The Canadian men’s national ice hockey team is using “Feeling Good” as their goal song at the 2026 Winter Olympics. It’s by Saskatoon band The Sheepdogs, who have a new album and are on their way to Alberta soon. We asked bassist Ryan Gullen about the band’s musical journey so far, and what’s next.
The new album—the band’s 9th—is called Keep Out of the Storm. Recorded live off the floor last year, it was the first album recorded since original Sheepdogs drummer Sam Corbett left the band. Gullen says, “We had a long conversation to figure out how he could get off the road and spend more time with his family. It was the first time we recorded without him.”
That meant inviting different drummers to play on the album. “So what you hear captured the new, developing chemistry. This was us, learning to play with these drummers.”
One of the drummers who has continued to play with the band is Trevor Falls, who will be joining the upcoming tour. “Consistency and chemistry are important. We don’t play the record front to back during our shows. There’s interplay and jamming. You don’t just hire a session person to do that. Our goal is always to find good people and have them stick around for a long time.”
Gullen says the new album is a collection of different vibes. “Compared to some past releases, it leans a little more rock. Maybe a little less Americana or roots. There are lots of guitars on this one.”
He adds, “We want every show to be an experience. It’s an escape. You can leave who you are or what’s going on at the door. You can have a shared experience with a room full of people. We want each show to be unique and have a flavour that you would not get if you were listening to the album at home. That’s the magic of rock ‘n’ roll.”
As for hearing the 2011 song “Feeling Good” every time the Canadian men’s hockey team scores a goal at The Olympics, Gullen says, “It’s incredible. It was used in the 4 Nations Tournament. Seeing them win and hearing our song? That’s something we don’t take for granted. It’s a patriotic moment, and we are proud Canadians.”
The Sheepdogs have been around since 2004, but one moment in 2011 changed their trajectory significantly. They won a contest to be the first unsigned band on the cover of Rolling Stone, and it gave them instant international attention. Gullen recognizes the win for the gift that it was.
“We were a band for seven years before that, traveling and touring. Winning gave us so many opportunities. It was a huge opportunity, a big spotlight. And because of it, we were able to make music our full-time careers. Prior to that, we were still working other jobs, quitting those jobs to go on tour, and then coming back to find new jobs.”
However, Gullen also emphasizes that the band used the opportunity to keep working hard. “We didn’t put our feet up after that. We knew we had to prove to people that we’re not just a band that won a contest. I’m very happy to say that we are still doing this. And honestly, I would rather have a career 15 years later than rest on the laurels of something that happened years ago. We’re always moving forward. We work on new songs. It’s fun for us to do what we do, and we don’t take it for granted. We’re in the business of finding people who love rock ‘n’ roll.”
The Sheepdogs will play Edmonton April 20, Lethbridge April 23, and Calgary April 24. Find details and tickets here.
Here’s the title track from The Sheepdogs’ new album, Keep Out of the Storm.
