The Lovin' Spoonful has always been one of my favorite 60s groups, so I'm not sure how I feel about leader John Sebastian coming out with a new album made up mostly of remakes of their most famous tunes. But since he wrote most of them, I suppose he's certainly free to re-interpret them. (But honestly, how can you possibly improve on a song like, say, "Summer In The City?")

In an article in Goldmine Magazine, Sebastian reflects on a number of career highlights, and sets the record (you should pardon the expression) straight about his appearance at Woodstock, whether he was really invited to join Crosby, Stills and Nash, why he turned down a chance to play with Bob Dylan, whether he really did play with The Doors and the lesson he learned early on when he first heard the nucleus of The Young Rascals. 

But for me, the highlight of the story is the day the group first heard "Do You Believe In Magic" on a Top 40 station in L.A. 

"The Lovin’ Spoonful had actually gotten on a plane to Los Angeles to anticipate the fact that the record was coming out (in 1965). We get off the plane, we rent a car, we get in the car, we’re headed for Hollywood, and “California Girls” plays. And Yanovsky immediately starts bouncing around. The next song is “Do You Believe in Magic.” Zal’s reaction is, he begins to hit me repeatedly on the shoulder. And then everybody’s hitting each other in this car. (laughs) We did actually have to pull over."

John Sebastian revisits Lovin' Spoonful songbook