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I enjoy games more when music isn't a mere afterthought, and Nick explains why the original Tony Hawk's soundtrack fits the bill perfectly. Although, I quibble with his generous use of punk rock for the bands listed; I would have liked to hear D.C.'s Government Issue and L.A.'s T.S.O.L. (True Sounds of Liberty).
The soundtracks of the Tony Hawk games run parallel with the series' gameplay -- every passing addition reaches a new level of excessiveness. Before you know it, you're Ben Franklin doing McTwists and listening to a 50-plus song tracklist that includes Frank Sinatra and Johnny Cash.
Uhhh...
Now, when I think of skateboarding, three things come to mind: skateboards, Vans sneakers, and punk music. The public may have considered Mr. Sinatra and Mr. Cash rebels in their heydays, but their music doesn't fit in with the punk culture of today. That's the main problem with the soundtracks of later Tony Hawk games -- they have way too many music genres.
The original Tony Hawk's Pro Skater soundtrack, though, is as simple as a three-power-chord progression. It consists of only 10 tracks, all of which fit the game's skater-punk style like a pair of skinny jeans. Here are four of my favorite tracks from the game.
"Superman" has all the prerequisites for a typical skater song: power-chords, 4/4 timing, horns, and a ska vibe. Is it original? No. But it does make you want to ollie whatever's in front of you when you listen to it.
Want a punk song with a lil' more edge? OK, skip to "Euro-Barge." It sounds like the band kicked into warp drive when they recorded this song -- it's only one-minute and 54-seconds, and it's played fast. "Euro-barge" might be over quicker than the career of a skater who botched a 900, but with the lyric "I am the ambassador of kick your assador," how could you not dig it?
Still want edgier punk? First, you must be a geometry teacher, because I've never seen someone so fond of edges. Second, listen to "Committed" by Unsane. This song is great for those who like a little hardcore and metal thrown in with their punk music. Unlike Goldfinger and The Vandals, Unsane does not make feel-good, lighthearted punk -- their music is stuff to rage to. I mean, the cover art of their self-titled LP (pictured right) features a decapitated man in a Members Only jacket. That's disgusting -- who actually wore Members Only jackets?
"Jerry Was a Race Car Driver" by Primus
"Jerry Was a Race Car Driver" isn't a punk song, but it's the tune I think of whenever Tony Hawk's Pro Skater comes up. Primus's grungy, hillbilly-carnival-ride sound sets this one apart from the rest of the songs on the Tony Hawk soundtrack, but it manages to fit in anyway. Maybe it's because -- like skateboarding culture -- Primus doesn't care about what you want. They do what they want to do, and you can either like it or go listen to old Seven Mary Three records.
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater doesn't have the most diverse soundtrack; you could probably hear most of these songs at any Warped Tour between the years 1996 and 1999. And it doesn’t even have that many tracks. But that’s why it’s so great. The stripped-down tracklist of alternative and punk songs fits the game much better than the bloated soundtracks fit the newer Tony Hawk games. It’s simply alterna-punk perfection.
