Earlier this year, the L.A. Angels of Anaheim became the latest team to sack its keyboard player in favor of prerecorded organ music and rock songs.
Peggy Duquesnel, an accomplished jazz musician who had tickled the ivories for the Angels since 1998, was dismissed before the season started.
Ballpark organists have “kinda gone the way of the dodo bird,” says Nancy Faust, who has been playing keyboard for the Chicago White Sox since 1970 and doesn’t expect to be replaced when she retires.
Duquesnel, whose organ repertoire includes about 1,000 songs from various genres, says prerecorded music lacks spontaneity: “Times change, but I still think live music is valuable. There’s a feeling that comes through that you can’t get mechanically.”
A notable holdout in the audio-video revolution is Wrigley Field. “It’s like walking into a baseball time capsule,” says Chicago Cub spokesman John McDonough. “I’m not sure that playing Velvet Revolver between innings is consistent with what we’re trying to market.”
At least for now. Although live organ music still has the upper hand, rock songs were added to the soundscape a few years ago, McDonough says.
Across town, the White Sox have sharply curtailed organist Faust’s playing time, except on June 22, a throwback game billed as “Nothing but Nancy Day.”
Dodger Stadium scaled back its live organ music last year but reversed course this season after complaints, says Drew McCourt, director of marketing. And various sportswriters have lambasted what one calls the “loud, artless, artificial, force-fed noise” of modern ballparks.
A big irritant seems to be the music used to introduce batters as they step to the plate. In the old days, organists improvised the “walk-up” tunes. When Mark Grudzielanek batted at the 1996 All-Star game, the organist played Jim Croce’s “I’ve Got a Name.” (Such improvs occasionally backfire. At a 1985 minor league game, keyboardist Wilbur Snapp was ejected by an umpire for playing “Three Blind Mice” after a controversial call.)
Now, stadium DJs cue up thumping rock and rap themes chosen by the batters. But Ted Giannoulas, a.k.a. the San Diego Chicken, says that has gotten out of hand: “I don’t think seniors or a family of four can identify with White Zombie. Who’s the game for, the guy at bat or the guy who paid to get in?”
(from left to right, baseball purist, polarizing rock band)
Even DJs sometimes lose patience with the songs. “They’re the biggest thorn in my side,” Bruce McGuire confides during a Friday night game at Angel Stadium. When infielder Dallas McPherson goes to bat accompanied by music from “The Dukes of Hazzard,” McGuire chuckles and says, “If it works for him, great. But for me, hearing it three or four times a night, just shoot me now.”
Faust, the White Sox organist, says replacing organs with rock songs is costing baseball part of its identity. “We’re losing a sound associated with the game,” she says. “Now, we’re hearing the same music you hear at the shopping malls. There’s nothing baseball about it.
nancy faust rules.
Probably better than just Faust, at least for stadium intros.
I actually think that player-chosen introductory music is kind of cool; the problem is that the players generally pick lame, off-the-rack songs. I don’t want to hear (or see) Mike Stanton come charging into the game with Toby Keith a-blarin’ and a-race-baitin’ as his soundtrack. But for every one of those, it’s worth it when Royce Ring enters Mets games to Black Flag’s “Rise Above.” Actually, that doesn’t happen.
ESPN had some list of players’ intro songs last season, and they were all pretty generic and lame. The ones I remember being impressed by were Brandon Webb’s insistence on Newcleus’ “Jam On It” and journeyman middle-reliever Rudy Seanez’s strange preference for Zakk Wylde’s newest band. Basically everyone else had either Zepplin, country/christian/”Xian” rock or something Pharell produced.
Here’s that ESPN list. I also learned from a brief google search (good thing I have work to do!) that Scott Hatteberg sometimes comes to the plate accompanied by “The End.” I can only hope it’s the “father, I want to kill you” part.
These ballplayers are kind of like some strippers. I knew one back in the ’80s that would only dance to Tina Turner – sorta like Brian Giles only coming to bat if a Godsmack song is playing.
It’s all about the Mudvayne in Round Rock. That, or Big & Rich.
I’m surprised David Roth didn’t advocate for “Jump” or his version of “California Girls”.
I remember seeing that plate music list. Another notable standout is Todd Walkers choice of These Boots Were Made for Walking (Nancy Sinatra version, although either the Pure Hell or Government Issue versions would have been far funnier). The Phillies also stopped having organ music through the PA system, but did keep longtime organist Paul Richardson to play in the lower concourse area. You can see folks doing the Mummers strut while good old Paul is playing Oh, Dem Golden Slippers.
The only thing I can recall from that plate music list is Brett Myers’s tunes…all ZZ Top, all the time. I’ll give him this though-he’s the last NL East starter I would have expected to have a 2.24 ERA in June…..
Dave- Speaking of Myers, music at parks etc..I was at this past Saturdays Phils game and saw Myers guest on 2nd guitar and backing vocals for a band of his pals from Jax named Subject To Change that he hooked up at Citizen Bank Parks ajunct bar/club McFaddens for a post game gig. The band was a “modern rock” “yarrrl band”/Pantera hybrid but whom oddly enough were pretty listenable. Myers played a competent 2nd guitar for a few songs and did backup vocals, but the real highlight of the set was when one of the UECJ (ubiquitous E.A.G.L.E.S.- chanting jackasses) let out the ole
by-now despised-by-many chant after a song, which prompted Myers to get right up into the guys face and snarl “Thats in September!! Y’all have something to say for the Philles?” Myers is 6’4″ and a hard-ass who amatuer boxed as a teen and can take a wicked line drive off his head and laugh about it in the dugout after retiring the side, so the now-shaking lout quickly changed his tune to “Here we go Phillies here we go..”
That’s all cool enough, but I saw basically the same thing with Heath Bell and Royce Ring’s band Middlesexxx at Southpaw in Brooklyn. They were also pretty good, playing mostly glam-influenced… oh, fuck it, that band doesn’t exist and the Phillies rocking pitchers are tougher than the Mets’ un-rocking ones. Mets pitchers don’t have bands, they just have trampy, self promoting wives and high WHIPs. I love ’em just the same, but props to Brett Myers for his post-Sandfrog exploration of baseball-rock’s outer limits.
I’ll thank everyone in advance for not mentioning Denny McClain or Scott Radinsky.