January 19, 2024
Not Just Happy Together: The Turtles from A-Z (AM Radio to Zappa) by Mark Arnold and Charles F. Rosenay!!!
“NOT JUST HAPPY TOGETHER: THE TURTLES FROM A – Z (AM RADIO TO ZAPPA)”
NEW BOOK COMPREHENSIVELY CHRONICLES THE OUTRAGEOUS HISTORY OF THE TURTLES
For Immediate Release
The Turtles were an accomplished ‘60s chart-topping band who incorporated a hybrid mix of folk, pop, and rock creating their own distinctive sound. Their inept record company, White Whale, promoted The Turtles’ singles, but dropped the ball when it came to album sales and continued recording successes. Turtles’ album sales figures are sketchy, as were their record label’s accounting practices, but their best-selling album, “Golden Hits,” sold over 500,000 copies. It was unquestionably a gold record supported by 5 Turtles’ studio and 20 compilation albums. As of January 19th, sixties, genre, pop-culture, and music fans worldwide will be able to obtain a chronicled history of the band in print, “Not Just Happy Together: The Turtles A-Z (AM Radio To Zappa),” as published by Genius Publications (2024). “Not Just Happy Together…” is co-authored by Mark Arnold and Charles F. Rosenay!!! and the 466 PAGE deluxe book chronicles everything you wanted to know about The Turtles and more – yesterday, today, and tomorrow.
The Turtles were a colorful hit/fun band and an in-demand TV sensation from 1963 – 1969, an era when AM Radio and 45 rpm singles ruled. Live footage is readily available on YouTube: network performances on: “The Ed Sullivan Show”, “Shindig,” “Hullabaloo,” “Where the Action Is,” “The Clay Cole Show,” “The Smothers Brothers Show,” are stand-outs. The Turtles are also Identified with Westchester, CA.
“Not Just Happy Together…” covers the ongoing adventures and mis-adventures of The Turtles including every band member 1963-1969, their recordings in a comprehensive A – Z(appa) catalog, discography, session details, songwriters such as musician Harry Nilsson, record label lawsuits and counter lawsuits, live events, promotions on AM Radio, comparisons to The Beatles and The Monkees, the 1960s touring life, being confused with Liverpool’s British Invasion hit-makers, Gerry And The Pacemakers, their ill-fated Ray Davies (of The Kinks)-produced album, and the infamous Tricia Nixon White House party incident in May of 1970.
Founding Turtles member Mark Volman, who is still touring, jokes that, “The Turtles missed being The Beatles by only 4 letters and some 7 billion dollars.”
According to authors Mark Arnold and Charles F. Rosenay!!!, “The Beatles gave us ‘Yeah Yeah Yeah’ and The Turtles gave us ‘No No No’.” The authors also note that “comedy and rock and roll” is risky and often does not mix well. The Turtles took chances and succeeded; sixty years later, they still do.
“Not Just Happy Together…”is sincerely dedicated to past and present members of The Turtles. There are Turtles “in-stories,” guest interviews, actual accounts, Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman’s antics, cover photos by rock photographer Henry Diltz, and a Forword from their buddy and musical contemporary, Gary Puckett (of Gary Puckett & The Union Gap).
There is a frequent misconception that The Turtles were “one hit wonders” because “Happy Together” went #1 (1967) and was a huge hit, and is still part of the musical landscape. However, there are at least six other Turtles’ well-known chart-topping hits like: “She’d Rather Be with Me” (which many people mistakenly call “Some Girls”),” “Elenore” (which they wrote as a response to “Happy Together”), “You Showed Me,” “It Ain’t Me Babe” (written by Bob Dylan) and “You Baby.” The Turtles’ chart success is complemented by such lesser-known achievements as them singing “It’s Garry Shandling’s Show Theme” or performing the title song to the Robert Morse starring “Guide For A Married Man” (which occasionally airs on TMC), and then becoming Flo & Eddie (aka Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman) on their own, and later lending their amazing vocals on such classics as T. Rex’s “Bang-A-Gong,” Bruce Springsteen’s “Hungry Heart,” and actually becoming members of Frank Zappa’s The Mothers.
Authors Mark Arnold (Long Title: Looking for the Good Times; Examining the Monkees Songs, One by One and Headquartered: A Timeline of The Monkees Solo Years) and Charles F. Rosenay!!! (The Book of Top 10 Beatles Lists and The Book of Top 10 Horror Lists) have joined forces to cover the entire careers of The Turtles from their early days as The Crossfires, through their hit-filled years, into their break-up that led to most of The Turtles’ members joining forces with Frank Zappa’s Mothers of Invention, to Mark Volman and Howard Kaylan’s years as solo artists under the guise of Flo & Eddie, and even their forays into children’s records.
Arnold and Rosenay!!! have reviewed every song and album, and interviewed many of The Turtles’ friends and associates along with most of The Turtles themselves, who have given startling new revelations that will surprise even the most hardcore fan. This hard cover edition includes 466 pages with images, interviews, and insights into the world of The Turtles, The Crossfires, The Mothers (of Invention), Frank Zappa, Flo & Eddie, and more.
“Not JustHappy Together: The Turtles A-Z (AM Radio To Zappa),” is the definitive Turtles compendium is as unique as The Turtles themselves. Open the doors to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and to every music library.
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