[Neil Peart's version of The Hockey Theme to debut Thursday]

UPDATE - 1/14@8:38PM: The video of the song has been posted to the TSN website and has also shown up on YouTube. The video runs about 1-minute long and features Neil pounding away on his custom NHL kit along with hockey video highlights interspersed throughout.

Last month we learned that Neil Peart had recorded a a special new version of The Hockey Theme for The Sports Network (TSN). He finished recording the song at the iconic Ocean Way Studios in Hollywood on December 7th and a video preview of the session along with plenty of photos (here, here, and here) were posted online shortly thereafter. According to TSN, the song will make its NHL debut this coming Thursday at 7PM EST during the Philadelphia Flyers at Toronto Maple Leafs game, and also be made available for download on iTunes on January 19th. From the press release:

... The new version of The Hockey Theme showcases Peart on a custom drum kit by DW Drums featuring the logos of all 30 NHL teams. Peart and DW Drums are donating the custom kit to the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, where it will be on display for hockey and music fans alike to enjoy.

The St. Catharines-born percussionist worked with Grammy Award-winning producer Nick Raskulinecz to create his interpretation of the iconic theme.

"Growing up in Southern Ontario in the '50s and '60s as a 'kid who couldn't skate right' was a serious handicap," said Peart. "Hockey totally dominated our lives for half the year - Sunday nights with my dad at the St. Catharines Arena cheering on the Junior A Blackhawks, anxiously watching NHL games on television, arguing in the schoolyard over favourite teams and players, trading hockey cards, putting them on our bicycle spokes, and playing on backyard rinks and frozen ponds, on the street, and on those old tabletop games. Hockey ruled.

So, all these years later, being invited to create a new version of "Canada's second national anthem" for TSN's NHL broadcasts was a huge honour to me, and an exciting musical challenge. The day of recording and filming it - in the presence of the Stanley Cup - was truly one of the great experiences of my life. (Take that, bullies from 50 years ago!)"

For the recording, Peart wore his trademark cap adorned with the logos of the original six NHL teams. He also wore a hockey jersey featuring his "Bubba's Bar & Grill" logo on the front and the number three on the back, in reference to the three members of Rush. The band's name was also sewn onto the jersey's nameplate. ...

Here's the video preview of the session:

Thanks to Paul N for the heads up.

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