NHL Music Scene: Shake it Up

Like a 2000 automobile with a vibrating steering wheel and uneven tire wear, the NHL needed to realign its divisions. The league also needs to reinvent the in– game music experience. Boston needs more Cars, and the NHL needs more of what DJ T. Campbell does in the Motor City.

Like Campbell, the marketing department at the Staples Center is on the right track; the Los Angeles Kings ask their fans to vote for the music, and they publish the playlist. So too, do the New York Rangers; the musical lineup sometimes includes Billy Joel’s “New York State of Mind.”

Why don’t other teams ask their fans what they want to hear, or least consider giving “Crazy Train” (sorry, Ozzie) and Black Betty (no disrespect, Ram Jam) a rest?

To jazz things up in each of the NHL’s arenas, I propose that each home team not only provide a forum, an app or whatever to prompt fans for input but to also that they play tunes that pay homage to the locals. Kind of like the restaurant scene these days, the local farm–to–fork movement. Big name bands and lesser-known indie groups would all get airplay.

I dig the notion that music is a universal connector, so why not provide fans with alternatives, and not just alternative rock. Or jock rock. Or hair bands. Give the in–game music mavens a chance to mix their own music and collaborate with fans.

Let’s start with the Atlantic Division.

Boston Bruins: My proposition is almost as simple as A–B–C. I’m talking about Aerosmith, Boston and the aforementioned Cars. No other arena gets to play “Sweet Emotion,” “More Than a Feeling” or “Shake it Up.” Territorial rights is, I believe, a start. How about infusing the arena with what Boston–based band The Heartsleeves calls “neoeclectic soul.” Lead singer Jared Lucas Nathanson wrote a song about the New England Patriots, so I’m confident he could submit a hockey fan- friendly tune to the Bruins, if only that online opportunity was available. A song or two from Western Mass: Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers, anyone? I recommend “The Bear.” Or back closer to Boston, consider Nancy Beaudette. “When the Last Whistle Blows” isn’t about referees or hockey, but it’s upbeat and her voice is “Something Beautiful.”

Buffalo Sabres: I love the Goo Goo Dolls—went to their concert in Manchester, NH a few weeks ago. Great show.  But “Slide,” “Better Days” and the Buffalo band’s latest, “Rebel Beat,” should not be played in the TD Garden or anywhere else but in the First Niagara Center. How about Natalie Merchant, born in Jamestown, NY? She isn’t known for any raucous, raise-the-roof kind of music, but it would be nICE if 19,070 Sabres fans were treated to a 10,000 Maniacs song, maybe a melody from Campfire Songs? Or a sentimental song, say “Reilly,” from Attica, NY’s Penny Whiskey?

Detroit Red Wings: I’ve never been to “the Joe,” so I couldn’t tell you if “Wango Tango” or other stuff by Ted Nugent, a.k.a., “The Motor City Madman” is played. I imagine Mr. Campbell is way ahead of me here. Has Octopus Al (the Red Wings mascot) put feelers out to the local college music scene? Maybe a nascent garage band could be featured once a month.

Toronto Maple Leafs: Great job with barefoot hockey video featuring “Footloose” (and grand color commentary that includes references to Adam Foote and Toe Blake). Play your BNL and Bryan Adams, for sure, but give your fans a voice when it comes to music choice. I suggest Silvergun and Spleen or another “Band of the Day” listed at TorontoMusicScene.ca.

Florida: Tough call on who gets to play Gloria Estefan and/or the Miami Sound Machine. Maybe both the Panthers as the Lightning both call Central Florida home. Who claims Tom Petty and Sister Hazel, both with roots in Gainesville? I do know the team in Sunrise publishes its playlist. The Panthers might look southwest to its in–state rivals for guidance on in–game entertainment, however: The team in Tampa has a music man, Sean Bovelksy. I’ve not yet been to a game at the Tampa Bay Times Forum (or the BB&T Center in Sunrise), but I bet Mr. Bovelksy has a good beat on things.

Montreal Canadiens: “Shippin’ Up to Boston” or anything else by the Dropkick Murphys ought to be outlawed at le Centre Bell. Habs fans have a forum (but not a Forum) to discuss their musical tastes, but the marketing department for Les Glorieux doesn’t appear to post playlists. I like what “Stevo” at AllHabs.Net had going in 2010 but would like to see more initiative from the team. For example, the Canadiens could play Claude Cormier’s song, “Mon Hockey,” at least until Quebec City gets a team. Perhaps Puckbite (happy third anniversary, J. –P.) can offer further insight or recommend a song or artist, but I’m all for hoisting the Cranes into the musical spotlight. I believe in “Believe.”

Ottawa Senators: Not to be upstaged by DJ Campbell or Mr. Bovelsky, Alex Marchand has a good thing going in O–Town. Fans can request songs via Twitter. How many have requested Hall & Oates’s “You Make My Dreams Come True,” quite possibly the greatest get-your-groove-thing-a-going song of all time. But rules is rules. Daryl and John hail from Philly, so the Flyers would lay stake to “Private Eyes, “Wait for Me” and Sara Smile.

More on the Flyers and other teams later.

Charles Bradley: Pucks, Pets and CAN-AM Camaraderie, Part II

Continued from Part I

Charles Bradley, black and blue thumbnail and all, is back in business and back in the game. At the Dunkin’ Donuts in West Concord, he’s his same old amiable self as he sits at the table next to my wife and me. Caring to the core about pets and humans like me, Charles listens to my wife describe my ongoing injury saga and makes a suggestion or two from his own experience as a hockey player and animal doctor. (You’ve probably seen the bumper sticker, “Be kind to animals. Hug a hockey player.” Right?)

Stop by Domino Veterinary Hospital (DVH), Charlie says; I’ll give you a brochure for the doctor that fixed my wrist.

He stands up to get in line for his coffee as my wife and I prepare to leave.

We run an errand and then meet Charlie at DVH in West Concord.

Paint greets our nostrils as a contractor applies color to the door leading to the reception area. We shuffle to the right and see Dr. Bradley.

Charlie rises from his chair in a side office and then leads us on an impromptu tour of the new facility. We walk from room to room, Charlie showing us machines for examining and treating dogs and cats.

If I were a patient or pet owner, I’d like the soothing, soft colors—including sage and beige—of the treatment and special procedure rooms and pharmacy that serve customers in Concord, Sudbury, Maynard and beyond. The place is bright and cheery. Just like Charlie.

He’s not about to apply for sainthood and is the first to admit the adversity he has endured in the aforesaid changing veterinary market. He left the profession, and the AMHL, a few years ago to dabble in the home renovation business, but that endeavor proved unsuccessful.

We move on, chatting about Charlie's drives through Vermont to Canada and listening to CBC Radio. Charlie asks if my wife and I are familiar with Stuart McLean. 

Of course. 

We agree that the Canadian storyteller-comic (born and raised in Montreal West, a few blocks away from Charlie’s Loyola High School) and McLean's The Vinyl Cafe program are akin to Garrison Keiller’s A Prairie Home Companion. (Dave and Morley, often featured on McLean's hour-long variety show, own a dog, Arthur.)

We reach the front lobby and discuss the nuances of Canadian parlance.

“He says ‘eh’ a lot less than he used to,” Dr. Bradley's assistant, sitting behind the new desk in these new veterinary digs, says.

But it’s not all about the “eh;” it’s also about the A, as in Yahoo!, Mazda and pasta. YEAH-who, MAZZ-duh, PASS-tuh, right?

“Right,” Charlie says, smiling about a Canadian’s propensity to end a sentence with an affirmative interrogative.

We change topics from linguistics to cross-border cooperation to Can-Am adventures and camaraderie, and ultimately circle back to hockey.

Are you over the devastation, my wife wonders, of the Canadiens losing in the first round? She’s not aware that Charlie told me ten years ago that he’s a Bruins fan.

“I made the conversion,” he says.

In an amped-up professional hockey environment where the lines between rivalry and rage often blur and can block us from seeing the beauty of our game, Charlie Bradley sticks out like a sore thumbnail.

“You call him Charlie?” his assistant asks.

“They’ve seen each other in garter belts,” my wife says.

Charlie explains that we hockey players assign pet names (my pun, not his) to each other, adding an –ie or –y to our first names. “Charlie, Jimmy…,” he says.

I can call him Charlie. And if I had a sick dog or cat, I’d call Dr. Bradley.

Meet Monika Moravan: Hockey Writer, Editor, and Researcher

Monika Moravan, the ghost writer for CONCUSSED!, may not be a household name in the hockey community. At least I hadn’t heard of her until last month. Nonetheless, she’s a maven storyteller. Besides contributing to Keith Primeau and Kerry Goulet’s book—mandatory reading for every hockey player, parent, coach and anyone else concerned about what’s damaging brains and our game—Moravan has written for publications such as The Hockey News, the Hockey Hall of Fame 2010 Induction Program, and the Toronto Star. A freelance journalist and editor for the Society for International Hockey Research, Moravan also loves donuts.

I learned about her at LinkedIn while researching CONCUSSED! We traded email and then spoke on the phone. I present to you edited exchanges as we discussed a half dozen topics.

Donuts

Regular readers know what my favourites are. When Moravan learned about them, she responded to my email inquiry.

MM: Walnut crunch and chocolate frosted? We're going to get along just fine! In college a friend of mine was a baker at Tim Hortons—back in the day when they still used an ' between "n" and "s" and baked fresh in–store. If I was pulling an all-nighter, he'd call to tell me when my favourites would be flying out of the deep-fryer, now that's a chivalry.

CONCUSSED! and Violence in Hockey

MM: (The book launch) went very very well. Keith’s book received a great deal of support. Keith Primeau was actually supposed to be part of the Hockey Canada panel discussing concussions, but he was fogged out—or fogged in—due to the weather.

JD: When you first said “fogged” I though he’s got concussion symptoms again.

MM: That was the funny part of it. He’s feeling better now than he has in quite some time. It’s easier on him to fly. For quite a while he couldn’t handle that. But he was looking forward to coming up here, but you know, you can be 6’ 5” and a power forward and Mother Nature is still going to get you.

JD: Concussions are random, right, they’re so unpredictable. Some people you’d think would have all sorts of problems, don’t; some get what they think is a slight injury that just doesn’t really ever go away.

MM: That’s the thing that what they’re teaching now right from minor hockey. It doesn’t have to be a big collision. Everyone’s body and brain responds differently. You can have something that looks very nasty—going into the boards— and you’re okay. And then you can have something else where you’re tying your laces and trip in the dressing room, and you’re not (okay)... My son’s a goalie. The kids now are all 13 and 14, so you know they’re just trying to test their strengths, see what they can get away with, and whether they can fire that shot at the head.

JD: I think players get mixed emotions. I know you’re a big fan of Adam Proteau, and I read his book on violence in the league, which I thought was outstanding, but I think as a fan…you want all this dynamic stuff and the heavy hitting that’s up on the Jumbotron, selling this stuff than fans want. The players want to appease the fans, but they also have to protect themselves. It’s a tough spot to be in. (For the record, I’ve lost my appetite for fighting.)

MM: I’ve never been fan of fighting in hockey. I like strong physical games, clean open ice hits. That’s what I love. To give you an idea: When I was a kid, it was the era of the Broad Street Bullies. I was so happy that Montreal came along and won all those Cups. To me, that’s perfect hockey the way Montreal played. I judged all of hockey against the mid-70s Montreal teams. It was physical when it had to be. It was skilled. It was clean…

JD: I think the only way (fighting) is going to stop is if fans just say it’s enough…I don’t see the league or players moving in (that direction.)…hockey is so crazy; it doesn’t make any sense: You have the college game that doesn’t have fighting. And then you have the pros that do, but then you have the playoffs and international competition where it’s not there.

MM: Surveys that have come out indicate that the players aren’t willing to take fighting out of the game completely. Now interestingly enough, when you talk to players about how they got their concussion, their worst ones, (they) didn’t happen in a fight. But there’s no way— if you want to get rid of head trauma, how can you allow a punch to the head?...It could also take a generation or two to change. Look at helmets…Hockey, like anything, is cyclical: You’ll go through, I mentioned earlier, the Broad Street Bullies era; then you go through neutral zone trap era, and then it opens up a bit. I think it takes a while of going through these sets of cycles to really engrain something. A lot of guys wouldn’t think of going out on ice without helmets (now).

Part II