Interview Roundup: The Turtles
Everybody knows the Turtles, and most of us love ‘em. Led by co-vocalists Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman, they made some of the best pop music of the ‘60s: folk rock, psychedelic, baroque pop and more. You know the hits, but did you know that the Turtles were one of the few L.A. groups that didn’t use the fabled Wrecking Crew on their sessions? They played their own instruments, only using session musicians for the fiddly extra bits. And post-Turtles, as Flo and Eddie, Howie and Mark did great things with Zappa’s Mothers and then on an underrated series of albums.
I’ve interviewed them a few times…
- Howard Kaylan (2008)
- Howard Kaylan (2013)
- Mark Volman (2014)
- Mark Volman (2020)
And I’ve written about:
- their great concept album (more on that soon, by the way)
- Their Happy Together LP
- Their It Ain’t Me, Babe LP
About the Author
Bill Kopp
With a background in marketing and advertising, Bill Kopp got his professional start writing for Trouser Press. After a stint as Editor-in-chief for a national music magazine, Bill launched Musoscribe in 2009, and has published new content every business day since then (and every single day since 2018). The 4000-plus interviews, essays, and reviews on Musoscribe reflect Bill's keen interest in American musical forms, most notably rock, jazz, and soul. His work features a special emphasis on reissues and vinyl. Bill's work also appears in many other outlets both online and in print. He regularly hosts lecture/discussions on artists and albums of historical importance (including monthly events Music to Your Ears and Music Movie Mondays), and is a frequent guest on music-focused radio programs and podcasts. In Spring 2023 he is co-teaching a history of Rock 'n' Roll at UNC Asheville's College for Seniors. He also researches and authors liner notes for album reissues -- more than 30 to date -- and co-produced a reissue of jazz legend Julian "Cannonball" Adderley's final album. His first book, Reinventing Pink Floyd: From Syd Barrett to The Dark Side of the Moon was published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2018, and in paperback in 2019. His second book, Disturbing the Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave, was published in 2021 by HoZac Books. His third book, What's the Big Idea: 40 Great Concept Albums will be published in 2024. Read even more about him here.