First… I looooove hockey…
Want to know how much? Read my latest blog for Original Retro Brand at Marc’s ORB Blog.
Some of the following is from an old blog of mine, so I am putting it in quotes. I am not being pretentious by quoting myself, just making it clear I have used it before… AND being lazy!
“One of the jobs I have had in the downtime between acting and writing gigs… Yes, sadly there is A LOT of downtime… was working at a wine shop called The Duke of Bourbon. It was a great place to learn about wine and meet some great people… Jim Clendenen of Au Bon Climat… Bob Long of Long Vineyards… George Rosenthal of Rosenthal – The Malibu Estate… and Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo.“
“They are big wine connoisseurs and two of the nicest people you could possibly meet. They also performed for the Lili Claire Foundation one year… This is the non-profit I am involved with… and totally remembered me after not having seen me for years. Class act all the way… And oh yeah, AMAZING ROCKERS!”
My friend Michelle was online raving about this album, so I am giving her yet another shout out!!! That’s a lot of albums and blogs for you, Michelle!!! When am I trying on some sample shoes???!!!
Pat Benatar – True Love
“Pat was a most integral part of my ’80s. Hell, she was an integral part of almost anyone listening to Rock n’ Roll in the ’80s. Her first album, In the Heat of the Night went platinum… So did her next five, with Crimes of Passion hitting five times platinum and Precious Time hitting two times platinum. Damn!”
“She shows her amazing range with a release like True Love, one of my favorite blues records!”
Okay, I guess I can correct myself here a bit… as this record is way more than just a blues record. The first track is rocking big band number that pre-dates the fantastic The Brian Setzer Orchestra’s self-titled debut album by three years!
AllMusic says: “A radical departure from the type of slick pop/rock she’d been embracing on albums like Tropico and Wide Awake in Dreamland, True Love found Pat Benatar embracing blues and early pre-rock R&B. Opting for less production and a much rawer approach, an inspired Benatar ditches the synthesizers and keyboards and sounds like she’s leading a bar band in a Chicago dive. From Albert King’s “I Get Evil” to B.B. King’s “Payin’ the Cost to Be the Boss” to Charles Brown’s “Please Come Home for Christmas,” the results aren’t breathtaking, but are generally honest and soulful. Quite clearly, this was an album Benatar was eager to make.”
I don’t know about breathtaking… does my breath need to be taken away??? I need it to move and dance to this gem… and I do know I love this record and the remarkable passion and range she has. She is so amazing on so many levels… It’s nice when you meet someone and they actually exceed your expectations on all levels. This is Pat AND Neil!
“Living near The Canyon Club allows me to see Pat and Neil in a great, intimate setting and they play here a few times each year! If you do not know this venue, you MUST check it out!
Thank you Pat and Neil for staying so classy, always being so real and genuine and rocking together, and giving us so many great shots to the heart of Rock n’ Roll!”
