The Lovin' Spoonful - ProfilesArchive

About Me

In early 1965 as the "British invasion" dominated the American music scene, two rockers from Long Island, Steve Boone and Joe Butler, teamed up with two folkies from Greenwich Village, John Sebastian and Zal Yanovsky, to form the Lovin' Spoonful and go on to record and perform some of the songs that would dominate the charts and establish them among the greats of the mid-sixties era.Combining the best of folk music and rock and roll, with a touch of country thrown in, they gave us such hits as "Do You Believe in Magic," "Daydream," "You Didn't Have to be So Nice," "Nashville Cats" and the anthem for a hot July evening, "Summer in the City." All this in the span of 4 years and 5 albums. In addition to that they also wrote and performed two soundtrack albums for two directors very early in their careers, Woody Allen "Whats Up Tigerlily" and Francis Ford Coppola "You're a Big Boy Now." They toured almost constantly during this period and were one of the first rock bands to perform on college campuses almost as much as for teenage concert goers.In 1967 Zal Yanovsky left the band to pursue a solo career and was replaced by Jerry Yester, a member of the Modern Folk Quartet and friend of the band since its earliest days. All of the band's energy was soon focused on recording their fourth album the very ambitious Everything Playing. It was the first attempt for a rock band to record an album on the new Ampex 16 track tape recorder and quite a challenge it was. It was worth the effort however, producing hits like "Darlin' Be Home Soon," "Six O-Clock" and "She's Still A Mystery To Me" on the American charts and "Boredom" and "Money" in the UK and Europe.In June 1968 John Sebastian left the band to go solo and Joe, Steve and Jerry went back into the studio to record what would be their last hit single of the 1960's, "Never Goin' Back" with legendary Nashville session player Red Rhodes on pedal steel guitar. As 1969 approached the skies were darkening in Good Time Music land and sensing opportunities in individual endeavors the three remaining members went their separate ways with a promise to not let the spark go out.In 1991 a long awaited settlement with their record company inspired Joe and Steve to contact Jerry and start up the Lovin' Spoonful again. After a two month rehearsal in the Berkshire Mts., the group started touring anew, visiting over 150 cities and countries worldwide and reaching out to a whole new audience in addition to those that have enjoyed their music over the years. So look for them coming to your neighborhood bringing a brand new batch of Good Time Music. You can also click the concert info button for a calender of their future appearances.March 6, 2000 marked a milestone for the band. They were officially inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame.
Get this video and more at MySpace.com
Get this video and more at MySpace.com

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 5/23/2006
Band Website: http://www.lovinspoonful.com/
Band Members: Steve Boon -Steve As a teenager in Long Island, Steve Boone learned guitar from his brother Skip while recovering from a car accident. He joined Skip's hot local band with future Lovin' Spoonful drummer Joe Butler. After high school graduation and a summer motorbiking around Europe, Steve met John Sebastian and Zal Yanovsky in Greenwich Village in late 1964.By the next summer, The Lovin' Spoonful were on the road with Steve on bass and Joe on drums and vocals. The group racked up an astonishing SEVEN Top-lO singles with Steve co-writing two of the band's best loved hits - "You Didn't Have To Be So Nice" and the number one smash hit "Summer In The City." In 1970 Steve bought a 56 foot sailboat and spent the next three years writing songs while cruising the Caribbean.Steve In 1973 he leased a 24 track studio in Baltimore and recorded the Little Feat classic, "Feats Don't Fail Me Now." Then he bought the studio and relocated it on to a 135 foot houseboat in Baltimore's Inner Harbor, calling it Blue Seas Studio. The studio became the recording home of such legends as Bonnie Raitt, Emmylou Harris, Robert Palmer, Ricky Scaggs and the Seldom Scene.Steve moved to Florida in 1987. He is an award-winning BMI songwriter and writes and records in his home MIDI studio in between touring, and recording new material with the Spoonful. In 1993 he produced the "Irish Times" band's album, "Live At McGuire's Hill 16."In his free time, Steve is a river tour guide and volunteers as a U.S. Swimming meet official.Joe Bulter -Joe Butler was in the Air Force when he met Steve and Skip Boone and formed the Kingsmen, one of the top bands in Eastern Long Island in the early 1960's. After leaving the service in 1963, Joe headed straight for Greenwich Village where he began singing in clubs and recorded sides for a solo album on Mercury Records. Producer Eric Jacobson suggested that Joe and Steve Boone hook up with John Sebastian and Zal Vanovsky, and the Lovin' Spoonful was born.The Spoonful became one of the most popular and influential American bands of the '60's, creating more than a half dozen albums as well as soundtrack music for the debut films of Woody Allen ("What's Up, Tiger Lily?," 1966) and Francis Ford Coppola ("You're a Big Boy Now,"1967.) In 1968, John Sebastian left the group. Joe, Steve and Jerry Yester carried on, releasing several charting singles and the album "Revelation/Revolution before moving on to their own projects in 1969.After the Spoonful stopped touring,JOE Joe Butler landed Broadway leads in "Hair," "Mahogany," and "Soon," collecting raves. Joe appeared in a half- dozen feature films, including "Born to Win" with George Segal and "One Trick Pony" with Paul Simon. He also composed music for many commercials.Since the Spoonful reunited in 1991, Joe Butler has stepped out from behind the drums as lead singer, performing the classic hits, new Spoonful material and his own new songs.Joe lives with his wife Kim in Greenwich Village, and is the proud father of actress Yancy Butler, star of TV series "Mann and Machine" and "South Beach" and films "Hard Target" and "Drop Zone."Jerry Yester - At the age of 18, Jerry Yester began working the folk clubs of L.A. with his brother Jim, as the Yester Brothers. Jerry went on to record with the New Christy Minstrels and the Modern Folk Quartet, with whom he played hundreds of concerts over the next four years."There was an incredible camaraderie among musicians in those days," Jerry remembers. "It seemed like everyone helped everyone else make their records, and in this spirit I played piano on the first Lovin' Spoonful single 'DO YOU BELIEVE IN MAGIC?' in 1965.After the MFQ disbanded the following year, Jerry produced an album by Jim's group The Association, as well as Tim Buckley's debut, "Goodbye and Hello." Then the Spoonful called with an offer to replace guitarist Zal Yanovsky for one album and hundreds of live gigs, including a legendary Ed Sullivan Show appearance.JERRYBack in L.A., Jerry began producing with Yanovsky, including Zally's solo album and Buckley's "Happy Sad." On his own, Jerry produced the Turtles, Aztec Two Step, and Tom Waits' 1973 debut, "Closing Time." In the years that followed, he performed with The Association and the reunited MFQ and did arrangements for Waits, the Manhattan Transfer, and Spanky and Our Gang.Jerry moved to Hawaii in 1984 where, with Jim on board, the MFQ cut a series of albums and toured widely, including Japan. A sought-after producer, Jerry lives in Harrison, AR. "When I got word that the Spoonful was going to be on the move again, I got one of those rare feelings that the timing was exceptionally good," Jerry says. "So here we are on tour again, and it feels good!"Mike Arturi -Mike was born and raised in Chicago, IL. He began playing and studying music at age eight and never looked back. After receiving an Associates degree in music, Mike turned down two scholarship offers in favor of pursuing his career as a working drummer. When a job opportunity relocated him to Hollywood CA he began (thankfully he says) a seemingly endless series of recording sessions as a studio drummer and live performances in many different styles that gave him a background in the music business that keeps his schedule full to this day.After returning to Chicago, Mike spent the next ten years playing with top local and national touring acts culminating in his being hired by the legendary Dick Clark of American Bandstand fame to play drums for his Rock and Roll Revival shows featuring such greats as Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, The Coasters, The Marvelettes, Freddie Cannon, Del Shannon and Ronnie Spector. This led to Mike becoming a band leader with as many as six bands working up to 300 dates a year!Mike is totally committed to the Lovin' Spoonful's plan for recording a new album and is looking forward to touring in support of that goal.Phil Smith -Phil Smith is the newest member of the Spoonful. He's from Harrison, Arkansas in the Ozark Mountains. Phil started playing guitar seriously at 14 and began teaching at 19. Raised by a musical family, his father plays steel guitar, and his uncle is a jazz guitarist, and both brothers and a cousin also are musicians. Phil's been teaching now for around 18 years. For the last four years he's co-owned a music store, Guitarsmiths. He's having a great time working with the Spoonful and looks forward to the future.
Sounds Like: Smooth lovin' rock
Record Label: Major

My Blog

We are instituting a new plan

This plan includes the monthly cycling out of one or two songs, starting with 'Do You Beleive In Magic?' and will continue until We begin to forget to do it. If you have a request, ...
Posted by on Sat, 25 Nov 2006 17:54:00 GMT