SPYDER'S SOUL KITCHEN EAST!

NEIL!!! T. GIRALDO

ŠJoe Cross
Guitarist/producer/songwriter Neil Giraldo has had as much to do
with the success of his wife, Pat Benatar, as the singer herself.
"I consider myself very fortunate. I couldn't be any happier in life.
I love everything about it. I love my family, and I love my music."
The Cleveland-born Giraldo was playing keyboards and guitar with Rick
Derringer before he met his future musical partner and wife.
"Chrysalis had just signed Pat, and she was looking for a musical director, and
they heard about me through Derringer. It's funny, because I was
writing songs throughout the time I was with Derringer, but they didn't
fit his style. So when Pat and I met, we definitely felt something
musically-as well as personal attraction."

Music Connection May-June '91

Welcome to SPYDER's Soul Kitchen-East! A fansite dedicated to NEIL!!! "SPYDER JAMES" GIRALDO HIMSELF! All NEIL!!! All the Time!

ŠCPL Photos
I've been a fan of Pat Benatar and NEIL!!! GIRALDO since 1979, when I
first heard "I Need A Lover" on the radio. I was amazed
at the voice and the gui-tar! A little while after that, I got my
first glimpse of NEIL!!! on American Bandstand and Don Kirshner's Rock Concert.
It's been over 25 years since then, and like fine Strawberry
Wine--check him out now!
NEIL!!! does a lot more than just look good and play the Gui-Tar!
He's also producer, songwriter, and musical arranger. In addition to Gui-Tars,
he plays keyboards, percussion, and harmonica (blues harp!)
-and provides background vocals in concert!
He's also the sweetest guy you'd ever want to meet.
And he surfs too!
But his most important role is father
to Haley and Hana, and husband to Pat.
Take a walk through the Kitchen and see what you can cook up!
If you've got anything to add, please send an e-mail.
(HINT- I love NEIL!!! photos!) Check out the Pat Benatar Fan Club for the latest on Pat and NEIL!!!
-RR

SPYDER'S SOUL KITCHEN EAST!

congrats
TO THE GIRALDOS ON CELEBRATING 20 YEARS TOGETHER IN ROCK AND ROLL!!!
Two sites pay tribute with a collection of photos and articles covering their reign!

LE MUSEUM DE BENATAR'S VINTAGE STUFF!

What's Been Cooked Up Lately?
For the most recent NEIL!!! news and Site updates,
check under the kitchen chef on the home page.

THE NEIL!!!-FILES! NEIL T. GIRALDO
AKA NEIL GERALDO
AKA SPYDER JAMES
AKA DOWNTOWN BUTANE
AKA THE BIG KAHUNA
BIRTHDATE: 12/29/55
SIGN: CAPRICORN
PLACE OF BIRTH: CLEVELAND OHIO
FAVORITE COLOR: FOREST GREEN
FAVORITE FOOD: CALZONE
INSTRUMENT: LEAD GUITAR. When he was 7 years old, Neil had a $15 Harmony guitar and he's been perfecting his skills since that time.
MOTTO: "ADVERSITY BUILDS CHARACTER"
AVOCATION: RACE CAR DRIVER
MARITAL STATUS: MARRIED (ever heard of Pat Benatar?)
FAMOUS NEIL!!! SAYINGS:
"It's Never Too Late to Get a Tattoo!"
"Rain is a Blessing!"
"You gotta have a little fun!"
"It's all about love!"
"I'm a Lover, Not a Biter!"
"Play from your heart, if you start thinking about it, you'll ruin it."

THE FAQS:

1. How did NEIL!!! get the nickname "Spyder James?"
I've been searching for the article/interview, but I remember Pat saying that NEIL!!! was in to black and yellow. They saw a black and yellow sign that said "Spyder James" on it and they started calling him that.

2. Does NEIL!!! still play BC Rich Guitars?
NEIL!!! still has the BC Rich Guitars, but lately has been playing with some custom made GMP Guitars. He first started using them on the '97 tour and explained that a friend of his gave him the guitar and asked him to make some noise with it--then he'd play SAF Blues with it! Visit the GMP website.

3. What guitar set-up is NEIL!!! using onstage now?
Contributed by Chad Quist of SUPERLUSH: He uses a Pod Pro preamp, two Line 6 Flextones (one for backup), a Soldano head, and I think he had an old Marshall cab. Then he had the line 6 Floorboard, a Tube screamer, and a switching device for the amps.
Thanks, Chad! For more info on the line6 Flextone, visit line6.com

4. Why does NEIL!!! spell his name GIRALDO now, instead of GERALDO?
The correct spelling is GIRALDO. When NEIL!!! recorded "Guitars and Women" with Derringer, his name was misspelled GERALDO. The way Pat tells it, she never knew the correct spelling until they were getting married and he said, "By the way, it's GIRALDO!" The correct spelling wasn't used in album credits until 1991's "TRUE LOVE" album.

5. How many tattoos does NEIL!!! have, and what are they of?
LOTS! On his right arm, he has a tat of a buffalo head/eagle design. Originally, his left arm only had a rose with a ribbon saying "Egena." (Egena is daughter Haley's middle name.) Now his entire left arm is a Hawaiian extravaganza!
Complete with a hula girl--which NEIL!!! can wiggle!
Boy does this page need to be updated! He's now got the right arm, the left leg, and 2 chinese symbols on his chest!

6. What does the "T" stand for in NEIL!!! T. GIRALDO?
Terrific, Tremendous, Talented...actually it's "Thomas!"

NEIL T. GIRALDO

The (Parma) Cleveland native has been playing guitar since the age of 7. By the time he was 12, he was playing in the local clubs. After a stint with Derringer, he caught the eye of Chrysalis Records and was asked to become the guitar player and partner of a new singer named Pat Benatar. Their first album, "In the Heat of the Night," was released in 1979. Twenty-some years later, Pat and NEIL!!! are still together and still rockin'!

color neil
1982

ŠJoe Cross

In addition to his work with Pat Benatar, NEIL!!! has produced albums for John Waite ("Ignition"), the Del-Lords ("Based On a True Story" and "Johnny Comes Marching Home"), and Manning and Rafferty ("The Exiles"). He played guitar and/or keyboards for Waite, the Del-Lords, Rick Springfield ("Working Class Dog"), Kenny Loggins ("High Adventure"), and, of course, Rick Derringer ("Guitars and Women"). He co-wrote songs for the Corrs ("Intimacy") and Real McCoy ("Love Save Me").

NEIL!!! had been working on the music for an unfinished movie, LAST REQUEST and also produced and wrote music for daughter Haley's former band, *GLO*. In addition to all this, in August 2003, he and Pat released their latest album, GO! He is also the music composer for the movies "Nailed" and SMILE. HE is also working on the upcoming Val Kilmer film, 5 Stones and contributed to a Bruce Springsteen tribute album, "Light Of Day."

Get the Complete Works of NEIL!!! GIRALDO at the NEIL!!! GIRALDO Discography Page!

Pat Benatar Fan Club and Artist Information Site!

tattoo
Check out NEIL!!!!'s Bio at the Benatar Fan Club!
And his tattoos!

KITCHEN HOME

NEIL!!! FILES

DISCO- GRAPHY

PHOTOS

EVENTS

I WANT MY NTV!

PAT&NEIL'S 20TH ANNIV

GUITARS

COLLECTIBLES

LINKS

BENATAR FAN CLUB

SPYDER's Soul Kitchen East logo Š1998 Kelly and Scott Price. Thanks, Price Gang!
SPYDER's Soul Kitchen East created 9/98
The Original "SPYDER's Soul Kitchen" is Neil Giraldo's home studio.

Contact Info

Rockin' Robin

roknrobn@comcast.net