Hey guys. I know I said there would be posts all weekend but then I up and got sick and all good plans went to shit. Instead of posting here I watched VH1 “reality” TV and movies all weekend. Never fear though, I’m here today and about to post both posts that were supposed to happen over the weekend.
This post is pretty neat. We spend so much time here on ninebullets listening to (and talking about) trucking songs it’s cool to hear from a truckdriver and the music they listen to.
Hope y’all enjoy it.
Let’s be honest here. You’ve probably been driving for so long that unless that big 18 wheeler slows you down, cuts you off, or does whatever it does to actually grab your attention long enough for you to flip the driver off and speed away, the last thing on your mind is what is that guy listening to.
So what if you did take some time to think about what that driver was belting out as you cut right back in front of and hit the brakes. What do you think it may be? A truckin’ tune? Maybe some good ole country or classic rock? Well if it was me that was fighting back the urge to crush your little VW Jetta with 80 thousand pounds of fiberglass and steel you would be close.
Some of the best driving music out there comes from those genres. I’m not sure what it is, but there is something about strolling down the highways while having Hank III, Scott H. Biram, The Drive by Truckers, Waylon Jennings, or Kid Rock coming outta the speakers. It makes me want to sit back, kick in the cruise control and just watch the landscape go by. And when the majority of the time on the job is in the truck with the wheels moving, it’s good to have songs that can carry you through the day.
So how about the days when every fucking thing that can go wrong does? What does the angry pissed of driver go to on that day? Three words-Viking Death Metal. And Amon Amarth are the Gods of this. Black and good ole heavy metal come in handy also. I’ve been known to toss on some Cradle of Filth, Devildriver, Hellyeah, and even the classics samplings of Metallica and Megadeth. Even Hank III has a song or two that helps to sway the homicidal tendencies of someone else’s fuck up that is now my problem.
And for those times in between, when I have no real reason to be pissed off and the romance of the road has worn off for the day? For those times I have too many to list them all, but a few of them are: Social Distortion, Weezer, LL Cool J, Tori Amos, and Linkin Park. It all depends on the mood I’m in and how the day is going.
Long story short, I don’t think there is much difference between what I listen to now and what I did before I was trucking, and maybe my reason for the liking the song is still the same. But now they carry a whole new meaning for me in how they are what gets me though my day and back home safely.
Megadeth – Liar
Amon Amarth – Twilight Of The Thunder God
Hank III – Long Hauls and Close Calls
Scott H. Biram – 18 Wheeler Fever
About Paul Knowles: I’m a over the road flatbed truck driver who roams all states east of the Mississippi, a few to the west and some of Canada. But I call the Lone Star home.
Here’s the blog. http://onelastgoodyear.blogspot.com/
And my email to use would be texasspider@gmail.com
4 Responses to “GUEST POST: FROM A TRUCKER’S P.O.V.”
On
dude. amon amarth is the fucking jam. Hear the Black Birds cry!!!!!!!
On
My dad is actually a truck driver, 11 and a half years. I’m damn proud to be a trucker’s daughter. He’s got Sirius radio and he bounces between Outlaw Radio, CoffeeHouse, Deep Tracks, Blues station(whatever it’s called, JamOn, and other stuff. He’s got fantastic taste in music and so do a few of his trucker buddies.
To be honest, I don’t think it’s smart to listen to songs that get you TOO revved up while driving. For example, “Call Me the Breeze” WILL make you speed.
On
AA is indeed the fucking jam. They’re coming to Houston in April and am hoping that I will be in town for them.
And my truck is governed at 65 so speeding isn’t really an issue for me. But thanks for the comment. I have Sirius also and mostly listen to talk or sports talk. My music presets are Outlaw Country, Faction, and Liquid Metal.
On
i saw on your blog that your getting into mastodon. leviathan is probably one of my all time favorite albums. you will not be disappointed. once you get into that start getting the older stuff, remission and call of the mastodon. then when they become your new favorite band get blood mountain and the new album thats coming out and you will hate them. they are following the ‘metallica route’. not good for fans of the thrash.
i also recommend blacktusk, baroness, torche, kylesa, weedeater, and deadbird.