Welcome back to ‘Matchday DJ Of The Week’, where in each issue we put 10 serious and not so serious quick-fire questions to a matchday DJ from the world of sport! This week we sat down for a chat with Andrew McArtney, DJ for the Dundee Stars.
- Name: Andrew McArtney
- Occupation: Matchday DJ @ Dundee Stars
- Club Website: Dundee Stars
- Stadium: Dundee Ice Arena
- Capacity: 2,400
- Twitter(s): Dundee Stars
The Interview”
SM: When did you take over as Matchday DJ for Dundee Stars?
AM: I have been working with the Dundee Stars since the organisation started in 2001 / 2002. I was the ‘lights guy’ for the introduction of the teams at the start of the night and took over when the Stars fell out of the British National League in 2005. We joined the Elite League in 2010 and I’ve continued in the role since then!
SM: How did you initially get into the role of Matchday DJ?
AM: I have always had an interest in media since I was young, I volunteered in the local Hospital Radio for my Queen’s Badge in the Boys’ Brigade and met the previous announcer there. I gained experience working as a Disco DJ whilst at Uni and then in a local Nightclub. Stewart the announcer asked me along and I was hooked from there.
SM: Can you remember your first sports match/stadium experience?
AM: I have two experiences that stick in my mind. My first football match and my first ice hockey match! The atmosphere at the Dundee United v Barcelona match in 1987 was electric. I remember really punchy tunes and an absolute buzz the whole night! I know the result helped but it totally had me hooked!
My first ice hockey match for my 11th birthday saw the Tayside Tigers play Ayr Bruins… I don’t remember the match or the announcer, but the music was great, especially the goal Tune – Europe and the Final Countdown! I heard it 11 times that night as the local team won 11-1. I remember after that, playing that tune non-stop on my tape recorder.
SM: Would you say your first experience of live sport and the memories of that day were motivation for taking on the role of stadium DJ?
AM: As much as I knew about them and their roles, I really had no idea this is where I would end up! Even when offered the role in 2005, I had no idea if I could actually do it! My image of announcers when I was young was old men in dark suits and ties and very formally speaking with marbles in their mouths! I’m just a Dundee Teacher who does it for fun…
SM: In your time with the Stars, who’s the best player you’ve seen wear the famous navy jersey?
AM: There have been a few top class players who have graced the Stars Team over the years: Ken Priestlay played for a season, scoring points for fun. He was a two time Stanley Cup Winner with Pittsburgh Penguins. Just a different class! Scott Young was another inspirational player who was crazy, had loads of penalty minutes but an absolute fan favourite!
My favourite ever name to shout was local player, John Dolan. He holds just about every record for the stars there is in terms of games and goals!
My proudest moment is seeing two pupils who were previously in my school play for the Stars. Kris Inglis and Ben Brown! Both, funnily enough are also my 3 year old daughters hockey heroes!
SM: Who is your favourite artist/band of all time?
AM: They don’t get too much air time at a hockey match, but it’s The Beach Boys! Love the history, love the tunes and loved sitting next to Chick Young, who was balling his eyes out in the SECC as Brian Wilson completed his Smile album after four decades.
SM: Which piece of music do you think is the ultimate track for motivating a sporting side?
AM: The tunes the players request during their warm up are often not ‘mainstream’. We’re ok with that though as it gets them pumped! I definitely think if you get the fans pumped up the players feed directly off that! With that in mind the mains songs that we find in Dundee Ice Arena are: Endor: ‘Pump it Up’, Queen: ‘We will Rock you’, and Opus: ‘Live is Life’ (This usually get the fans going when the refs are not quite having the best day!).
SM: Do you have an all-time favourite track that you play at Dundee Stars?
AM: I would say our goal music is my favourite, it starts a wee chain of events that I love. The goal music is ‘The Whip’ by Locksley, which then moves into ‘The Liquidator‘ by Harry J Allstars. The fans play a big part in singing that. Once that’s finished, each player has their own song that the fans sing, all before I announce who’s scored the goal… it finishes with a “Woooooo” and the fans repeat it back! Home fans ‘love’ it… away fans rip the piss out of it! Either way it’s a great interaction.
SM: What are the main songs you use week in, week out at the arena?
AM: Our playlist (above) is quite rocky. We tend to stick to newer music in the breaks – playing current chart tunes.
SM: On a final note, are there any funny mishaps/cock-ups that have taken place that come to mind when you think about your career so far?
AM: In one of my first games in charge, I had been playing field hockey earlier in the day and clearly wasn’t thinking, one of the players got a penalty for ‘too many men on the ice’, which I referred to as ‘too many men on the pitch’. I was oblivious for a few seconds but 2000 fans laughing and chanting ‘your getting sacked in the morning’ along with a wee tap of the glass from the player in the penalty box made it quite clear it was a blunder!
Thankfully in all my time there, I’ve never fallen over when on the ice…. yet!
We’d like to say a huge thank you to Andrew for taking the time to talk to us. We wish him and all of The Stars’ players, staff and supporters the very best for the rest of the season!
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