Customer Reviews

The Phlorescent Leech & Eddie / Flo & Eddie

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...the first-ever CD issue of the first 2 "solo" albums!

Disc one, for the most part, is the re-recorded version of what would have been the final Turtles album "Shell Shocked." Though production is a bit thin, the songs are mostly first-rate, the vocals superb (what else would you expect from these two?) and, as a bonus, the band consists of the final lineup of the Flo & Eddie version of Zappa's Mothers.

The 2nd disc is a bit heavier, due to Bob Ezrin's (think Alice Cooper. Think KISS) production. Covering songs by the Ronettes and the Small Faces ("Afterglow"...yeah!), writing some great original tunes (including "Marmandy Mill," a Turtles leftover) and retaining most of the Zappa band, make this another terrific record. Though Gary Rowles is credited with lead guitar, many of his leads were wiped by Ezrin (which led to Rowles leaving the band) and replaced by an uncredited Steve Hunter, giving this album more of a hard rock feel.

This CD is a heck of a lot of fun and a terrific value for the bucks. Don't miss it!

After the Chungas/200 Motels-era Mothers were forcibly disbanded due to Zappa's injuries in 1971, Flo and Eddie jetted over to Reprise to begin their solo career with "The Phlorescent Leech and Eddie." Oddly, despite coming after the legendary hooliganism of this period of the Mothers, it logically follows "Turtle Soup" in the musical evolution of the duo. Comprised almost entirely of self-penned tracks--along with two leftovers from the Turtles days--it's a real gem of an album, with surprisingly little of the clown-prince attitude that would later reassert itself on "Illegal, Immoral, and Fattening." Mark and Howard are in fine form, the band (comprised principally of ex-Mothers/Turtles) is stellar, and the production is refreshingly straightforward and uncluttered.

"Flo and Eddie" acts as a logical extension of the first album. A bit more theatrical and arch than the first effort (which makes sense; they were opening for Alice Cooper at the time), it contains standout tracks like "Just Another Town" and "Another Pop Star's Life."

Regarding the package...well, you get what you pay for. This is a budget release, after all...the liner notes (by Howard, seemingly) have the occasional inconsistency (we're told that the first album is entirely self-penned...immediately before a discussion of the Bonner/Gordon gem "Goodbye Surprise"), but all in all it's a fairly solid set, and long overdue. From the looks of it, this is a borderline self-released effort, and Mark and Howard should be commended for FINALLY getting these albums back into print.

Bill Inglot did the remastering, and the sound quality favors the slightly pinched frequency response he seems to prefer nowadays (compare "Nikki Hoi" here to the more natural-sounding presentation on "The Best of Flo and Eddie"), but unless you are very familiar with how these albums sounded on vinyl, you probably won't mind. Note also that this set seemingly has nothing to do with that *other* Flo and Eddie two-fer making the rounds ("Illegal/Moving Targets") which seems to have been shoddily assembled.

Random collectors' aside: note that the versions of "Goodbye Surprise" and "Feel Older Now" are wildly different mixes from the alternates that appear on "The Best of Flo and Eddie"...and these are much, much better.

I've never bitten deeply of the Zappa cake; the satire and showmanship wear thin too quickly. But I was captivated by,'Another Band From LA' with the outrageous epic,' Billy The Mountain' filling one of its vinyl sides. So, enter Flo and Eddie whose impeccable harmonies were the complimentary spice, a kind of Greek chorus, accompanying Billy's journey. Of course, they had been The Turtles, whose 'Elenore' had brief charting dominance in the late 60s. I was unaware of their name change, but the gorgeous pop harmonies were still pitch-perfect. When the '72 album arrived, I jumped on it. It didn't seem like some 60s relic, nor does it and its successor, packaged here in tandem, now. They cut a small but valued niche and thankfully the two discs have been resurrected. The sound is denser on the later disc, though the penmanship is amplification rather than evolution. The psuedo Latino voice on 'Carlos and the Bull' grates , but then the thrilling, almost operatic 'Marmendy Mill', caps the set. Pop fluff? Surely, but with mood changes, joyousness and enough tongue-in-cheek to die for, I'll take this offer any day.

The gorgeous voices & harmony of Howie Kaylan & Mark Volman... I saw them open for Alice Cooper on the "Billion Dollar Babies" tour, and was immediately hooked. The irreverent humor that they honed during their time with Zappa was combined with a seriously rocking band and great tunes. For me, the covers of "Afterglow" (Small Faces) and "Days" (Kinks) are better than the originals. "If We Only Had the Time" features one of the great recorded (and tongue-in-cheek) screams of all time. Admittedly, I'm not as familiar with the 1st disc, other than remembering "Nikki Hoi" from the concert; still, this is worth every penny - and SEVEN BUCKS cheaper to get it on Amazon (WITH liners and a box) than on iTunes. Another reviewer on here mentions Ezrin's production; it sounds good even today, and is wonderfully glam on the glam songs.

Trivia note: Flo & Eddie sang backups on most of T. Rex' biggest hits, including "Bang a Gong!" That just the beginning, though - Howie & Mark also appear on recordings by: John Lennon, Roger McGuinn, Hoyt Axton, Ray Manzarek, Stephen Stills, Keith Moon, David Cassidy, Alice Cooper, Tonio K., Blondie, Bruce Springsteen, The Knack, Psychedelic Furs, Sammy Hagar, Livingston Taylor, Burton Cummings, Paul Kantner, Duran Duran, The Ramones and others. Whew!!!

Flo and Eddie's music is fun music. Original members of "The Turtles" playing back vocals for "TRex" also members of Frank Zappa's band, they have a variety of styles. Wacked or heavy it is not. They chose upbeat fun. If you are like me I LOVE having a variety of music depending on my mood. Flo & Eddie fit right in my collection. Enjoy

I had both of these LPs in the early '70s. Liked the first one, loved the second (one of my favorite albums of the '70s). I had long since given up on seeing a CD release; but here they are, & sounding great!

Disc Two of this available download is highly recommended. Very few albums are solid and melodic all the way through. Disc two has no clunkers. This is a great album that shouldn't have been overlooked when first released. If you're a Zappa fan or Turtles fan, you know about Flo & Eddie and Disc two is a great combination of those two disparate forms of rock music. Try it, you'll love it.
(L)SD - Dallas, tx

So here we go, on with the show, Eddie and Flo's...guest stars!!! l'd still pinch their taints.

If you're looking for Frank Zappa's wit and humor, check out Zappa. If you just want "clever," search for Weird Al or Spike Jones. If you want to hear the Turtles, buy their old CDs. You won't find any of that in Flo and Eddie.

Al Nichol was the genius behind the Turtles, along with extraordinary drummer Johnny Barbata. Mark (Flo) and Howard (Eddie) have karaoke voices and are about as witty as a used Q-Tip.

This is a waste of money. Just don't bother.