Lovin' Spoonful question

Joe Alterio · Post by **Joe Alterio** » 13 Jul 2001 8:26 pm

Hi all,

I was perusing an earlier post, http://steelguitarforum.com/Forum1/HTML/011380.html , as I was curious as to who played the steel on some of the Spoonful's songs. As Larry Bell noted, John Sebastian played on "Rain On The Roof" and "Nashville Cats", and as we all know, Red Rhodes played on "Never Goin' Back".

My question is, who played the steel on "Boredom", a song off the "Everything Playing" LP (after Zal Yanovsky left the group)....sounds like a session guy as opposed to Sebastian, but I could be wrong.

Also, Yanovsky had his own LP, "Alive And Well In Argentina"....one of the songs, "Brown and Blues" features a steel...anybody know who would have played that one?

Thanks for looking!

Joe
**Dekley S-12 5/4**

Gene Jones · Post by **Gene Jones** » 14 Jul 2001 3:46 am

* [This message was edited by Gene Jones on 02 May 2002 at 03:12 PM.]

Joe Alterio · Post by **Joe Alterio** » 19 Jul 2001 4:59 pm

Anyone????

Jason Odd · Post by **Jason Odd** » 19 Jul 2001 6:31 pm

Joe, for a 1969 session the 'Spoonful' website mentions a "Nashville" session player named Red Rhodes actually played steel. Now we all know that Red may have visited Nashville, but he certainly didn't work there.

I'd have to say that after Zal left it is quite likely that Red did the session if it was cut in Hollywood, which i believe a lot of their latter material was. Well, they did originally form in N.Y.
Once on the West Coast, the fave steel player of the Hollywood studio scene was Red, he played on a heap of folk-rock, pop and psyche projects through 1967-1969.

However it is interesting to note that Zal did keep close ties to the group, and he even worked in the studio with his replacement in the group. I wouldn't totally rule Zal out, but as an educated guess I'd say it was Red.
As for Zal's album, I honestly couldn't say.. but I have been looking for it for years.

Jason Odd · Post by **Jason Odd** » 24 Jul 2001 3:59 pm

Joe, why don't you email them via their website, perhaps if you mention that you've done a tribute page to Red Rhodes they might email you with any helpful info, whether or not it was Mr. Rhodes at least.

Rick Johnson · Post by **Rick Johnson** » 25 Jul 2001 3:32 am

John Sebastian was at NAMM this weekend.
Very polite guy. Everyone got to talk to him.
Great guy.

Rick

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Rick Johnson

Geoff Brown · Post by **Geoff Brown** » 25 Jul 2001 7:58 am

I emailed the website quite a while back about this question and recieved a "we have no idea" response. The person who replied said that they would forward it to John, but warned that he doesn't get around to checking his email much. I had already sent an email to John's address, but I guess it will most likely never be read.

Larry Bell · Post by **Larry Bell** » 25 Jul 2001 3:33 pm

Zal can be reached at Pan Chaco Bakery in Kingston, Ontario.
pigpan@adan.kingston.net
Note: this is his place of business -- a very successful restaurant (Chez Piggy) and bakery. He may answer you or not. I DO ASK THAT WE NOT FLOOD HIM WITH EMAIL. He has a whole 'nuther life after the Spoonful.

When I asked about 'Rain on the Roof' and 'Nashville Cats' he gave me a terse but polite answer to a straightforward question.

I don't know if Rick Vizzi is still on the Forum, but he may have also contacted Zally right after I did.

Whatever . . . use discretion.

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Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
1969 Emmons S-12 6x6, 1971 Emmons D-10 9x9, 1971 Dobro

Joe Alterio · Post by **Joe Alterio** » 29 Jul 2001 6:15 pm

Thanks for the replies, guys!

Larry: I appreciate the e-mail addy. However, I think I will refrain from bothering him about such trivial matters...having never met him, I don't feel its my place to come out of the blue and ask him questions from 35 years ago...though maybe if I start out with "Hey Zal...I LOVED your solo LP! Much better than that Spoonful stuff..." he wouldn't mind...maybe?

Joe
**Dekley S-12 5/4**

John Steele · Post by **John Steele** » 29 Jul 2001 7:01 pm

I saw Zal last week. He doesn't know me though. I can't help with the questions, but-
If you're at the bakery, go for the buttermilk scones - they're killer !

Zal's green apple and cheddar cheese soup is way-out-front the best soup I've ever tasted. (!!) Talk about a lovin' spoonful...
-John

Lefty · Post by **Lefty** » 31 Jul 2001 5:26 pm

I too would love to email him about fifty questions. They were a big influence in the mid 60's, and I think did a lot to introduce country to the mainstream younger crowd at the time. I will not email him out of respect, but if anyone talks or has trivia please post it for a big Spoonful fan.
Lefty

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 31 Jul 2001 6:30 pm

Me too, Lefty. Back in the late 60's I thought I was John Sebastian! You should see my high school yearbook photo! It's all I can do to stop myself from e-mailing Zally and making a pest of myself.

Roger Miller · Post by **Roger Miller** » 6 Aug 2001 1:16 pm

You know Jerry Garcia played on a lot of stuff in that field. He played with CS&N and byrds, and Airplane and so on. He may have played on the
Spoonfull's sessions also.????????

JB Arnold · Post by **JB Arnold** » 7 Aug 2001 9:03 am

Actually, Right after that Sebastian went to work on a solo LP that featured Buddy Emmons on a couple of cuts. Could it be that they knew each other at this point? I seriously doubt Garcia would have been the guy-He was a west coast player, and the Spoonful was decidedly east coast. More than likely it was someone from Nashville, or nearby.

John

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Fulawka D-10 9&5
"All in all, looking back, I'd have to say the best advice anyone ever gave me was 'Hands Up, Don't Move!"
www.johnbarnold.com/pedalsteel

Jason Odd · Post by **Jason Odd** » 7 Aug 2001 4:15 pm

Most, if not all of the Spoonful where living 'out west' by the late 1960s, that's why John B. spent so much time hanging out with Crosby Stills and Nash, etc.
Zal on the other hand, I dunno.
He was working with Kristofferson's band by 1970, when he played the Isle of Wight, etc.