Kevin Young isn’t running the Marathon Oasis de Montreal on September 23 and 24, because his band, Moist, is performing at the after-party.
“There’s no way I could do both on the same day,” says Young. “I’ve never run a marathon—not yet anyway. And, on top of that, there’s just too much going on to make sure the gig runs smoothly to focus on anything else.”
So, since Kevin can’t run beside you, he did want to select some of his favourite tunes for you to listen to during your race.
“I’m a creature of habit when I run—I want to hear songs I know and know well that propel me forward and I often switch tunes during a run according to my mood. All of these, however, have been in heavy rotation on my runs for years.”
Here’s Kevin’s favourite Canadian tunes. . .
Self Serve Gas Station – Rheostatics – Whale Music
“I listened to this tune, this entire record, every night before going to sleep in a tour bus while touring the US in the mid 90s—a few years later, it became the starting point for every run on tour or at home.”
Brother Rat/What Slayde Says – No Means No – Small Parts Isolated and Destroyed. “Relentless, angry, basic—the perfect way to go from ‘I’m running because I have to’ to ‘I’m running because I love it.’
Happiness By the Kilowatt – Alexisonfire – Watch Out – “Really an extension of the last track—keeps me moving.”
The Shape I’m In – The Band – Stage Fright – “Right, The Band aren’t strictly Canadian, but they’re close enough for me. Anyone who runs reaches that point where it’s not about distance, speed, or anything but sheer pleasure. This, for me, is a tune that I play when I get to that point.”
Who’s Got It – Illscarlet – All Day With It –
“Pure middle of my run fun.”
All the Heat is in the Whiskey – Ridley Bent – Rabbit on my Wheel “This is a Christmas song—the best ever in my opinion. Given I travel overseas for sheer pleasure often at Christmas, this tune is a go-to to start a run: whether it’s through a dormant Christmas market in Prague or while running past blood stained pavement following Eid in Morocco.”
The Darkest of Discos – Slow Coaster – The Darkest of Discos – “My youth, misspent, in words and music. Basically a cautionary tale I love to hear when my heart’s pounding.”
Nashville Bound – The Road Hammers – The Road Hammers – “It’s not a story I can relate to in terms of content, but every time I listen to it—mid or late run—it drives me to go faster and harder.”
Have Not Been the Same – Slow – “So this is a longer story: when I was in university a housemate of mine introduced me to the band and the song. He called me ‘the hippy,’ with good reason. My playlist at the time was heavily-weighted in terms of the 60s. This tune is still a staple when I need to suck it up and burn rubber.”
The Northern – Alexisonfire – Old Crows Young Cardinals – “Really, anything by Alexisonfire drives me, but this tune—for no good reason—is the one I go to when I’m hurting, but don’t want to stop running.”
The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald – Peace, pure and simple. “Can’t say why, but it compels me.”
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