It was recorded on April 21, 1982 at Hop Singh’s club in Marina del Rey, California. The vocalist is in fine soulful form here during several numbers she sang lead or backing vocals for The Crystals, The Blossoms and Bob B. Soxx & the Blue Jeans. Prime examples include “Da Doo Ron Ron,” “(Today I Met) The Boy I’m Gonna Marry” and “He’s a Rebel.”
Love also puts her own engaging spin on Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band's “Hungry Heart,” the Beatles’ “We Can Work It Out” and Dan Hill's "Sometimes When We Touch." The LA concert found her ably backed onstage by her younger sister, Edna Wright, and Gloria Jones, notable performers in their own right. The Monte Carlos, some session players assembled specially for this gig, provided the music.
Definitely recommended for fans of pop and soul from the 1960s.
Upon release of the live album and accompanying home video, Love said, "I'm so pleased this concert is finally making it to DVD" in a press release.
“It captures a time when I was putting myself out in the world again, knowing that I still had more to offer through my music. It was a thrill to perform alongside two women with whom I had been singing for decades — my sister, Edna Wright, and my fellow member in the Blossoms, Gloria Jones. The band that was put together for the event, the Monte Carlos, really understood rock 'n' roll. It was more rhythm on stage than I have ever had, and I think that made a big difference. I can't wait for people to see this show."
Live 1982 marks the first time this concert has been available on home video. All formats were produced by Bob Lasiewicz for Live Time Productions, now a division of Media InfoSystems, Inc. The audio elements have been remastered and the video re-edited from the original recordings.
Track listing:
1. Da Doo Ron Ron
2. Wait Til’ My Bobby Gets Home
3. (Today I Met) The Boy I’m Gonna Marry
4. We Can Work It Out
5. Why Do Lovers Break Each Other’s Heart?
6. He’s a Rebel
7. Not Too Young to Get Married
8. Sometimes When We Touch
9. Hungry Heart
10. He’s Sure the Boy I Love
11. Gospel Medley: Swing Low, Sweet Chariot; Oh, Happy Day; When the Saints Go Marching In
Here's some history for the initiated:
Love's Sixties work with Phil Spector was often uncredited at the time, but she was featured on two of the most popular hits of the decade. Love sang lead on “He’s a Rebel” (Billboard #1) and “He’s Sure the Boy I Love” (#11), which were credited to the Crystals. As a member of the Blossoms, Love contributed backing vocals to the Ronettes' “Be My Baby” (#2), Shelley Fabares’ “Johnny Angel” (#2), Bobby “Boris” Pickett’s “Monster Mash” (#1), and the Crystals’ “Da Doo Ron Ron” (#3).
By the 1970s, Love decided to take a break from recording to raise a family. The break lasted longer than anticipated. At the start of the 1980s, Love was working as a maid in Beverly Hills. One day, while on the job, she heard her song “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” on the radio. She took it as a sign that it was time to change direction and pursue singing again.
With the help of her friend, Steven Van Zandt, a new phase in Love’s career began to gain traction. In 1982, Love was approached by producer Bob Lasiewicz to stage a show that would be filmed and recorded for potential release. That show, now presented as Live 1982, captures the singer at the beginning of her comeback. Two years later, Love was portraying herself in the Tony Award-nominated jukebox musical Leader of the Pack on Broadway in New York.
Love's most recent studio album, Introducing Darlene Love, was released in 2015 by Steven Van Zandt’s label, Wicked Cool Records. That same year, Love earned a Grammy Award for “Best Music Film” for her involvement in the Oscar-winning documentary 20 Feet from Stardom.
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