A Guy's Guide to Being a Man's Man
Page 12
Here are my man’s man suggestions for red or white wine—whatever your tastebuds are in the mood for.
Pricing Chart
$ ($25-$45)
$$ ($50-$70)
$$$ ($75-$100)
Red
California
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon 2001 ($$)
Larkin Cabernet Franc 2002 ($$$)
Neibaum Coppolla—Rubican 1997 ($$$)
Italy
Brunello Di Montalcino 1998 ($$)
Luce 2000 ($$$)
Bertani Amarone 1996 ($$$)
Angelo Gaja Barbaresco 1995 ($$$)
Australia
Laughing Jack Shiraz 2002 ($)
France
Chateau Pichon Lalande 1994 ($$)
White
Italy
Santa Margarita Pinot Grigio 2003 ($)
La Scolca Gavi Black Label 2003 ($$)
Livio Felluga 2003 ($)
Jermann Dreams 2003 ($$)
California
Ferrari-Carano Chardonnay Reserve 2002 ($)
Beringer Chardonnay Sbragia—Limited Release 2002 ($$)
Cakebread Sauvignon Blanc 2003 ($)
France
Louis Latour Corton-Charlemagne 2000 ($$$)
Domaine de Chevalier—Graves Blanc 2000 ($$$)
New Zealand
Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2004 ($)
Quenching Your Lady’s Thirst
It’s essential to realize that if you’re having a woman over to your place, you must know how to make drinks she enjoys. Don’t forget, it’s not all about you. The megahit HBO show Sex and the City really started the Cosmo craze, and it has become the drink of choice for almost all women. Even if they’re not drinking Cosmos, women love drinks served in martini glasses. A martini glass is tall and it makes a woman feel elegant, classy, and sophisticated. Here’s a tip: If a woman runs her finger up and down the stem of the glass while talking to you, it’s a clear sign she’s interested in you. Let me give you three standard drink recipes every man’s man needs to know how to make for the lovely lady of his choice:
N COSMOPOLITAN n
3 ounces citron vodka (Absolut, Grey Goose, or Ketel One are all
excellent choices)
1⁄2 ounce triple sec
1⁄2 ounce fresh lime juice
Cranberry juice, for color
Put all ingredients into a shaker with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a lime.
N APPLE MARTINI n
3 ounces of a quality vodka (not flavored)
1 ounce sour apple liquor or apple schnapps
Splash sour mix (optional)
Put all ingredients into a shaker with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a cherry.
N RASPBERRY MARTINI n
3 ounces quality raspberry vodka
1 ounce Chambord (top-shelf French liqueur)
Splash triple sec
Splash cranberry juice
Put all ingredients into a shaker with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a lime.
Listening to Music Like a Man’s Man
Music has been a major part of my life. It started when I was in grammar school, when I took piano and trumpet lessons. When I turned eighteen, I bought a used set of drums and went to work in a four-piece cover band called Bobbie Blue & the Arist-O-Cats. Gradually, we evolved into a six-piece group. During the day, I would do recording sessions with famous people like Don Costa, Paul Anka, Del Shannon, Trini Lopez and the Belmonts, and at night I would play in some of the hottest clubs in the New York-New Jersey area. I also produced and conducted recording sessions for my music mentor, Bill Ramal. Today, I’m still involved with the music business: I have appeared in many rap videos for world-famous hip-hop artists like Nas, Method Man, and DMX. That’s a side of me I bet you didn’t know!
When you think of a man’s man singer, who comes to mind? Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles, Tony Bennett? If you thought of those performers, you’re definitely warm, kid! But, to help you better understand music “my way” here’s a list of man’s man singers, and singers I’m not so sure about:
Man’s Man Singer: Frank Sinatra—Do we have to explain why?
Not So Sure: Michael Jackson—Do we have to explain why?
Man’s Man Singer: Elvis Presley—Rumor has it he had to put a restraining order out against female fans!
Not So Sure: Marilyn Manson—Rumor has it the Devil put a restraining order out against him!
Man’s Man Singer: Tony Bennett—His music career has spanned six decades.
Not So Sure: Vanilla Ice—His music career spanned six weeks.
Man’s Man Singer: Jerry Lee Lewis—He performs like a pit bull without a leash.
Not So Sure: Boy George—He performs like a poodle in a biker outfit.
I think from these examples you can see the type of performer that a man’s man should be listening to. If the performer has female background singers, that’s good, but if he sounds like a female, that ain’t good. Also, it’s not just the words he sings or instruments he plays, but the attitude he portrays on stage that’s important.
Bottom line, a man’s man has to have good taste in music. This section is the virtual sound track to a man’s man’s life. I will cover all the man’s man singers like Sinatra, Springsteen, Presley, Jagger—even “honorable mentions” like Mozart! Hey, the wig might be a little suspect, but the man was a musical genius. I’m also going to cover the “do’s” and “don’ts” for music when you’re making love to your lady, drinking with your fellow men’s men, and more. This section is guaranteed to be music to your ears! Hey, would I lie to you? Now, listen up—literally!
Top Man’s Man Music Legends
In my experience, to say a person is a true legend in a certain field is to say that the person has combined a special quality of style and charisma with the utmost level of success. Success can wear many hats in the music industry—playing, writing, performing, producing, etc. I’ve had the good fortune of being in the music field for most of my life. My experience gave me the opportunity to meet and work with many unsung music legends. Common belief is that when a performer is very popular, he or she automatically jumps into the “legendary category.” But, that’s simply not true. There are many music legends that everyday people have never heard of. These are people who play in recording studios, concert orchestras, TV, and Broadway shows, etc. But that’s a whole other list.
The music legends on my list are people who have reached the pinnacle of success and popularity, along with contributing something unique to society. That’s what it’s all about! Louis Armstrong was not only known for his music ability, but was also known as an ambassador of goodwill. He traveled all over the world and spread love and peace through the use of his personality and his trumpet. At that time in history, it wasn’t an easy thing to do. Although his forte was comedy, Bob Hope was a song-and-dance man who brought many musical revues all over the world. He entertained our troops during World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam, Desert Storm, and other times when our troops needed moral support. He always said he was ready at any time to entertain our “guys and girls in uniform,” especially at Christmastime. In fact, he didn’t spend a Christmas at home for forty years.
A legend also touches his individual fans directly. Here’s a true story: A friend of mine is a huge Bruce Springsteen fan. Last winter, he drove about an hour down to South Jersey to fill out a form to possibly win concert and backstage tickets to meet his idol, Bruce Springsteen. He got the form from the box office and went across the street to a bar to fill it out. The bar was packed, but he saw an open stool. To his surprise, the person sitting next to the open stool was “The Boss” himself. My friend said hello and told Springsteen what a big fan he was. They got into a lengthy conversation. Then, Springsteen asked him to write down his phone number. Sure enough, two days before the concert my friend got a call from Springsteen’s road ma
nager, saying there would be two tickets waiting for him at the will-call window on the day of the concert. Now that’s a stand-up guy!
My list is filled with men’s men who have made their mark in music, who reinvented themselves time and time again. They were and are stars on the stage of music and the stage of life. They’re legends for all the right reasons. Let’s take a journey through the man’s man music hall of fame.1. Frank Sinatra: The “chairman of the board” and leader of the legendary Rat Pack was undoubtedly the ultimate man’s man entertainer—loyal to his friends, devoted to his family, and involved with his music right to the end of his life. Aside from being the late-night party guy who hung out at places like New York’s Jilly’s until the wee hours of the morning, the next day Frank could and did go into recording studios and deliver his songs like no other pop singer in the world. Just listen to his one-of-a-kind versions of “The Gal That Got Away,“One for My Baby” and “Only the Lonely,” and you can hear the inner soul of a true man’s man. On the other hand, listen to Sinatra having a blast as he swings with the Count Basie Band (Count Basic was also a man’s man) to cool hits like “The Lady Is a Tramp,” “You Make Me Feel So Young,” and “Come Fly with Me.” He also sang great hits about real man’s man cities like New York (“New York, New York”) and Chicago (“My Kind of Town”). I met Sinatra a couple of times in New York City at Jilly’s bar. Ol’ Blue Eyes was hands-down the most popular ladies’ man of all time, scoring top honors for being with beautiful screen legends like Ava Gardner, Lauren Bacall, and Marilyn Monroe, just to name a few. This classic crooner was once asked about his many love affairs and Sinatra boldly said, “If I had as any many affairs as you give me credit for, I would now be speaking to you from a jar in the Harvard Medical School.”Most Memorable Man’s Man Song: “My Way”
2. Dean Martin: The French movie sex siren Brigitte Bardot once proclaimed Dean’s recording of “Sway” the song that turned her on the most. His romantic Italian songs like “That’s Amoré” won girls’ hearts over. He is truly my hero as far as being the personification of suaveness, coolness and presence, and it’s easy to see why the ladies loved him. Dino would be the first to admit he didn’t have the best voice in the business, but nobody looked like they had more fun doing it than he did. The man was charming and had a smooth-as-silk man’s man style that’s often imitated but will never be duplicated.Most Memorable Man’s Man Song: “You’re Nobody Till Somebody Loves You”
3. Ray Charles: If you don’t know who this man’s man music legend is, then you should return this book and “Hit the Road, Jack!” Born in the racially segregated south in 1930, Ray Charles endured much adversity because of the color of his skin. He rose high above all the negativity to succeed in a world and industry that constantly put him to the test. If you could give me about three months, I could tell you all of this man’s man’s hit songs, but here are a few to whet the appetite: “Georgia on My Mind,” “Let the Good Times Roll,” “I Can’t Stop Loving You,” “Crying Time,” and more. Ray Charles is a real man’s man because he didn’t let his blindness ever handicap him. His legend continues to live on, thanks to the recent man’s man Academy Award-winning performance by Jamie Foxx in the film Ray. Fellow man’s man performer James Brown was once asked what set apart Ray Charles from his peers. “What set him apart? He was Ray Charles!”Most Memorable Man’s Man Song: “What I Say”
4. Tony Bennett: He may have “left his heart in San Francisco,” but this man’s man entertainer is still right here, pumping out hit after hit. Anthony Dominick Benedetto was born in 1926, in Astoria, Queens, to an Italian-born immigrant grocer. Discovered by legendary comedian Bob Hope at a Greenwich Village nightclub, he quickly assumed the stage name Tony Bennett (that Bob Hope gave him), and the rest is music history. With over 50 million records sold worldwide and ten Grammy awards on his mantel, this legend is the walking man’s man sound track of standards in all of pop music. He’s also the true renaissance man—an extremely accomplished painter as well as singer. I think this New York Times quote says it all: “Tony Bennett has not just bridged the generation gap, he has demolished it.”Most Memorable Man’s Man Song: “I Left My Heart in San Francisco”
5. Miles Davis: If you look up “cool” in the dictionary, you might find a picture of Miles Davis. When the “Picasso of Jazz” plays one of his hit songs like “Now’s the Time,” “Bye Bye Blackbird” or “Blue in Green,” it feels like you’re not just listening to music, but connecting to Miles’s soul. Known mostly for being a trumpet player, this man’s man was also an incredible multitalented composer and band-leader. If we could all go back in time and sit in on a Miles Davis recording session we would all be better people for it. If you have a CD collection and you don’t have Miles Davis’s album “Kind of Blue,” you ain’t a man’s man. So, run out and buy it and then we can continue this discussion.Most Memorable Man’s Man Song: “So What”
6. Elvis Presley: This “Hound Dog” is definitely the guru of the pelvic thrust, which made women go mad. With three Grammys and over 130 albums under his belt, this man’s man entertainer is not just a legend but an icon. He was equally loved on-screen, appearing in popular movies like Girls! Girls! Girls! and Viva Las Vegas. “The King’s” unfortunate death on August 16, 1977, rocketed him to man’s man cult status. As far as Elvis sightings, yes, they have been reported. However, the next question should be, “Did you see him getting on or getting off the UFO?” Thankyew, Thankyewverymuch. Take it from me, Elvis has definitely left the building.Most Memorable Man’s Man Song: “Jailhouse Rock”
7. Louis Armstrong: To the world, he’s known as “Satchmo,” but to me, he’s known as a man’s man. Louis Armstrong was born in the rough Storyville section of New Orleans at the turn of the century, and became one of the foremost legends of jazz and popular music, both as a singer and a trumpet player. His gravelly singing voice was unique, and he perfected a relaxed vocal style that’s widely known as “Scat.” Armstrong’s hit records of “Wonderful World” and “Hello Dolly!” are the highlights of his huge vocal output. When this man’s man was asked if he minded comedians and musicians doing impersonations of him, Satchmo answered, “Not really. A lotta cats copy the Mona Lisa, but people still line up to see the original.”Most Memorable Man’s Man Song: “Mack the Knife”
8. Mick Jagger: Music always took center stage in this man’s man’s career. Influenced by legends like Chuck Berry and blues master Muddy Waters, the Rolling Stones created a style that would change music forever. They performed hits like “Time Is on My Side,” “Jumpin’ Jack Flash,” “Get Off of My Cloud,” and too many more to mention. You gotta tip your hat to a guy who’s sixty and still rocks with no shirt on in front of 60,000 screaming fans, mostly women. The Stones still put on one of the best live shows, and their loyal fans never leave disappointed. Jagger has had an equally successful solo career. On his album entitled Goddess in the Doorway, he has guest spots from men’s men like Bono, Joe Perry, Rob Thomas, and more.Most Memorable Man’s Man Song: “Satisfaction”
9. James Brown: You are definitely a man’s man if your nickname is “The Godfather of Soul.” Brown started to show an interest in music at a young age, winning first prize at an amateur night contest at the ripe old age of eleven. After a rocky beginning, he became determined to make music his life. A true revolutionary in the music business, Brown created new styles including “funk” with his megahit “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag.” He has the ultimate stage persona, showing off dance moves and footwork that defy gravity as he performs his hit songs like “Living in America” and “Sex Machine.” By the way, we won’t hold the way he looked in that mug shot against him.Most Memorable Man’s Man Song: “I Feel Good”
10. Bono: Unless you’ve been abducted by aliens, you have heard of Bono and the band U2. Actually, even if you’ve been abducted by aliens, I’m sure they’ve got a few songs of U2’s on their intergalactic iPods. This Irish-born man’s man singer, songwriter, sometime guitarist, an
d always U2 frontman has put out such popular albums as Boy, October, War, Under a Blood Red Sky, Rattle & Hum, and many more musical feats. I was even in a movie with Bono called Entropy. U2 has recently (and deservedly) been inducted into the prestigious Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. One very important characteristic of a man’s man is a sense of humor, and Bono’s definitely got a great one. In 2004, he received an honorary law degree from the University of Pennsylvania. His reaction was, “It really is an honor, but are you sure? All I can think of is the laws I’ve broken.”Most Memorable Man’s Man Song: “Where the Streets Have No Name”
11. Bruce Springsteen: This man’s man was not only “Born in the USA,” he was born in my home state of New Jersey. His backup group, the E Street Band, consisting of Clarence Clemons, Steven Van Zandt, Danny Federici, Garry Tallent, Nils Lofgren, Patti Scialfa, and drummer Max Weinberg (one of the finest drummers around), is the best. Which one of Springsteen’s albums do you think represents being a man’s man, Greetings from Asbury Park (his very first effort in 1973), Born in the USA (one of the biggest-selling albums of all time), or Born to Run (which simultaneously landed Bruce on the covers of Newsweek and Time)? The answer: every album he ever made! “Streets of Philadephia,” a song Springsteen wrote and sang for the major motion picture Philadelphia (1994) won him the Academy Award for Best Song.Most Memorable Man’s Man Song: “Born in the USA”