Personnel: Al Nichol (vocals, guitar, electric sitar, keyboards); Mark Volman (vocals, guitar, congas); Howard Kaylan (vocals, keyboards); Chip Douglas, Jim Pons (vocals); Jim Horn, Plas Johnson (saxophone); Harry Nilsson (piano); Paul Beaver (Moog synthesizer); Don Murray , John Barbata (drums).
Audio Remasterer: Bill Inglot.
Photographer: Henry Diltz.
The Turtles, led by the intertwined vocals of Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman, sounded initially like a second-tier version of the Byrds when their version of Bob Dylan's "It Ain't Me Babe" hit the radio in 1965, but by the time the band called it quits a couple of years later, they had developed into a smooth-sounding, good-natured pop group. This 20-track survey of the band's history, selected by Kaylan and Volman, hits all the key tracks, including "It Ain't Me Babe," a fine version of P.F. Sloan's "Let Me Be," the Ray Davies-produced "Love in the City," and the big pop hits "Happy Together" and "Elenore." A special treat is a previously unissued Chevrolet Camaro radio commercial that finds the Turtles gleefully hawking cars, complete with a voice cameo from Warren Zevon. ~ Steve Leggett
Professional Reviews
Record Collector (magazine) (p.98) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "The group's musical evolution is astutely charted, from 1965 folk-rock beginnings with Dylan's 'It Ain't Me, Babe' through 1967 West Coast pop triumphs..."
