I’ve been a big ice hockey fan in Nottingham for a few years now, and this year, we have had the pleasure of watching Mitch Fossier play all season. As it turns out, objectively, one of the best players in the league.
The rumour though, is that he’s contemplating given up playing pro sport to “concentrate on his music” (if you’ll forgive the Friends analogy).
There’s not much about his music online, it seems, but his 2023 album is on Spotify and that fruit based one. Think wistful Americana, and you’ll not be far wrong.
In the later 90s, Kraig Nienhuis also played hockey in Nottingham, at the tail end of a long career including games played for the Boston Bruins, and also had a sideline in strumming and humming etc, I even went to see him play a gig in town that season, with a young lady I totally failed to get off with.
Any other pro-sports playing/part-time musician based crossovers anyone knows of, or has any experience of, oh Massive?
I know nothing about rugby but I do know Jonny Wilkinson plays the guitar.
Mark Butcher, decent late 90s/early 00s England opener and very good cricket pundit, has released 3 solo albums. I admit I’ve never been brave enough to listen to one. He has 172 monthly listeners on Spotify so I’m guessing not many have.
This is the most mind-boggling one to me. *Mark Butcher*?!
But oh so real
It’s like something from a Japanese horror movie – I fear terrible things might happen if I press the play button.
He’s not that bad actually. Rather derivative and nothing amazing, but perfectly passable.
Enough about his cover drive, what’s the music like?
Meanwhile former Middlesex and Northants allrounder Steve Crook had a go as a rock star (barely troubled the scorers)-
Golfer John Daly has made country albums, I won’t inflict any videos of him here though.
Assuming snooker is sport, Steve Davis is possibly now better known for his diversion into a learned aficionado of prog, a DJ and now musician, on synths, with The Utopia Strong. (Or is it Utopia Strong?)
The Utopia Strong stuff is really trippy, out there stuff. It’s not at all what you might expect. It doesn’t sound like a hobby, it’s committed music. Is it any good? I don’t know.
You’ve got me intrigued now!
I have this LP – https://rocketrecordings.com/products/the-utopia-strong – and, yes, it is good.
As is this book:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medical_Grade_Music
Better known? On these pages, perhaps..
I seem to recall a story about Eddy Grant being good enough to play squash professionally and regularly having games with the then world champion..
There are 9 albums so far by The Utopia Strong, of which I’ve heard and liked two. Didn’t know there were so many.
And the band’s name does start with a “The”.
They are playing at The Horn in St. Albans later in the year. Don’t much like the venue but I may go.
It’s always been there – even way back when he was a boring snooker player, I remember him sponsoring a Magma gig at the Bloomsbury Theatre back in the 80s.
Emma Radacanu frequently lays her luppers on the strillers bona.
John McEnroe on guitar.
See also: Pat Cash
Rumour has it that ‘Come On!’ Tim Henman is a whizz on triangle.
They joined forces with Steve Harris and Nicko McBrain under the name Full Metal Rackets for a charidee single. The cover of Led Zep’s Rock and Roll was passable, but not likely to worry the Best Of … lists
I saw Pat Cash do a guest appearance with Cheap Trick once, although I must admit I don’t recall much about it.
Former West Ham player and manager Slaven Bilic wielding the axe with Rawbau.
Besides being one of the classiest players I’ve seen in a Hammers jersey, he was the manager who oversaw our most enjoyable season in recent memory including the only League victory at Anfield in my almost 60 years and the glory of Dimitri Payet’s first season, he was always great value as a pundit. I don’t know how serious his musical ventures have been but he always had an anti-hero coolness about him.
Crikey. 55 years as an Irons fan and I’d never heard of this.
Dimitri Payet… blessed with an exceptional talent but blighted with a mercurial temprament.
I only vaguely remembered @fortuneight but I do know that the David Cross who played violin for King Crimson wasn’t the same as our centre forward titan David “Psycho”, Cross.
Being a bigger-boned nerd, I got into music to avoid sporty types, and left them to their Eric Clapton and Bad Company enthusiasms.
Only available in France, sadly:
Eric Cantona – Cantona Sings Eric – First Tour Ever.
https://www.discogs.com/release/30272261-Eric-Cantona-Cantona-Sings-Eric-First-Tour-Ever
Motorsport has produced several:
Johnny Claes, who competed in 25 World Championship Formula 1 races between 1950 and 1955, was also a renown jazz trumpeter and band leader.
Damon Hill played guitar on a Def Leppard album track.
Lewis Hamilton sang on a Christina Aguilera album track under a pseudonym.
Jacques Villeneuve released an album that barely sold.
Motorcyclist James Toseland’s band supported the likes of Deep Purple and Status Quo.
And not though not a sportsman, former owner of Jordan – the late Eddie – played drums.
Speedway rider Shawn Moran released a 7” single of Chris Spedding’s ‘Motorbiking’, fortunately I can’t find it on YouTube but I must admit I didn’t look very hard.
Dion Dublin invented a percussion instrument called The Dube and has guested on stage with several bands playing the thing.
I wonder if he has any brothers?
Composer Dmitri Shostakovich was a fully-qualified football referee.
I believe Nottingham Forest had a player called Paul McGregor, who was in a Britpop type band called “Merc.” He also went on to turn out for Plymouth and Northampton.
Former footballer and pundit Chris Kamara released a Christmas CD. Of course I own a copy.
Have we forgotten the John Barnes rap in World In Motion?
No, I am not going to post a link.
The only “singer” to appear with 2 different “bands” on the same edition of top of the pops. Steve Archibald (Spurs and Scotland striker).
And Ray Clemence can claim it too … that TOTP had Spurs, Scotland and England on that week
But … Tony Burrows managed 3 in a week with Edison Lighthouse, White Plains, and Brotherhood of Man.
He also works as Support Team Manager for Red Bull Racing … allegedly
According to Wiki, TotP records show that it was only two in one show, but three within a month. Still impressive though
I’m ashamed to say that I really like his turn on that song.
I will admit, he was best of a bad lot. There’s a whole episode of the Transmissions podcast devoted to World In Motion, including a brief clip of Gazza’s attempt. Perfectly on the beat, but nobody could understand a word.
I have always liked the John Barnes bit too. I also wonder if Bernard consulted Bobby Robson before revealing the tactical thinking behind England’s masterplan, pre-tournament. It’s amazing that they got as far as they did, considering.
IIRC wee Bernard handed over the writing of the rap to Keith Allen (who, as any fule kno, once scored 49 goals in one season)..
Are we deliberately missing Chris and Glenn and Diamond Lights?
I know I am.
Nope, it’s down there a bit … worth waiting for?
Norwegian crime novelist Jo Nesbo was a professional footballer (Molde FK – striker) until forced to retire after a cruciate ligament injury. He’s been lead vocalist and primary songwriter for Norwegian band Di Derre since ’92.
The ex footballer and now manager Paul Cook also used to be the Sex Pistols’ drummer. Possibly.
As posted a number of times, the Leeds Utd legendary 70s team went onto to poptastic glory, Mick Jones joined The Clash, Allan Clarke became lead singer of The Hollies and Billy Bremner was a Rockpile stalwart ….
You crafty bugger. And I forgot about Mick Jones.
And the former Wimbledon defender Scott Fitzgerald wrote a few classic novels when he wasn’t attending training …
Not to mention Socrates deciding to roll up the papyrus and chucking on the football boots.
Billy Bremner, the diminutive and assertive midfielder par exellence was also the guitarist in Rockpile. Whereas languid and assertive striker, Allan Clarke was also a singer of note with popular beat combo, The Hollies.
That Leeds team of the 70’s was something else.
Have an up tick!
There’s always this …
Glenn Hoddle moved to Monaco soon after so sadly no album followed
Possibly the best New Order side project….
have an up for that … but then again what do you want from me
Julio Iglasias – Real Madrid (B Team) goalkeeper, career ended by injury, it was time to Begin The Beguine
Ex wrestler ( though is it a sport or just part of showbiz?) Brian Maxine has appeared on stage with Fairport at Cropredy, his albums have most of them as guest musicians.
Shane Watson and Brett Lee play in a band.
Curtley Ambrose plays bass guitar in his own band
Geoff Boycott famously blew his own trumpet.
Probably the greatest song ever recorded
There was, possibly still is, a band in Australia called Six And Out which contained members of the New South Wales cricket team, the most famous of whom were Brett Lee and his older brother Shane. “Can’t Bowl, Can’t Throw” was a phrase allegedly uttered by either Shane Warne or a TV cameraman (depending on who’s telling the story) about an unfortunate one-off Aussie test cricketer Scott Muller who played one game and didn’t really cut it
Top cyclist Sir Bradley Wiggins is also a mod(ernist) and guitarist.
Here he is joining the Modfather, Paul Weller, for a rousing version of the Jam’s “That’s Entertainment” at the Old Hammy Odeon.
Gareth Ainsworth has had a career as a player and then manager and has been in bands. He was Wycombe Wanderers manager when he recorded this.
Swedish National Treasure pop star Ted Gärdestad was at 14 years old the second best tennis player in Sweden (in his age group) only beaten by Björn Borg. At 15, he recorded his first big hit, and became a teenage idol. His music career was huge until the early 80s when he unfortunately got caught up in the Bhagwan cult and he got mental health issues that got worse and ended in suicide, sadly.
He is still one of the most popular artists in Sweden, the songs he wrote with his brother are classics that everyone knows and sings.
Björn Borg on the other hand, won Wimbledon a few times etc, and also made one of the most horrendous recordings of all times, when he got together with his friends Dr Alban, Tomas Brolin (yes, the footballer) and some other bloke to make a summer hit (it wasn’t, thank god).
This is Ted:
This is Björn and friends…(not recommended viewing!)
It is my painful duty to remind you of Eddie ‘the Eagle’ Edwards’ shot at pop fame.
James Toseland won the World Superbike Championship twice and also found time to front his own rock band which released 3 albums and supported Quo, Reef, and Purple on tour. He’s a decent vocalist and keyboard player, and was also married for 8 years to Kate Melua.
The Irish blues-country-folk fingerpicking phenomenon Muireann Bradley (seriously, check her out…) has also competed in martial arts, Brazilian jiu-jitsu I think.
Yes indeed! Her album appeared in my end of year top 20 (2023, was it?). Definitely worth investigating…
She has a couple of new tracks on the streaming services… I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry, and Don’t Think Twice It’s Alright. More of the same unassuming mastery. Good song choices too.
Ruud reggae:
Hugely successful violinist Vanessa-Mae turned her attention to alpine skiing and competed in the 2014 Winter Olympics for Thailand. She had to go through several qualification hurdles to get there but she did end up competing. She finished some distance behind the others. She was considerably older than the rest of the field.
This achievement was blighted by fixing accusations leveled at V-M and those organising the qualifying events – saying that these were engineered in such a way to make sure she qualified. They said that this manipulation straddled various events. She was eventually cleared of this, however.
Did you like my use of “straddled various” just then? Sounds a bit like Stradivarius doesn’t it?
I made that joke on Twitter on the time and honestly thought that joke would make me millions. One like.
Very poor…
Mark E Smith represented Lancashire school boys at Shot Put.
I wonder what kind of noise he made as he launched the shot?
Perhaps that’s where it all started?
In a parallel universe MES becomes Britain’s strongest man and Geoff Capes forms The Fall.
I’m more interested in the noise he made when he dropped the put on his foot.
He’d still sack the band 4 or 5 times a tour
Jonas Gutierrez. Busking
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DJCsSxdI-9m/?utm_source=www.upshot.email&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=gas-mask-bong&_bhlid=44d247b9194033d54d166857fa1c9bd0a8db9623
Wrestler Adrian Street. I will just leave this here and run away…