Gear Daddies

Blending the smart, heart-on-sleeve punk balladry of The Replacements and Soul Asylum with a straight-up country vibe at a time when radio and record labels had no idea how to market that combo, the Gear Daddies were in many ways the right band at the wrong time. If nothing else, though, they proved that Austin, Minn., produced worthwhile things other than Spam. Led by the winningly weary-voiced Martin Zellar, the Gear Daddies made two overlooked classics, 1988’s Let’s Go Scare Al and 1990’s Billy’s Live Bait. But their sound still rings on at hockey arenas, thanks to the tongue-in-cheek song “Zamboni,” which appeared in the Mighty Ducks films and now heralds the appearance of the eponymous ice-cleaner from peewee leagues to the NHL.

Updated 07/21/2009