Zal Yanovsky

Without guitarist Zal Yanovsky The Lovin’ Spoonful woulda been just another boring folky 60’s pop band only recalled through boomer marketed Time-Life compilations. Unfortunately, that seems to be how the Spoonful are remembered today anyways. That’s too bad ‘cause I love Zally’s melodically spacey twang. After splitting from the Spoonful and being deported to Canada following a well documented pot bust Zally recorded his only solo LP, Alive and Well In Argentina (And Loving Every Minute of It). The trademark guitar sound is there, but goofy covers and too much stoner silliness kinda kills it for me. The best cuts are the instrumentals, especially the closer L.T. Schtinckhausen.

It’s no surprise then that my favorite showcase for Zally’s playing is the soundtrack to What’s Up Tiger Lily?, a comedic English language dub of a Japanese spy movie that was sort of Woody Allen’s directorial debut. It was entirely AIP’s idea to have the Spoonful provide the music and to pad the film out with an appearance edited into it. Woody Allen was so outraged by the studio’s decision that he threatened to sue. Fortunately, the flick was a hit and Woody backed off, but not without vowing to use the same crappy jazz score in every one of his subsequent films.

Zally & the Spoonful