoos’ version of ‘Tobacco Road.’ My Days in L.A. always brought Mark out!  When Flo and Eddie had a show on WPLJ in New York, Mark called me and asked me if I knew of an apartment that he could sublet. I sublet him my triplex on E. 24th St. for the entire run of his show. When our great friend Alan Gordon — who wrote ‘Happy Together’ with Gary Bonner -— passed away, Mark and I were asked by the family to speak at the memorial service. Mark flew up from Nashville. Mark spread his magic to all who graced his presence! Keep shining in heaven, my rock ‘n’ roll, iconic friend.”

Tony Visconti posted: “Mark Volman RIP. Mark was one the founders of The Turtles (“Happy Together”). He and Howard Kaylan sang together for many big stars including Frank Zappa’s Mothers Of Invention. I knew him well because he and Howard sang on many T.Rex classics, like “Get It On (Bang A Gong”) Mark and Howard could have been stand up comics. They turned our T.Rex sessions into hysterical bouts of laughter. Their beautifully blended voices were a big part of the sound of T.Rex.”

 

AUDIO: T.Rex “Bang A Gong (Get It On)”

Steve Wynn posted: “One of the biggest thrills I’ve ever had in the studio was the day Mark Volman and Howard Kaylan came into A&M to add their backing vocals to [my song ‘Tuesday’]. I was such a big fan of The Turtles — and it helped that I was on Rhino Records which had been the label for all of their reissued records. They both could not have been nicer, more professional or, as you might guess, more entertaining. I just sat back and took it all in, enjoying every minute. The resulting track has 25 (!) people on it — including longtime friends Susan Broussard, Vicki Peterson, Peter Buck and Robert Mache — but the sweet sounds of Flo and Eddie shine through. A few weeks later Howard called me to say what a good time they had and how much they liked the song and that he hoped we could all work together again. I wish I had taken him up on that idea. All of this is on my mind today because we lost the great singer, raconteur, prankster, innovator, ultimately cool Los Angeleno Mark Volman and he’ll surely be missed. RIP Mark Volman.”

“Mark Volman had to be the class clown in high school,” wrote Survivor’s Jim Peterik.

“One afternoon — April 9, 1968 — I donned my new peacoat hoody and drove my 1964 Plymouth Valiant over to Riverside Brookfield high school to see my favorite band, The Turtles.

“As I stood in line for entry four girls came in line beside me. One was cuter than the next but one stood out above the rest — big blue eyes, a shy smile, white blouse, orange culottes, knee socks and saddle shoes.

“I said to myself, ‘This girl is way too cute to talk to me.’ She turned to me and said ‘Are you Peterik?’ I said to myself, ‘There IS a God!’

“Turns out she had seen my band The Ides Of March play at Morton West on a bill with the New Colony Six. Her name was Karen. We starting talking and never stopped.

“The Turtles put on a fabulous show as we sat together in rapt attention with her other cute Catholic school cuties.

“Howard Kylan and Mark Volman and the amazing Johnny Barbatta on drums were cranking out hit after hit from their recent run of top tens — ‘You Baby,’ ‘It Ain’t Me Babe,’ then the one that was currently number one and my favorite, ‘Happy Together.’

 

AUDIO: The Turtles “Happy Together”

“When they got to the second verse Karen put her leg over mine. One of Karen’s pals exclaimed ‘Karen!’ She replied ‘It’s OK, I trust him’ and she could.

“Now, 57 years from that day Karen (Moulik) Peterik and I are still happy together thanks to the great music, stage comedy and the wit, talent and soul of Mark Volman and Howard Kaylan, The Turtles.

“A few years ago I was in Nashville doing a one-man show about my career for the National Academy of Songwriters. When I got to the part of how I met Karen at a Turtles concert and fell in love, I heard a voice from the audience — ‘Don’t Blame Me!’

“It was Mark Volman!

“I had to stop my show. I was laughing so hard!

“The frizzy-haired class clown, the wit and soul of The Turtles is gone but will never be forgotten.

“Rock In Peace, My Hero.”

“Saddened to hear the news today of the passing another dear friend — Mark Volman,” wrote Richie Furay of the Buffalo Springfield. “Mark opened his home on Lookout Mountain in Laurel Canyon to me around the time Happy Together was released. I remember him bringing the acetate home to listen to it — we must have blown the roof off the house — I’ll never forget his generosity when I had no place to live. Mark was my friend.”

Mark Volman was 78.