by Natasha Guyotte

Created on: March 18, 2010

            Mark Kaylan and Howard Volman were the two that originally started The Turtles when they met in their high school choir in 1963. The band started out as a surf-rock-type-group that called themselves the Crossfires from the Planet Mars.  In 1965 they were formed in Westchester, California. The creator’s full names were Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman. The group got help from Reb Foster, a DJ and club owner. Reb Foster signed the Crossfires to White Whale Records and changed their name to “The Tyrtles”. The misspelling was done intentionally and was inspired by The Byrds and The Beatles, but the spelling did not last very long.

            The now known as The Turtles got their breakthrough with a Bob Dylan cover, just like the Byrds did.  The song “It Ain’t Me Babe” in the summer of 1965 was in the Billboard Top Ten and became the title track of The Turtle’s first album. The Turtles went on and reached the top thirty with their second single, “Let Me Be”. Charted in the top twenty in early 1966 was their third hit, “You Baby”.  This song became the title of their second album, but the album did not reach the Billboard’s Top charts. The Turtles released several other singles that didn’t make have nearly the impact their other track have done and barely made it in the top 100 in 1966: two of them being "Grim Reaper of Love" and "Can I Get to Know You Better". Though also in 1966, the Turtles made an appearance in Universal’s Beach Party Spy Spoof film Out of Sight performing “She’ll Come Back”, this helped boost their career.

            At this point from 1965 to 1967 the band is made up of seven people. Howard Kaylan as vocals; Mark Volman on guitar, saxophone, and vocals; Al Nichol on guitar; Jim Tucker on guitar; Chuck Portz on bass; Don Murray on drums; Mr. Steinburg on keyboard and as a vocalist. Being quite a big band it was nearly impossible for troubles and egos not to arise.  At the beginning of 1967 Don Murray, the drummer, and Chuck Portz, their bassist, quit the group. They were soon replaced by Joel Larson and then John Barbata on drums, a man named Chip Douglas filled the spot as their bass.

           

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