Bob and Kristina don't own a PT Cruiser. But they want one. In Cruiser-land, they have, what you might call "PT envy."  But they have directed that pent-up energy into music and came up with a song, a CD and a recording that is a must-nave for anyone who drives, or hopes to drive, a PT Cruiser.
     The musical pair, who live and perform in Miami, Fla., wrote "Gotta Have A Cruiser Blues."
     "When we started to see PT Cruisers on the road, I kept saying, 'I gotta have that car,"' said Kristina Monaco. Bob McCall started writing the lyrics and music and it fell into place quickly, said the veteran musician.
     The song's hook line - "Even Mustang Sally's Got the Gotta Have A Cruiser Blues" - hit her while she was in the shower one morning, said Monaco. "It was one of those missing lines that came out of nowhere like a lot of lyrics do."
The next challenge for the dynamic duo was rounding up a band to record the song, which both felt had saleability as the Cruisers caught on with the public.
     McCall usually performs all over South Florida as a single act - but this song needed more, he felt. Through his many gigs, McCall had met and gotten to know many musicians, some of whom have become close friends. "The choices of who would play obviously depended on the kind of sound we needed," said McCall. "And we wanted a sound reminiscent of the muscle car songs of the '60s."
     Brian Bonds, a gifted 22- year-old was chosen for lead guitar. Jackson Bunn, an accomplished keyboardist added the piano work. Alto sax player Wayne Gutshall, and drummer Mike McMinniman also performed on the recording as did Larry Wiseman on bass guitar. Kristina's sister, Linda Monaco, sang background vocals, which comes naturally for her. She and Larry Wiseman are the original Keys Cruisers and have been playing beach music since they met in the mid-'70s.
     Feeling a little left out, Kristina added the "ooo-daddyo" lead-in and the song was complete.
     Recorded in July 2000 (not long after the first PT Cruiser hit the pavement) at the Natural Sounds Studio in Miami, and engineered by Tom Anthony, the song only took nine hours to complete, which is pretty fast in the recording industry. "This shows the excellent quality of the musicianship" McCall noted.
     "It's one thing to record a good CD, but the marketing is another story," said Monaco. "We have always had an ambitious goal in mind for this project - to have the CD in every PT Cruiser, "added McCall.
To make that happen, the pair have sent copies to clubs, event promoters, radio stations and publications. And they have spent endless hours on the computer, seeking possible avenues to showcase their work.
     "The rallies are popping up everywhere now, including the UK," Monaco noted. "So hopefully our market is expanding." Recently, the song was featured on an edition of NPR's "Car Talk" program. McCall and Monaco were ecstatic: "It was so exciting for us! Even our friend in Alaska heard it." Daimler-Chrysler UK has expressed interest in distributing the CD to the overseas market, but Daimler-Chrysler USA still remains a challenge. "We just can't get their attention," said McCall, although they have always been first and foremost on our list.
     The CD, with original artwork of a PT Cruiser by graphic artist, Bernie Oelze, is sold for $10 at shows and through www.bobmccall.com on the Internet. "We knew nothing about computers when we started," the pair admits, and it’s been a huge learning experience. “We could probably write a book now, entitled ‘How Not To Run A Music Business’, “they admit with a smile. "We made so many mistakes."
     The pair formed their own publishing company as part of their marketing strategy. “It's important to have the rights to our songs," said McCall.
     It's been awhile since the Beach Boys sang about "My Little Deuce Coupe" or Jan and Dean were warning of the dangers of "Deadman's Curve." But Monaco and McCall are hoping to change that--just as the hot, yet way-too-cool PT Cruiser is changing the way people think about cars.  “We feel privileged that as writers we were able to express our passion for the PT Cruiser by singing this song," said McCall.
     Will they ever own one of their own?
     "We'll have to sell a lot of CDs first," the composers both agree. “But owning a PT Cruiser remains an integral part of our 'Driving Force."'