NHL鈥檚 Kraken get original music from Oscar winner Zimmer
Oct 20, 2022, 10:37 AM
Seattle Kraken owners Jerry Bruckheimer, front center, is joined by owners David Wright, front left, and Andy Jassy, front second from right, with Kraken general manager Ron Francis, front right, and new Seattle Kraken NHL hockey players, back row from left, Mark Giordano, Brandon Tanev, Jamie Oleksiak, Hadyn Fluery, Jordan Eberle and Chris Dreidger, Wednesday, July 21, 2021, after being introduced during the Kraken's expansion draft event in Seattle. With Hollywood filmmaker Jerry Bruckheimer as part of the ownership group, the Seattle Kraken were always going to have a big cinematic element to any video production the team produced. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)
(AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)
With Hollywood producer Jerry Bruckheimer as part of the ownership group, the Seattle Kraken were always going to have a cinematic element to their video productions.
When the Kraken decided to revamp their pregame introductions during the offseason, Bruckheimer was involved to go over ideas. On one such Zoom meeting, Bruckheimer said he had a friend who might be willing to do a favor and provide some grandiose music that would build to a crescendo as players hit the ice.
His pal: Oscar- and Grammy-winning composer Hans Zimmer.
鈥淲hen I watched their game presentation, which I thought was very good, the one thing that they missed was the kind of explosion when the players come on the ice. Musically that could be very interesting because they鈥檙e basically gladiators going to battle,鈥� Bruckheimer told The Associated Press. 鈥淚 felt that I鈥檝e been working with Hans Zimmer on 鈥楾op Gun,鈥� and he鈥檚 a composer that certainly can write that kind of theme for the players and for the team.鈥�
If you want music for gladiators, well, get the guy who wrote the score for 鈥淕ladiator.鈥�
Bruckheimer called in that favor from Zimmer, who created an eight-minute original composition for the Kraken. Part of it is used during the three-minute introduction video that plays just before Seattle takes the ice.
The Kraken are also playing Zimmer鈥檚 music during breaks in the game, in promotional TV spots and even on the Seattle Monorail for fans en route to Climate Pledge Arena.
鈥淗e鈥檚 got an amazing ability to write phenomenal themes. Very simple, phenomenal themes,鈥� Bruckheimer said. 鈥淎nd you listen to the things … whether it鈥檚 four notes, six notes, whatever it is, it鈥檚 so memorable. That when you leave a movie theater that is embedded in your brain you can play it over and over again. That鈥檚 what鈥檚 so exciting about him.鈥�
Zimmer won his second Academy Award for Best Original Score earlier this year, for 鈥淒une.鈥� He won previously in 1995 for 鈥淭he Lion King鈥� and has been nominated nine other times. Zimmer also has three Golden Globes and four Grammys. While he has worked primarily in movies 鈥� several of them produced by Bruckheimer 鈥� Zimmer also has a few video game scores on his resume.
But this was his first venture into hockey.
Bruckheimer first heard the composition when he connected with Zimmer while finishing a movie in London earlier this year. They later set up a listening session for the staff in Seattle to hear the finished product, and the full production 鈥� music and video 鈥� made its debut last weekend at the home opener for the second-year franchise.
鈥淚t should be about the players entering the ice, introducing them and getting the crowd excited about that first blade hitting the ice and the crescendo of all those players jumping out there and skating around. That鈥檚 the moment,鈥� Bruckheimer said.
