The Zambonis & The Spampinato Brothers July 16, 2011

Spampinato Brothers lineup includes NRBQ cofounder Joey and his brother Johnny, who played in the group for its final 13 years. Their gritty pop-rock is nothing to apologize for their bar-band roots help keep the music direct and fat-free, and they deploy their appealingly ragged vocal harmonies on everything from delicate ballads (the bossa nova-kissed "Baby Oh Baby") to pure power pop ("I Say Good Day Goodnight"). The music variously recalls the work of folks like Elvis Costello, Graham Parker, and early Joe Jackson, and a natural-sounding foundation of fierce rock 'n' roll drives the tunes.

The Spampinato Brothers—who also include Aaron Spade (Johnny's bandmate in the long-running Incredible Casuals) on guitar and J. Cournoyer on drums.

Few rock bands have been featured in both Sports Illustrated and Billboard. Few have played both punk-rock clubs and Harlem’s Apollo Theatre. Few have appealed to fans young and old. But the quirky 100% hockey-rock Zambonis have somehow prevailed—impressing music snobs, sports freaks and critics simultaneously.

The Zambonis formed in 1991 when defenseman/guitarist/singer Dave Schneider envisioned a group that played nothing but songs about hockey. And he wasn’t joking. What started as a fun “little thing” is now the most popular sports-rock band in North America. Explaining his band’s unique style, Dave says, “We’re the only band in the world whose two biggest influences are The Beatles and Wayne Gretzky!”