High and Tight: Our Rock & Roll Baseball Experts Sound Off
From Babe Ruth’s one-man brothel soirees to Dock Ellis’s LSD-assisted no-hitter, there’s always been something undeniably "rock & roll" lurking beneath baseball’s strait-laced surface. With Rolling Stone's High and Tight, we take a weekly look at the game – its history, its characters and its latest news – through the rock & roll lens, with help from our expert panel of musically inclined seamheads. Guaranteed to be more entertaining than a date with Bud Selig, or your money back! Scroll through to meet our rock & roll baseball experts.
By Dan Epstein
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Vinnie Paul
Name: Vinnie Paul
Band: Hellyeah, Pantera
Position: Drums
Team: Texas Rangers
Walk-Up Song: Metallica — "Hit The Lights"
Fun fact: Vinnie was in the Arlington Stadium stands on August 4, 1993 – the night, as he puts it, that "Nolan Ryan horse collared and whopped Robin Ventura's ass! What a thrill!!! GO RANGERS!!!"
Link: Big Vin Records
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Josh Epstein and Daniel Zott
Names: Josh Epstein and Daniel Zott
Band: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.
Positions: Vocals/Keyboards and Vocals/Guitar
Team: Detroit TigersWalk-Up Song: "We Almost Lost Detroit" by Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. "I would probably let a lot of runs in but eventually get the save like Jose Valverde," says Zott, "So that song seems fitting."
Fun Fact: Epstein and Zott sport vintage Detroit Tigers warm-up jackets in the video for their cover of Gil Scott-Heron's "We Almost Lost Detroit."
Link: https://www.daleearnhardtjrjr.com
High and Tight Contributions:
• Best Baseball Movies of All Time
• Uniforms – Good, Bad and Fugly
• Best and Worst Big League Stadiums
• Biggest Ballpark Brawls
• Balls to the (Outfield) Wall -
George Thorogood
Name: George Thorogood
Band: George Thorogood and the Destroyers
Position: Vocals, Guitar
Team: New York MetsWalk-Up Song: "Bad To The Bone" by George Thorogood and the Destroyers.
"What else? They play it every game, anyway!"Fun Fact: During the 1970s, George played second base for the Delaware Destroyers of Wilmington's semi-pro Roberto Clemente League.
Link: https://www.georgethorogood.com
High and Tight Contributions:
• Best Baseball Movies of All Time
• Uniforms – Good, Bad and Fugly
• Best and Worst Big League Stadiums
• Biggest Ballpark Brawls
• Balls to the (Outfield) Wall -
Alice Cooper
Name: Alice Cooper
Position: Vocals
Team: Arizona DiamondbacksWalk-Up Song: "No More Mr. Nice Guy"
Fun Fact: Growing up in Detroit, young Vincent Furnier had a huge shrine to Tigers outfielder (and future Hall of Famer) Al Kaline in his bedroom.
Link: https://www.alicecooper.com
High and Tight Contributions:
• Best Baseball Movies of All Time
• Uniforms – Good, Bad and Fugly
• Best and Worst Big League Stadiums
• Biggest Ballpark Brawls
• Balls to the (Outfield) Wall -
Steve Earle
Name: Steve Earle
Position: Vocals and Guitar
Team: New York YankeesWalk-Up Song: "'Copperhead Road.' Duh!"
Fun Fact: Steve's song "Some Dreams" was written specifically for the soundtrack of the 2002 baseball flick The Rookie.
Link: https://www.steveearle.com
High and Tight Contributions:
• Commissioner for a Day
• Best Baseball Movies of All Time
• Uniforms – Good, Bad and Fugly
• Best and Worst Big League Stadiums
• Biggest Ballpark Brawls
• Balls to the (Outfield) Wall -
Ken Casey
Name: Ken Casey
Band: Dropkick Murphys
Position: Bass guitar, Vocals
Team: Boston Red SoxWalk-Up Song: "Complete Control" by The Clash. ("That song just gets me fired up!")
Fun Fact: Relief pitcher Jonathan Papelbon used the Dropkicks’ "I’m Shipping Up to Boston" as his walk-up song during the last five seasons he pitched for the Red Sox.
Link: https://www.dropkickmurphys.com/
High and Tight Contributions
• Opening Day Memories
• Commissioner for a Day
• Best Baseball Movies of All Time
• Uniforms – Good, Bad and Fugly
• Best and Worst Big League Stadiums
• Biggest Ballpark Brawls
• Balls to the (Outfield) Wall -
Greg Dulli
Name: Greg Dulli
Band: The Twilight Singers, Afghan Whigs
Position: Vocals, Guitar
Team: Cincinnati RedsWalk-Up Song: "Night Prowler" by AC/DC. "It has the strut and proper menace of a classic entrance song. Plus, its slinky groove allows you to warm up without breaking a sweat. I would also wear the pentagram necklace that Bon Scott wears on the cover of Highway To Hell."
Fun Fact: Greg shares a birthday (May 11th) with baseball Hall of Famer Charlie Gehringer.
Link: https://www.theafghanwhigs.com/
High and Tight Contributions
• Opening Day Memories
• Commissioner for a Day
• Best Baseball Movies of All Time
• Uniforms – Good, Bad and Fugly
• Best and Worst Big League Stadiums
• Biggest Ballpark Brawls
• Balls to the (Outfield) Wall -
Ben Gibbard
Name: Ben Gibbard
Band: Death Cab For Cutie
Position: Vocals, Guitar
Team: Seattle MarinersWalk-Up Song: "Filler" by Minor Threat. ("As many times in a row as it takes to warm up.")
Fun Fact: Ben sang the National Anthem before Game 3 of the 2010 National League Championship Series in San Francisco.
Links: https://www.deathcabforcutie.com/
High and Tight Contributions
• Opening Day Memories
• Commissioner for a Day
• Best Baseball Movies of All Time
• Uniforms – Good, Bad and Fugly
• Best and Worst Big League Stadiums
• Biggest Ballpark Brawls
• Balls to the (Outfield) Wall -
Scott Ian
Name: Scott Ian
Band: Anthrax
Position: Guitar
Team: New York YankeesWalk-Up Song: "Post Mortem/Raining Blood" by Slayer. "One line sums it up: ‘DO YOU WANNA DIE?’"
Fun Fact: Scott played with Anthrax at Yankee Stadium in September 2011 as part of the Big Four concert with Metallica, Slayer and Megadeth.
Link: https://anthrax.com/
High and Tight Contributions
• Opening Day Memories
• Commissioner for a Day
• Best Baseball Movies of All Time
• Uniforms – Good, Bad and Fugly
• Best and Worst Big League Stadiums
• Biggest Ballpark Brawls
• Balls to the (Outfield) Wall -
Handsome Dick Manitoba
Name: Handsome Dick Manitoba
Band: Manitoba, The Dictators
Position: Vocals
Team: New York YankeesWalk-Up Song: "The Game" by Motörhead
Fun Fact: Richard’s greatest religious experience was seeing Mickey Mantle emerge from a Cadillac outside of Yankee Stadium in the early 1960s.
Links: https://manitobas.com/ and https://manitobaband.com
High and Tight Contributions
• Opening Day Memories
• Commissioner for a Day
• Best Baseball Movies of All Time
• Uniforms – Good, Bad and Fugly
• Best and Worst Big League Stadiums
• Biggest Ballpark Brawls
• Balls to the (Outfield) Wall -
Scott McCaughey
Name: Scott McCaughey
Bands: The Baseball Project, The Minus 5, Young Fresh Fellows
Position: Guitar, Vocals
Team: San Francisco GiantsWalk-Up Song: "Holocaust" by Big Star. "The opposing players would be terrified, irritated, and mystified. The fans would learn to love it, and that would make me feel like I'd done something really worthwhile."
Fun Fact: Owns a baseball signed by both Milwaukee Brewers closer John Axford and Bad Company/Free drummer Simon Kirke.
Link: https://thebaseballproject.net/
High and Tight Contributions
• Opening Day Memories
• Commissioner for a Day
• Best Baseball Movies of All Time
• Uniforms – Good, Bad and Fugly
• Best and Worst Big League Stadiums
• Biggest Ballpark Brawls
• Balls to the (Outfield) Wall -
Tom Morello
Name: Tom Morello
Bands: The Nightwatchman, Street Sweeper Social Club, Audioslave, Rage Against the Machine
Position: Guitar, Vocals
Team: Chicago CubsWalk-Up Song: "As all Chicago Cub fans know, it's really goofy to have the latest 3 Doors Down or Young Jeezy hit blaring when a player takes the field. You're supposed to have an old fashion organ playing some old fashion carnival jams during the entire game, regardless of current taste. This may be the reason why we haven't won a World Series in a 108 years, or it may not."
Fun Fact: Tom threw out the first pitch and sang "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" at historic Wrigley Field on August 20th, 2008.
Link: https://nightwatchmanmusic.com/
High and Tight Contributions
• Opening Day Memories
• Commissioner for a Day
• Best Baseball Movies of All Time
• Uniforms – Good, Bad and Fugly
• Best and Worst Big League Stadiums
• Biggest Ballpark Brawls
• Balls to the (Outfield) Wall -
Joe Pernice
Name: Joe Pernice
Band: Pernice Brothers
Position: Vocals, Guitar
Team: Boston Red SoxWalk-Up Song: "If I was called upon to hold a one-run lead in the bottom of the eighth, I’d like to slowly cross the outfield to the masterpiece that is 'You're on Your Own Again' by Scott Walker."
Fun Fact: In 2004, Joe wrote and recorded a song called "Moonshot Manny (Pega Luna)" in tribute to nine-time Silver Slugger Manny Ramirez.
Link: https://www.pernicebrothers.com/
High and Tight Contributions
• Opening Day Memories
• Commissioner for a Day
• Best Baseball Movies of All Time
• Uniforms – Good, Bad and Fugly
• Best and Worst Big League Stadiums
• Biggest Ballpark Brawls
• Balls to the (Outfield) Wall -
Steve Wynn
Name: Steve Wynn
Band: The Baseball Project
Position: Vocals, Guitar
Team: New York YankeesWalk-Up Song: "The Closer" by The Baseball Project. "It would get me fired up to hear our own tale of the badass bullpen specialist, evoking the likes of Al Hrabosky, Mike Marshall and Goose Gossage. Charity begins at home plate."
Fun Fact: Steve shares a birthday (February 21st) with All-Star players Alan Trammell and Jack Billingham.
Link: https://thebaseballproject.net/
High and Tight Contributions
• Opening Day Memories
• Commissioner for a Day
• Best Baseball Movies of All Time
• Uniforms – Good, Bad and Fugly
• Best and Worst Big League Stadiums
• Biggest Ballpark Brawls
• Balls to the (Outfield) Wall
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Pete Yorn
Name: Pete Yorn
Position: Vocals, GuitarWalk-Up Song: "Looks That Kill" by Motley Crue. "It has nothing to do with baseball, but that song rips."
Fun Fact: Pete shares a birthday (July 27th) with baseball greats Rube Walberg, Leo Durocher and Alex Rodriguez.
Link: https://www.peteyorn.com/
High and Tight Contributions
• Opening Day Memories
• Commissioner for a Day
• Best Baseball Movies of All Time
• Uniforms – Good, Bad and Fugly
• Best and Worst Big League Stadiums
• Biggest Ballpark Brawls
• Balls to the (Outfield) Wall -
Dan Epstein
Name: Dan Epstein
Position: Journalist, Author
Team: Chicago Cubs
Walk-Up Song: "Slow Ride" by Foghat
Fun Fact: Dan is the author of Big Hair and Plastic Grass: A Funky Ride Through Baseball and America in the Swinging ’70s, which will be available in paperback from Thomas Dunne/St. Martin’s Press this June.
Links: https://www.bighairplasticgrass.com/
https://www.lavieenrobe.comHigh and Tight Contributions
• Opening Day Memories
• Commissioner for a Day
• Best Baseball Movies of All Time
• Uniforms – Good, Bad and Fugly
• Best and Worst Big League Stadiums
• Biggest Ballpark Brawls
• Balls to the (Outfield) Wall