Mark Volman
Encyclopedia
Mark Volman is an American
rock and roll
singer, best known as a founding member of the 1960s band The Turtles
. At times during his career he has used the pseudonym
"The Phlorescent Leech" ("Flo" for short). Volman became a stand-out figure upon joining the Mothers of Invention under the tutelage of Frank Zappa
.
California
, and grew up in Westchester, a suburb of Los Angeles, where he graduated from Westchester High School
in 1965. Over 25 years later in 1992 at age 45 he started his bachelor's degree
at Loyola Marymount University
. Volman graduated with a B.A.
degree in 1997 Magna cum Laude and was the class valedictorian
speaker. During the speech he led the graduates in a chorus of "Happy Together
". CBS Evening News
covered Volman's graduation and interviewed his parents who were perplexed at their son's academic accomplishments.
Volman went on to earn a Master's degree
in Fine Arts with an emphasis in screenwriting
in 1999 also from Loyola. Volman has taught Music Business & Industry courses in the Communications and Fine Arts department at Loyola. He has also taught courses at Los Angeles Valley College
in the Commercial Music Program. He is currently an Associate Professor and Coordinator of the Entertainment Industry Studies Program at Belmont University
in the Mike Curb
College of Entertainment and Music Business and conducts seminars about the music industry for various academic institutions from junior high school to university level. In addition, he offers consulting on music business and entertainment through the website Ask Professor Flo.
founded The Turtles
, a popular band of the late 1960s. In December 1968, NME
music magazine, reported that Volman had insured his distinctive frizzy hair for US$100,000 against fire, theft or loss due to illness. As their band folded, Volman and Kaylan discovered that the terms of their contract forbade them to use not only the name 'The Turtles', but also their own names. Kaylan and Volman were recruited by Frank Zappa
, joining the Mothers of Invention, and they also worked together as Flo & Eddie
in music, in film (they provided music and voices for animated films like Down and Dirty Duck), and in radio broadcasting. In 1971 Volman appeared on the soundtrack
to Zappa's film, 200 Motels
. As of 2011, Kaylan and Volman were still touring and giving over 60 concerts a year, billed as "The Turtles ... Featuring Flo & Eddie".
Volman runs his businesses with his wife, Emily Volman, who met each other as college sweethearts. They are also active members of Harpeth Presbyterian Church in Brentwood, TN, where they are Youth Advisors.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
singer, best known as a founding member of the 1960s band The Turtles
The Turtles
The Turtles are an American rock group led by vocalists Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman. The band became notable for several Top 40 hits beginning with its cover version of Bob Dylan's "It Ain't Me Babe" in 1965...
. At times during his career he has used the pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
"The Phlorescent Leech" ("Flo" for short). Volman became a stand-out figure upon joining the Mothers of Invention under the tutelage of Frank Zappa
Frank Zappa
Frank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed...
.
Academia
Volman was born in Los AngelesLos Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, and grew up in Westchester, a suburb of Los Angeles, where he graduated from Westchester High School
Westchester High School (Los Angeles)
Westchester High School is a public high school in the Los Angeles Unified School District, Local District 3.It is located in Westchester , USA, a suburban neighborhood adjacent to Los Angeles International Airport and bordered by Playa Vista to the north, Inglewood to the east, El Segundo to the...
in 1965. Over 25 years later in 1992 at age 45 he started his bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
at Loyola Marymount University
Loyola Marymount University
Loyola Marymount University is a comprehensive co-educational private Roman Catholic university in the Jesuit and Marymount traditions located in Los Angeles, California, United States...
. Volman graduated with a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in 1997 Magna cum Laude and was the class valedictorian
Valedictorian
Valedictorian is an academic title conferred upon the student who delivers the closing or farewell statement at a graduation ceremony. Usually, the valedictorian is the highest ranked student among those graduating from an educational institution...
speaker. During the speech he led the graduates in a chorus of "Happy Together
Happy Together (song)
"Happy Together" is a 1967 song from The Turtles' album of the same name. Released in February 1967, the song knocked The Beatles' "Penny Lane" out of the #1 slot for three weeks on the Billboard Hot 100. It was the group's only chart-topper. "Happy Together" reached #12 on the UK Singles Chart in...
". CBS Evening News
CBS Evening News
CBS Evening News is the flagship nightly television news program of the American television network CBS. The network has broadcast this program since 1948, and has used the CBS Evening News title since 1963....
covered Volman's graduation and interviewed his parents who were perplexed at their son's academic accomplishments.
Volman went on to earn a Master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in Fine Arts with an emphasis in screenwriting
Screenwriting
Screenwriting is the art and craft of writing scripts for mass media such as feature films, television productions or video games. It is a freelance profession....
in 1999 also from Loyola. Volman has taught Music Business & Industry courses in the Communications and Fine Arts department at Loyola. He has also taught courses at Los Angeles Valley College
Los Angeles Valley College
Los Angeles Valley College is a community college located in the Valley Glen district of Los Angeles, California in the east-central San Fernando Valley. The school is a part of the Los Angeles Community College District....
in the Commercial Music Program. He is currently an Associate Professor and Coordinator of the Entertainment Industry Studies Program at Belmont University
Belmont University
Belmont University is a private, coeducational, liberal arts university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. It is the largest Christian university in Tennessee and the second largest private university in the state, behind nearby Vanderbilt University.-Belmont Mansion:Belmont Mansion...
in the Mike Curb
Mike Curb
Michael Curb is an American musician, record company executive, NASCAR and IRL race car owner. A Republican, he served as the 42nd Lieutenant Governor of California from 1979-1983 under Democratic Governor Edmund G. "Jerry" Brown, Jr...
College of Entertainment and Music Business and conducts seminars about the music industry for various academic institutions from junior high school to university level. In addition, he offers consulting on music business and entertainment through the website Ask Professor Flo.
Music career
Volman and Howard KaylanHoward Kaylan
Howard Kaylan is an American rock and roll musician, best known as a founding member and lead singer of the 1960s band, The Turtles, and "Eddie" of 1970's rock band Flo & Eddie.-Early days:...
founded The Turtles
The Turtles
The Turtles are an American rock group led by vocalists Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman. The band became notable for several Top 40 hits beginning with its cover version of Bob Dylan's "It Ain't Me Babe" in 1965...
, a popular band of the late 1960s. In December 1968, NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
music magazine, reported that Volman had insured his distinctive frizzy hair for US$100,000 against fire, theft or loss due to illness. As their band folded, Volman and Kaylan discovered that the terms of their contract forbade them to use not only the name 'The Turtles', but also their own names. Kaylan and Volman were recruited by Frank Zappa
Frank Zappa
Frank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed...
, joining the Mothers of Invention, and they also worked together as Flo & Eddie
Flo & Eddie
Flo & Eddie are a comedic musical duo.The two were the original founding members of the Top 40 rock group the Turtles. After the Turtles dissolved, Volman and Kaylan first joined the Mothers of Invention as "Phlorescent Leech & Eddie"...
in music, in film (they provided music and voices for animated films like Down and Dirty Duck), and in radio broadcasting. In 1971 Volman appeared on the soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
to Zappa's film, 200 Motels
200 Motels
200 Motels is a 1971 American-British musical surrealist film cowritten and directed by Frank Zappa and Tony Palmer and starring The Mothers of Invention, Theodore Bikel and Ringo Starr. The film covers a loose storyline about The Mothers of Invention going crazy in the small town Centerville...
. As of 2011, Kaylan and Volman were still touring and giving over 60 concerts a year, billed as "The Turtles ... Featuring Flo & Eddie".
Volman runs his businesses with his wife, Emily Volman, who met each other as college sweethearts. They are also active members of Harpeth Presbyterian Church in Brentwood, TN, where they are Youth Advisors.
External links
- The Turtles official website
- Ask Professor Flo, a business and website run by Volman and his wife to aid up and coming musicians