Sports and Music

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Good article on sports and music in the Star today. Big ups to Boyd Deveraux for his stellar picks. I think it has to do with his Stratford upbringing. Good people come from there.

Get your game-time groove on

CARLOS OSORIO/TORONTO STAR

The age of iPods and public playlists has opened a window onto the hearts and minds of professional athletes - allowing fans a glimpse they've never had before. The Star's Randy Starkman takes you inside that world. Hear the story, with interviews and music clips.

The playlists

The Star asked some members of the Maple Leafs and Raptors to provide playlists with their favourite songs, along with Olympians Clara Hughes and Perdita Felicien - and then we asked some leading music experts for their critiques. View the lists

Apr 02, 2007 01:45 PM

Randy Starkman

SPORTS REPORTER

For Maple Leaf Wade Belak, it's Metallica's bone-rattling Master of Puppets. For Raptor Morris Peterson, it's Donny Hathaway's soulful A Song For You. And for a certain Boston Bruin, who must remain nameless, it's Cyndi Lauper doing Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.

The age of iPods and public playlists has opened a window onto the hearts and minds of professional athletes — allowing fans a glimpse they've never had before.

What was on Dave Keon's record player on game day? Did Johnny Bower pump himself up with a little Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass? Who would have thought to ask?

Fast forward 40 years and players' playlists are there for the taking. Some of them seem appropriate, somehow — Maria Sharapova being partial to Gwen Stefani and Nelly Furtado, while Carmelo Antony favours Jay-Z and Busta Rhymes — while others boggle the mind.

Combatants in last year's Stanley Cup playoffs bared their musical souls on the celebrity playlists posted on iTunes — and amidst all the death metal and cutting-edge rap, there was former soap-opera star Rick Springfield in all his glory — crooning Jessie's Girl. Springfield found favour with among others then Edmonton Oiler Ryan Smith.

"You gotta have that. That brings you back," said Hal Gill, who controls the ipod in the Leafs' dressing room. "I won't mention a name but I had a guy in Boston who wanted to listen to Girls Just Wanna Have Fun by Cindy Lauper. Why, I don't know. It was a good song in its time."

To hear Belak tell it, there's no judging a player by his album covers.

"It's tough because I've played with guys and they look kinda nerdy and they're the biggest metalheads ever," he said. "Then you look at the biggest guys with tattoos and they're into country and stuff like that."

Then there's Raptor ace Chris Bosh, who views hip-hop and R&B as his mainstays but his go-to guys after a tough outing aren't conventional NBA fare.

"Mozart and Beethoven, those are my favorites," said Bosh. "After the game, when it's time to unwind, you know when I get home and it's time to chill, I'll probably throw that on."

Music can reveal another dimension to an athlete.

Very few Maple Leaf fans likely know how passionate Boyd Devereaux is about Canada's indie rock scene. A playlist he gave to the Star included offerings from the likes of Joel Plaskett Emergency, Black Mountain, Godspeed! You Black Emperor, The Sadies and Fu Manchu. It impressed afficionados like Jeff Cohen, one of the owners of the Horseshoe Tavern.

"It's rare to see a hockey player, let alone a pro athlete with such impeccable indie musical taste," said Cohen, a season-ticket holder. "Dave Hodge would be very, very proud!"

John Sakamoto, who puts together the Star's weekly anti-hit list, said he'd never look at Devereaux the same way again after seeing his playlist.

"I know it's not fair, but given that he's such a workman-like player, I was surprised by how adventurous his playlist is," noted Sakamoto.

Devereaux once put psychedelic Vancouver rockers Black Mountain up at his home in Phoenix when they mentioned at an intimate gig they had no place to stay — the band didn't realize who he was until they saw a picture at his place of him holding the Stanley Cup he won with Detroit in 2002.

Here's how Black Mountain's Stephen McBean described their experience with Devereaux in an interview with the hour.ca indie rock website.

"We played a record store and a guy showed up and he was like, 'You can stay at my house. You know, I used to live in London, Ont.' So we were like, 'Cool.' He had this amazing house with a pool and a hot tub and everything. I see a picture of him and his wife standing over the Stanley Cup. I ask him, 'You play hockey?' He said, 'Oh yeah, for the Phoenix Coyotes. But last year I played for Detroit. We won the Stanley Cup.' He was like, 'I love Black Mountain,'" McBean recalled.

"I mean, this guy, Boyd Devereaux, he won the Stanley Cup and he was all excited that we were sitting around drinking beers on his beautiful patio!"

Devereaux also hired Toronto's eclectic band Off the Cuff to play at a party at his cottage on Lake Huron two summers ago.

"It was just one of the best decisions I ever made," said Devereaux. "I think they had a blast. They just went all out at the party. They had Paul Aucoin, who's well known around Toronto with his band Hylozoists, playing the vibraphones. It was just a remarkable show. The band stayed over and partied through the wee hours with us."

The playlist Clara Hughes used to pump her up to Olympic gold at the 2006 Turin Games showed the steel that lies behind a sweet exterior. It features music from Guns `N' Roses, Pearl Jam and Soundgarden. She said it's not necessarily music she listens to at home, but taps into her "head banger" youth and helps her build energy when warming up.

One especially surprising entry for a paragon of fair play like Hughes was Green Day's Nice Guys Finish Last.

"It's a reminder that competition is competition, and that a good heart when shown under fire will be destroyed," said Hughes. "Not that I am nasty when in races, but one has to be aware that others are not so nice, and that everyone wants to win!"

Raptors forward Morris Peterson is a big believer in the ability of music to set the right tone on and off the court.

"Music is like a gateway to your soul," said the six-year Raptors' veteran. "You listen to good music, it helps soothe your soul and take away all the negative things that may be going on in your life."

An excitable sort, Peterson seeks out mellow tunes before a game in an effort to help him focus. Among his go-to songs in that vein is Donny Hathaway's A Song For You.

"That song normally calms me down because I'm pretty animated during the game sometimes," said Peterson. "I listen to some Jay-Z. His songs are usually a little more mellow these days, but he has a nice swagger about him. He handles his business, but he does it in a gentlemanlike way. I like to listen to Jay-Z right before the game — Show Me What You Got and he has a song with Nas called Black Republicans."

As far as Bryan McCabe's concerned, mellow, shmellow. Bring on the metal.

"I'm into hard, hard stuff," said McCabe. "That stuff gets me going before a game. I grew up a banger. My brother was an `80s head banger and I grew up with that music in the house all the time — Slayer, Venom, stuff like that. Hard, hard, hard stuff. I enjoy listening to it 'til this day. My musical horizons have expanded a little bit, but I still go back to my roots."

At least, McCabe takes some pity on his teammates.

"I put my own iPod on before the game when I warm up so I don't kill anyone else's eardrums," he said. "Most of the older guys don't like what I listen to."

Hal Gill will vouch for that, though he's hardly a senior citizen at 31.

"You want to shoot yourself after listening to it," Gill says of McCabe's musical selection.

Gill is the Leafs' unofficial musical director. He owns the iPod used in the dressing room, so he's in charge of downloading the music. He tries to tailor it to the task at hand. For much of the season, the last song the Leafs listen to before the game is System of a Down's manic anti-war anthem B.Y.O.B. (Bring Your Own Bombs).

"We try to go hard before the game," said Gill.

Gill's personally favours an eclectic mix that includes the work of Van Morrison, Kanye West, Pearl Jam and Yo-Yo Ma. He filled out two pages with his favourites when asked for a playlist by the Star, a collection that won over Andy Frost, who when he isn't announcing Leaf goals and working their broadcasts hosts Psychedelic Psunday on Q107.

"Any guy that has Van Morrison's Into The Mystic at the top of his list and includes Bill Withers' Ain't No Sunshine"and some Lightfoot and a band from Winnipeg to boot has my respect," said Frost. "Pretty impressive that a guy from Concord, Mass., is aware of our Canadian Content regulations."

A stay-at-home type on the ice, Gill's range in music is wide.

"You know what, sometimes Sunshine on My Shoulders is just what you need from John Denver," he said. "Sometimes you need Africa from Toto. Sometimes you need Led Zeppelin, Kashmir. I like Run DMC. ... You know, Christopher Cross, Sailing, (he whistles) is there a better song than that?"

Music can certainly be a matter of debate in the dressing room.

"When I first came to the Leafs, it was bad because we had Tie (Domi), who's not a big heavy metal guy," said Belak. "He likes the kind of girly music, the pop music. Me and Bryan (McCabe) were kind of the bangers on the team. If we tried to put anything on, it was gassed pretty quickly. So we were banned to the weight room to get the music on.

"Now, the only guy we have left is Mats, who comes in and turns it down once in a while. It's because he's old."

Belak's list features hard core fare from Metallica, Iron Maiden, Pantera and Korn.

"He may have a kind of punk lid these days but his playlist is pure mullet," said CBC Radio's award-winning Jowi Taylor, who hosted Global Village. "That guy's as likely to go after you in the corner with a TransAm as with a stick and a couple of elbows."

Unlike the Maple Leafs, the Raptors don't play music aloud in the dressing room. It's up to individual players whether they want to wear their iPods.

Hall of Famer Paul Coffey has experienced both sides.

"I played teams on that didn't like having music," said Coffey, a member of four Stanley Cup champions. "I could never understand it. Yes, it needs to be off at 6 o'clock for 6:30 warmup. Absolutely. But teams that want no music in the dressing room, it's becomes too much thinking about what you've got to do in an hour and a half. You can still listen to music and know what you have to do. It just takes you away and helps you relax."

Coffey was in charge of making hour-long music mixes on cassettes for the dressing room when he played in Pittsburgh.

"I just know with that team, with Mario and all the other guys, you pretty much had your dressing room routine to the music. In other words, every day it seemed like you taped your stick when a certain song was on. You might go for your stretch and another song was on in that time slot. It become pretty much a routine for the guys and I think a comfort zone."

When he was in Edmonton, they adopted a playoff song every year. He recalls that when the Oilers won the Stanley Cup in 1987 their anthem was the Orleans' hit Still the One.

"Everytime I hear that I just have a little smile, you know," said Coffey.

Athletes' playlists

CARLOS OSORIO/TORONTO STAR

The age of iPods and public playlists has opened a window onto the hearts and minds of professional athletes - allowing fans a glimpse they've never had before. The Star's Randy Starkman takes you inside that world. Hear the story, with interviews and music clips.

Apr 02, 2007 11:55 AM

Randy Starkman

Sports Reporter

The Star asked some members of the Maple Leafs (Boyd Devereaux, Wade Belak and Hal Gill) and Raptors (Morris Peterson, T.J. Ford) to provide playlists with their favourite song, along with Olympians Clara Hughes and Perdita Felicien.

As well, the Star asked some music experts — Andy Frost from Q107 and Leafs’ broadcasting fame, Dave “Bookie†Bookman from 102.1 the edge, and Peabody Award winning Jowi Taylor, who hosted CBC Radio’s Global Village — to provide some insight into the athlete playlists collected for this feature.

Include at the bottom of some playlists is what they had to say, all in good fun.

Maple Leafs’ Boyd Devereaux Playlist

Song Artist

I Will Sing You Songs My Morning Jacket

Akuma No Uta Boris

Don’t Run Our Hearts Around

Black Mountain

Because Tonight The Besnard Lakes

Until You Came Along Joel Plaskett Emergency

East Hastings Godspeed! You Black Emperor

Northstar Blues Magnolia Electric Co.

Young Lions Constantines

King of the Road Fu Manchu

The Story’s Often Told The Sadies

Belgium Or Peru Cuff The Duke

Keep the Car Running Arcade Fire

Winter’s Wolves The Sword

Babbling Flower Dead Meadow

The Only Moment We Were Alone Explosions In the Sky

Bookman: His list is getting passed around the indie rock world faster than a lost Replacements track.

It's no surprise this 1996 OHL Scholastic Player Of The Year digs the finest in rustic literate Canrock (Constantines, Cuff The Duke) along side North America's answer to Mogwai the "can't talk thinkin" Explosions In The Sky.

His recent scoring spree could mean he's ready to play on the big line like one of his heroes Joel Plaskett who's nu lp will hit the stores mid April and both seem ready for a Cup run.

Frost: “For a guy that spent four years of his career in Detroit and winning a Stanley Cup while there, I thought that we might see more of a Motown influence in his selections, but clearly for a guy who is almost 29, and from Seaforth Ontario, a very varied list that indicates that he is not apprehensive in trying something new and different.

Taylor: “Boyd Devereaux gets my vote for really mining the CANCON and actually blows me away with the presence of Boris, Black Mountain and Godspeed! You Black Emperor on his list. This boy likes his sonic jams and it makes me trust him instantly.â€

Maple Leafs’ Wade Belak’s Playlist

Song Artist

Let’s Go Trick Daddy

Master of Puppets Metallica

Battery Metallica

Blackened Metallica

One Metallica

Desire Ozzy Osbourne

Live Wire Motley Crue

Walk Pantera

Got the Life Korn

Love in an Elevator Aerosmith

Faint Linkin Park

Aces High Iron Maiden

Summer of ’69 Bryan Adams

Frost: “Now is this his list to listen to prior to a game to get him pumped up ? Or is this his list of musical selections to listen to when he is relaxing at home with the Belak family and in search of some "quiet time� If it is the latter, I wouldn't want to run into him when he is in a foul mood.

“Those long bus rides as a teenager in and around Saskatchewan and Western Canada while playing with the Saskatoon Blades of the WHL obviously had a deep effect on his listening habits as an adult. With the odd exception, his teenage angst still dominates his play list.â€

Taylor: “The one list that really scares me, though, is Wade Belak's. He may have a kind of punk lid these days but his playlist is pure mullet. That guy's as likely to go after you in the corner with a TransAm as with a stick and a couple of elbows. Ladies, do not get in that car.â€

Toronto Raptors’ Morris Peterson’s Playlist

Song Artist

Kingdom Come Jay-Z

Anytime Brian McKnight

Lost Without U Robin Thicke

Wonderwall Oasis

Live In The Sky T.I. (featuring Jamie Foxx)

Hustlin’ Rick Ross

This is Why I’m Hot Mims

It’s Okay (One Blood) The Game (Doctor’s Advocate version)

I Love It Young Jeezy

I Wanna Love You Akon (featuring Snoop Dogg)

That’s That Shit Snoop Dogg (featuring R. Kelley)

Rock With You Michael Jackson

All Eyez on Me Tupac

You Lloyd (featuring Lil Wayne)

Bookman: Rather than try and follow the thread of Flint Michigan's 2nd most famous son's taste, the question is what the hell are Oasis doing on our home team's all time leader in games played playlist? It was so obvious I almost missed it. These two former champions are both free agents and set to depart their longtime homes (Sony, Raptors) for Mo' money than they could spend even if they LIve Forever.

Toronto Raptors’ T.J. Ford’s Playlist

Song Artist

This Is Why I’m Hot Mims

SexyBack Justin Timberlake

Go Getta Young Jeezy, R. Kelly

You Lloyd (featuring Lil Wayne)

Irreplaceable Beyonce

I Wanna Love You Akon (featuring Snoop Dogg)

Promiscuous Nelly Furtado

(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay Otis Redding

Sail On Lionel Richie

Walk It Out Unk

Goin Down Young Joc

We Fly High Jim Jones

Over and Over Nelly and Tim McGraw

Torn LeToya

Hard to Say I’m Sorry Az Yet

Maple Leafs’ Hal Gill’s Playlist

Song Artist

Into the Mystic Van Morrison

Africa Toto

Live Like You Were Dying Tim McGraw

Take The Long Way Home Supertramp

Baba O’Riley The Who

I’m In A Hurry Alabama

Touch The Sky Kanye West

Mexico James Taylor

Lucky Me Great Big Sea

It Was A Good Day Ice Cube

Superman’s Song Crash Test Dummies

Life is Life Opus

Detroit Rock City KISS

Wishlist Pearl Jam

Anything by: James Taylor, Godsmack, U2, The Time, Kenny Chesney, Toby Keith, Tenacious D, America, Yo-o Ma, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Grateful Dead, Coldplay, Hall & Oates

Honorable mention

Song Artist

Carefree Highway Gordon Lightfoot

Ain’t No Sunshine Bill Withers

Hey Good Lookin’ Hank Williams

Summer Breeze Seals & Crofts

Sailing to Philadelphia Mark Knopfler & James Taylor

Jungle Love The Time

The River Garth Brooks

Cristal Yo-Yo Ma

The Hardest Part Coldplay

Bookman: His play of late may be giving the locals the notion the he is really as talented as he is tall, this 6-foot-7 Concord, Mass., native shows little love for his musical rich New England backyard. In fact, most of his list explores the theme of travel. Be it physical, emotional, or a journey into the unknown.

The nod to Johnny Canucks Great Big Sea and Crash Test Dummies must be a bi-product of his middle name, which is Priestley.

Frost: “Any guy that has Van Morrison's "Into The Mystic" at the top of his list and includes Bill Withers' "Ain't No Sunshine" and some Lightfoot and a band from Winnipeg to boot has my respect. Pretty impressive that a guy from Concord Massachusetts is aware of our Canadian Content regulations.â€

Taylor: “Hal Gill's is kind of all over the place. The presence of Toto's "Africa" is even a little disturbing but he makes up for it with Kanye West and then weirds you out again with Supertramp and Alabama but at least it is genuinely eclectic.â€

Olympic hurdler Perdita Felicien’s Playlist

Song Artist

Sock It 2 Me Missy Elliot featuring da Brat

Hypnotic Syleena Johnson

Tonight I’m Gonna Let Go (remix) Syleena Johnson featuring Busta Rhymes

Silly Ho TLC

No One Does It Better Salt n Pepa

Groove Me Salt n Pepa

Conceited Remy Ma

Is That Your Chick Memphis Bleek and others

Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See Busta Rhymes

Xxplosive Dr. Dre

One Minute Man Missy Elliott

Here Comes the Boom DMX, Mr. Vegas, Sean Paul

Get Busy Sean Paul

Ghetto Story (remix) Baby Cham (featuring Akon)

Welcome to Jamrock Damian Marley

U and Dat E-40 featuring T. Pain & Kandi Girl

Olympic champion speed skater Clara Hughes’ Pump-Up Playlist

Song Artist

Everything In Its Right Place Radiohead

Mr. Brightside The Killers

Plush Stone Temple Pilots

Clocks Coldplay

Feel Robbie Williams

Idioteque Radiohead

Simple Collective Soul

Rusty Cage Soundgarden

Basket Case Green Day

Today The Smashing Pumpkins

Welcome to the Jungle Guns N’ Roses

Alive Pearl Jam

Beautiful Day U2

Outshined Soundgarden

My Wave Soundgarden

Superunknown Soundgarden

Nice Guys Finish Last Green Day

Frost: “To me, her list is an indication of an athlete who is at her best when angry and enraged and when her competitive juices are boiling over.â€

Taylor: “Clara Hughes' Pump Up Playlist looks like it would get the job done in an interesting way.â€