"The Lovin' Spoonful" by Joey Sasso
Young Miss, March 1967

The Lovin' Spoonful quartet comes on real strong with every kind of music they play, from Sousa marches to jazz to folk songs to Bob Dylan to the good old blues. They come on like minstrels from the old school, and they wave a flag almost as much as that good old Yankee Doodle Dandy himself, George M. Cohan. They are truly an original group, with their own distinctive style of putting over a song. The Lovin' Spoonful may be imitated, but they never imitate anyone at all!

A question most asked about this quartet is, "What are the boys really like?" For all of you who have asked that question, here's the answer: They are four very nice, very talented young men.

John Benson Sebastian, who is the son of the world-famous harmonica virtuoso, John Sebastian, was born in New York City on March 17, 1944. His early childhood was spent in New York's Greenwich Village and in Florence and Rome in Italy. John's wife, Lorey, a journalist, works in New York where the Sebastians live when he's not touring with the group. John, who is 5'10" tall and has brown hair and blue eyes, plays the guitar, haromica (naturally!) and the autoharp. He is often seen wearing steel-rimmed granny glasses.

John Stephen Boone was born on September 23, 1943, in Camp Jejeune, North Carolina. During his childhood, his family lived in many parts of the United States. Steve, as he is called by his friends, has red-brown hair and brown eyes. He's the tallest of the group; 6'3". His speciality is the electric bass. When he's not on the road, he lives in Westhampton Beach on Long Island with his family.

Zalman Yanovsky, who is better known as Zal, was born on December 19, 1944, in Toronto, Canada. He lived there until he was 16, and then he went to Israel where he lived on a kibbutz for about a year. When he returned to America, he got in with a couple of folk music goups and played with them for a while. Before he joined the Lovin' Spoonful, he played with Cass Elliot, in the group called the Mugwumps. Incidentally, Cass is now with the Mamas and Papas. Zal, who stands 5'11", has black hair and brown eyes. He's the group's lead guitar. Recently, he bought a duplex apartment in Greenwich Village where he spends most of his leisure time.

Last but far from least is the group's drummer, Joseph Campbell Butler, better known as Joe. Glen Cove, New York, is his home town. He was born there on September 16, 1943. (Note: Joe's actual birthdate is September 16, 1941.) Joe, who can also play the kazoo and the autoharp, is 6'2" and has brown hair and blue eyes. He is both articulate and charming and sometimes adds to the group by singing. He sang with other groups before joining Steve, John and Zal.

Where did the Lovin' Spoonful get that name? Well, back in the Roaring Twenties, Mississippi John Hurt recorded a song which is considered an American classic in the blues field, "Coffee Blues." The lyric of the song goes like this: "I love my baby by the lovin' spoonful...by the lovin' spoonful...by the lovin' spoonful."

Mr. Hurt and other Louisiana Negroes (So PC...) used the "lovin' spoonful" term to describe a sugar-water combination of a good life. When a friend suggested that old song and its title, the boys grabbed it. They haven't regreted (sic) it since they got together three years ago.

It can be said that the Lovin' Spoonful probably has the toughest schedule in the music business. They have played more one-night stands than any other group, including the Beatles, Herman's Hermits and the Rolling Stones. They work so hard that only recently did they have a vacation; their first since the group was formed in the early part of 1965.

Their big problem is lugging all that equipment that they have acquired since they hit the big time: fifteen hundred pounds to be exact! Their clothing, instruments, music and other odds and ends make up this fantastic load. They have solved the problem by flying everywhere in a private plane. As a matter of fact, approximately every three months, the group crosses the length and breadth of the United States and Canada. They have appeared in many foreign countries, too, including Ireland, England, Sweden, France, West Germany, Holland and Belgium. In Europe, of course, they use a commercial airliner.

The Kama Sutra label turns out millions of the boys' records which are extremely popular with teen-agers and adults, too. Almost everyone likes the kind of stuff that this quartet does.

Each of the boys contributes his special talent to the group when they are performing, but they don't get too much relaxation off-stage. Zal, who is an outgoing sort of chap, is extremely funny and seems to be going off in all directions at once. John is the quiet one. He is extremely interested in music. (No, ya think? Sorry, sorry...) Joe, who is a dedicated craftsman, is both cheerful and thoughtful. Steve, though somewhat modest, has a wild sense of fun. They are a hard foursome to keep down, because they are, together and individually, as funny as the Three Stooges. But most of their time, both on stage and off, is devoted to improving themselves professionally.

They are their own most severe critics. Here's what they have to say:

"In the recording field, you must have something to contribute, some magnetism. You have to really do something, use your imagination. The Beatles are the greatest - musically and in every other way. We also like some of the work of the Rolling Stones.

"But we don't go along with the groups or artists we call 'fellow travelers.' These are the people who record whatever is in vogue at the moment, and them go along for the ride. They just coast along without contributing anything at all. They do not stick to one thing and they don't really believe in what they are doing. All this folk 'n rock business with Johnny Rivers and Jan Dean (Jan and Dean?) are prime examples."

The group doesn't believe in pulling punches, either, whether they're speaking about themselves or others in the business.

"We don't believe in this white soul-country blues business. We sing with feeling, not color. It's a drag if your whole bit is just copying a sound. But if a recording artist can make a living that way, well, that's his business.

"We now believe it's important to make a good record, which is an end unto itself. We know people in show business who have made the mistake of not always doing their best, and it shows in their recordings.

"The four of us try our best to please because it's the right thing to do. We don't make any carbon copies of our old records. Our fans are the greatest, and we can't let them down. So we really always try to do the very best we can."

When the Lovin' Spoonful boys were asked about the way they dress, they said, "We wear tee shirts in the summer. Our winter outfit is warmer - we prefer sporty sweaters, but I guess we'll be back in the striped tee shirts as soon as the warm weather arrives again. It's funny, but in the Midwest, we were mistaken for an English group. We guess it's because of our long hair. Incidentally, John's specs have really caught on. He was ahead of fashion with them. He bought them two years ago in Massachusetts when he was with Jim McGuinn (he's now with the Birds) (sic).

"We want everyone to know we aren't a protest group. Some of our songs may be grotesque, but we just don't have anything to protest about."

When you talk to these cool characters, you know they aren't kooks. They have a touch which puts them head and shoulders above the rest of the groups in the field.

The Lovin' Spoonful is a great group - both as people and as performers - but you already knew that, didn't you!

Allison's Feedback: This article is a bit of a snooze. Seriously, because I really care who the tallest one of the group is and what their favorite clothes are. No questions about early influences? Hot topics of the day? Hell, even a Village story or two would be welcome. Then again, I guess we're all fortunate that Young Miss was able to squeeze a story about the Spoonful in between their groundbreaking article on what it's like to get your period and their brainwashing of young girls on their lofty quest to become textbook housewives.