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Los Angeles, United States · 1977 — present

Player

Player's music is rooted in a fusion of rock and pop, with a touch of soft rock that fit perfectly with the disco atmosphere that was beginning to gain traction in the 1970s. The band formed in Los Angeles, California, on November 15, 1976, thanks to the initiative of bassist Ronn Moss, who already had prior experience in the rock'n'roll world. Moss, a musician who had learned to play drums, guitar, and bass from a young age, joined three other talents: British Peter Beckett on guitar and vocals, JC Crowley on keyboards and guitar, and John Friesen on drums. Together, they brought Player to life.

The sound that Player began to craft caught the attention of Robert Stigwood, a well-known promoter and businessman. This led the band to sign with RSO Records, under which they released their first studio works, titled Player and Danger Zone. Although these albums did not have an immediate impact, their luck changed dramatically with the single «Baby Come Back». This song, co-written by Peter Beckett and J.C. Crowley, became a phenomenon, reaching the top of the sales charts in the United States in December 1977 and surpassing 600,000 copies. This success earned them gold disc certifications in both the United States and Canada.

1 Albums
10 Songs
884K Listeners/mo

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Essential songs

1 album|s · 1977

Full discography

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Biography

The debut album, which shares the band’s name, Player, was recorded in 1976 and released in 1977. It stands out for its solidity, with no filler tracks, but with «Baby Come Back» as its flagship song. Another track that resonated was «This Time I’m In It For Love», with a marked surf-style influence. The band’s impact was such that in 1978, Billboard magazine recognized them as "Top New Artist or Group of the Year". In 1974, Peter Beckett had already moved to the United States, and in Los Angeles, in late 1975, he met J.C. Crowley. Both, dressed casually at a party where white attire was expected, struck up a connection. They discovered they were both singers and songwriters and decided to join forces. They began working on new material in Crowley’s garage, first under the name Riff Raff and later as Bandana. Their creative chemistry led them to seek a manager, Mark Roswell, who introduced them to Paul Palmer. Palmer, in turn, connected them with Ronn Moss, who joined as bassist. Shortly after, Moss added his old friend John Friesen on drums, with whom he had already shared the stage in high school bands. The band’s musical style solidified into a smooth pop rock, with melodic keyboards and intertwined vocal harmonies, capturing the essence of the California sound of the era.

The band continued to explore their sound, releasing in 1978 Danger Zone, an album that showcased a rockier side with prominent guitars. After touring with artists like Eric Clapton, Heart, and Kenny Loggins, J.C. Crowley left the band to pursue country music. Later, Player signed with Casablanca Records and in 1980 released Room With A View, from which the single «It’s For You» was taken. This album explored more romantic melodies, such as in «Bad News Travels». The band also experimented with production, as in the case of Wayne Cook, keyboardist for Steppenwolf, who joined the group in 1976. The name "Player" came about in an interesting way, when they saw the credits of a movie where the word "players" appeared, deciding to omit the "s" for their name.

Details

Born
1 Jan 1977
Country
🇺🇸 United States
Genre
soft rock

Members

· actual
J.C. Crowley
drums · actual
Jack White
· actual
Jawn Star
drums · actual
John Friesen
· actual
Miles Joseph
· actual
Peter Beckett
· actual
Rusty Buchanan
founder · 1977–present
Peter Beckett
Ronn Moss