Music + Hockey = Bringing Out the Jams?!

For a while, I've wanted to write something BRILLIANT about this topic. I know some music and I feel that I have a fairly good taste in what I choose to listen to. I am also well-aware of hockey and follow it religiously. I figured that there would be some time that I would have this stroke of brilliance and bang out the best piece on music and how it relates to hockey... or the perfect hockey music... or SOMETHING having to do with the two topics.

And you've yet to see such a thing on here. Such a shame, really.

If you're a fan of hockey, you're a fan of the aggressive, in-your-face tunes that get you riled up and ready to tear into the opposition. Typically, I'm not a fan of such music. While I do tend to stray from the main alternative station in Atlanta to either some hard-rock or top 40 stuff, I do (on occasion) get into some of the more, ehhh, mainstream stuff that kinda plagues humanity. However, when hockey is involved and becomes mixed with such music, I get energized and really pumped up. I guess that's the point of that kind of thing. You know, I guess you can call it the, ugh, "jock jams effect." I definitely do not support listening to this music outside of the sports arena (because most of it is schticky and just terrible, IMO), I am pretty much in favor of using it to the fans' advantage. Such songs include:

Trapt - "Headstrong"
Foo Fighters - "All My Life"
Any Metallica
Any AC/DC

It's been a while since I've been to a game (if a week classifies as "a while," heh), so I cannot immediately recall any concrete examples of music used during stoppages of play. And some of the things I listed above aren't even that terrible (nothing primarily the Foo and AC/DC), but a vast majority of what gets played isn't exactly the best thing out there, music-wise. We all know this. Just face it - deep down inside, we're all tired of hearing Nickelback and Green Day and Puddle of Mudd. So why let it fly at something like a hockey game? At least we aren't subjected to Creed EVER.

But seriously, what makes for a good hockey soundtrack at games? I mean, I don't know if this even qualifies as "good hockey music", but apparently the Europeans dug it TONS. During the Torino olympics and their hockey games, all I ever heard during the breaks was Daft Punk's "One More Time". It was just odd for me to hear that in such a setting, and even more difficult to imagine Alexander Ovechkin gettin' his groove on to French robots.

So I challenge everyone who reads this to recommend something that really suits hockey well - be it catered for hockey or hockey-themed. For example, I will forever appreciate Trapt's "Headstrong" because it was the opening music for Thrashers' games in '03-'04 and I also for some reason attach that to Pasi Nurminen. For these things, I validate "Headstrong" and it's presence in the hockey arena. As a result, I often get into the song whenever it's on the radio, because of the memories I have attached to it. While it's a song I would never in a million years accept, because of hockey, I really dig it.

The same also applies to Tom Petty's "I Won't Back Down" and Blur's "Song 2". I have a hate/love relationship with these two tracks because I feel like whenever they are played anywhere, at any time, the Thrashers are being scored upon or tearing it up in a land far-far away, respectively. This often occurs during the summer when I hear these songs on the radio. When "I Won't Back Down" comes on, I instantly turn off the radio and know that Kari was beat somewhere and this song only rubs it in. I get overly ecstatic when "Song 2" is playing because, in all probability, we just housed a goalie somewhere in the world and we're letting everyone know it; I let loose the biggest smile when this song appears.

So what does it for you in the hockey arena? Do certain songs make you feel OK inside when you hear them, but you really know that they're terrible for you? What's that special tune that you will forever have attached to your beloved team (that's the Thrashers, by the way), whether it be positive or negative? Is there anything out there that you think is just PERFECT HOCKEY MUSIC?

I have yet to actually track it down, but I know I'm going to. The Zambonis are all music, all hockey, with no middle ground. The write songs about hockey and are actually recognized for doing it. I'm assuming that the song played during intermissions is by The Zambonis, "I Wanna Drive the Zamboni". I'll forgive them for their "show of support" (being nice here) for the Bruins and the Sabres, but they totally make up for it for making a living off of writing songs about the best sport in the world. I know I'll check them out soon enough, but I strongly encourage you to visit their myspace and give a few of their tunes a listen. They just did a split EP with Harry and the Potters, for cryin' out loud! Show the love!

website: http://www.thezambonis.com/
myspace: http://www.myspace.com/zambonis

Let's get this party started!

Hey, Blueland Blog, maybe it's time to do a feature on our organist, Chuck. I hope that's his name, at least that's what I've heard from STHs in 310. He brings the tunes out and starts jammin' each and every time. I love what he brings to the atmosphere. Maybe for Blogger Nite?