Spotify is so cool and you no longer have to be invited to join as a free member in the USA!
Beyond the simplicity of downloading the PRO Playlists we provide for every Audio PROfile, Spotify has an incredible selection of Theme music.
A search for Halloween in Spotify lists dozens of playlists and hundreds of tracks you could use for your class(s) Monday. I have two and I'm wearing my Pee Wee Herman costume!
How about spooky theme songs from scary movies and TV shows? It includes my personal favorites from Dark Shadows and the Tubular Bells from the Exorcist 🙂
I like to interject songs into my playlist that people may find vaguely familiar but may not be able to put their finger on. It’s fun to watch them try to figure out who the band is while working away on their pedal stroke and heart rate/power training. This is one of those “B-side” tunes. It is an oldie, but at goodie, from Electric Light Orchestra’s 1981 VINYL album, Time! “Ticket to the Moon” is 4:09, with rpm at 82. I am using it after a fairly intense climb- to bring HR back down closer to T1 and ride a road simulating around a 3% grade. Nice instrumental breaks occur throughout the song for variety about every 30 seconds or so.
Here is ELO and “Ticket to the Moon”: (What were YOU doing back in 1971-1986 when they were in their prime???)
Today’s Friday Favorite is actually brought to you by ICI/PRO member and instructor, Chuck Cali. I am just the messenger! Chuck has been using this rocking tune as a high cadence hill climb (85 rpm). He says there is plenty of energy for everyone and the sax riffs are awesome. John Cafferty originally did “On the Dark Side” with Beaver Brown for the soundtrack of Eddie and the Cruisers. The version from the One Night in Weston CD is twice is long and the one he is using in his classes.
Here is the YouTube video from Eddie and the Cruisers. The cadence is a bit faster than the One Night in Weston version and it is only 2:42 long, but it is good stuff! Thanks Chuck!
I wasn't able to find a free version of On The Dark Side but, seeing how Halloween is right around the corner, why not a spooky track about the Dark Side to start off your class Monday the 31st?
Are you looking for the perfect 96 rpm flat road tune to use for discovering anaerobic threshold in your class??? Look no further! This four piece indie rock group from London, England has recorded it for us. “Amazing” by One Eskimo, starts out with a very mellow, but detectable beat and builds bit by bit over time, especially at 1:18 and 2:28. I encourage (push is a more accurate word) my class to keep adding load without slowing leg speed and bring themselves to that uncomfortable place of T2. Then 3:58 minutes into the song, it magically pulls back, and I talk to them about really feeling the difference between working “aerobically” and “anaerobically”. Total time is 4:41, and then it’s time for:
1. Air
and
2. Water!
Here is One Eskimo and “Amazing” from their self-titled CD. I hope you like it as much as I do. It’s a favorite of mine and John quickly became a fan. Here are all their songs in Spotify – there's a bunch of gems in there… which others do you like?
Here's a remix of another One Eskimo track, Givin Up (it's hard to do) for your free track. It has a simple, yet compelling message about persevering you maybe able to use in your class one early morning. Actually many of their tracks have inspirational lyrics you could weave into a motivating class 🙂 One eskimO – Givin' up (Don Diablo Remix) by Don Diablo
I love a good long tune and today’s Free Music Friday Favorite is 7minutes long. It has a “dream pop” type vibe to it, but don’t let that throw you off, because I have found it to be very useful in discovering either T1, or T2. The Verve is certainly
not a new (or still intact) band, but “The Rolling People”, from their Urban Hymns CD is a great 81 bpm tune with good coaching breakout time at 2:30-3:15. The first two minutes I ask my class to start adding load s-l-o-w-l-y. At 2:30, I explain either T1 or T2 (whichever we are discovering) and then we HIT IT! It works well, because we still have plenty of time left to find our threshold. Here is The Verve and “The Rolling People”, circa 1997:
For your free track I wasn't able to find a remix of The Rolling People, but I was able to find another song from The Verve that would make for a focused 72 rpm climb; Appalachian Springs. Listen all the way through and you will find a built in recovery at the 5:50 point of this 7:34 tune. The Verve – Appalachian Springs by cuzzoni
