What does hockey have to do with music?

What does hockey have to do with music?

Growing up in Canada, every kid gets to know about the game of hockey.

It is something we are passionate about and are practically bred into believing that it’s the best thing on the planet (for those of you in the U.S. think football/baseball, those in Europe think football/soccer…. you get the idea).

Playing the game means lots of prep work and practice, usually meaning getting up at 6am on a Sunday just to skate laps until you puke. But we are passionate about the sport so we are willing to do that and more – hell we’ll practice every day after school, we’ll practice outside in minus 20 (celsius) weather and in the summer it’s called street hockey. Just put a stick in our hands so we can hit a little piece of rubber and we are in utopia.

The sport pits one team against another each led by a coach, a manager, sometimes general manager…and don’t forget the trainers and assistants.

There are stars on the team, there’s special teams for the penalties and of course the muckers – the guys who grind it out in the corners and they usually take a beating all in the good for the team. Broken bones, broken teeth and often broken dreams all come as part of the package.

Every year each team plays the season with hopes to be the year’s elite and get into the playoffs to play for the title spot and the honor of being able to say that for one year they were the best. All to start over next year and do it all over again.

There was a time when the players played for the passion of the sport – and now they understand they all have a limited shelf life and need to make as much as possible in the shortest time possible and work with big companies who endorse and sponsor them.

There are the amateurs and the pros and every year there is a cycle – off-season, tryouts, training camp, pre-season, the season and the playoffs. At the end only 1 team, 1 group of players out of thousands that stands on top.

The music business is similar in all aspects.

Growing up and playing hockey, dealing with the politics as a teenager and then leaving the sport for music just to find out that the two are similar in all aspects has led me to this blog.

I am going to try to help musicians and bands by offering up some stories and advice using hockey as a metaphor to understanding the music business – hopefully entertaining as well.

Upcoming blogs:

For the love of the game
Learning what it takes to win
Creating a game plan
It’s not like it used to be
Wear the team colors
Its a business and a sport
Roles and responsibilities
Pre-season
Life’s rough, wear a helmet
Keep your stick on the ice
You can’t ignore the fans
Make sure to pick up the collectors cup, trading cards, official team jersey, player hockey stick and 1 time limited edition pin on your way out
Creating the winning team
Pro vs. amateur
It’s only a few teeth
You are a player on and off the ice
There’s a season and an off-season
Sitting on the bench
Special teams can win you games
Not every one is the star
“He’ll be a star in 5 years”
Even Gretzky was traded
Win together – lose together
I like winning more than I do losing
The coach drives the team
Let’s hear it for special teams
Let’s take a timeout!
Being in the right spot at the right time
Making the playoffs
Sudden death overtime
Scoring the winning goal
A championship team
Winning the cup