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Man On Fire 3:310:00/3:31
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It's For You 4:350:00/4:35
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If Looks Could Kill 3:350:00/3:35
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Silver Lining 5:070:00/5:07
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Too Many Reasons 4:090:00/4:09
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Words You Say 5:070:00/5:07
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Underwater Sky 4:340:00/4:34
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Upside Down 4:110:00/4:11
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0:00/0:21
PLAYER 1977-1983
JC CROWLEY~RONN MOSS~JOHN FRIESEN~PETER BECKETT
PLAYER began as a chance meeting between Peter Beckett and J.C. Crowley, in 1977. They met by coincidence, both being the only two dressed in jeans and t-shirts, attending an all-white garb party in Hollywood. J.C. came from Galveston Bay, Texas, and Peter from Los Angeles. Oddly enough, they both turned out to be singer song writers, and made plans to get together later and jam. In J.C.'s garage, they began working on their new material, calling their band Riff Raff. Later changing their name to Bandana, they recorded a single record called "Jukebox Saturday Night", written by JC and J.Crocker. The B side was called "Love Is Where You Find It", later to be added to the first Player LP. The chemistry was good between Peter and JC to agree to the idea of organizing another band to play their own songs. They hired Paul Palmer as their manager, who then introduced Peter and J.C. to his friend Ronn Moss, who came aboard as their bass player. It was just the three band members jamming for awhile, then Ronn brought in his old friend John Friesen(drums). Both had been in high school bands together. Ronn Moss had formerly been in the bands Fable Airship, Punk Rock and Count Zeppelin. John Friesen had toured with the Ice Follies as a drummer, percussionist, and musical director. The bands style of music developed into mainstream soft pop/rock, with mellow keyboards and layered harmonies. This seemed to fit right in with the breezy sounds of L.A at the time.
They began playing bars and gigs to perfect their playing skills. Their potential managers took them around to different producer's offices to play live, lugging their guitars and amps. The band's theory was that "a demo tape can be thrown on a shelf and forgotten, where as a live band wouldn't fit." The band was turned down many times when auditioning. They eventually ended up at the office of Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter, successful songwriters and owners of a new production company called Haven Records. Dennis and Brian were well known at the time for producing recording artist such as The Grassroots, The Four Tops, Dusty Springfield, Glenn Campbell, and The Righteous Brothers to name a few. Lambert and Potter liked what they heard and took the guys into the studio to record a few songs. Based on these tracks alone, Lambert and Potter were quite impressed, but Haven Records had since then folded. They then collaborated with the owner of RSO Records, Robert Stigwood, and CEO Alex Corey, and got the band, still nameless, signed to a record deal.
The matter of a band name was resolved while watching a movie on television. They saw the end credits list the film cast as "players", thus they dropped the "s" to become Player. The band also added keyboard synthesizer player Wayne Cook, former band member of Steppenwolf(1976), as a session player. A few short months later, with massive radio play, Player had an international number one hit single called 'Baby Come Back'. This song came about when Peter had just split from someone he had been in a relationship with for a long time. Still feeling the sting, he sat down with J.C. Crowley, to write, and their moods came out in the song 'Baby Come Back'. This song broke on the radio in October of 1977 and reached number one early January 1978.
Player was voted by Billboard Magazine's honor roll as Best New Single Artist for 1978. 'Baby Come Back' was immediately followed by their top ten hit, 'This Time I'm In It For Love'. Both songs appeared on their self-titled, debut album,Player. As well as both playing guitar, Peter and J.C. shared the lead vocals on this album, except for 'Tryin' To Write A Hit Song', which Ronn Moss took the lead vocals on. J.C. is also credited with playing keyboards and synthesizer as well as guitar. They first performed live as the opening act for Gino Vanelli November of '77, then later with Boz Scaggs. It was in the middle of this tour that 'Baby Come Back' became a huge hit, and the band took off from there.
The following year in 1978, they released a second album also on RSO, called Danger Zone. This album produced the hit singles 'Prisoner Of Your Love', which made the top 40 list, and 'Silverlining'. Where their first album captured the sunny sound of California pop, Danger Zone illustrated the band's progressive pop/rock side with heavier guitars pushed to the front. Both LPs, Player and Danger Zone, released also on 8-Track, went gold. The band then continued to tour bigger arenas with Eric Clapton, Heart, and Kenny Loggins, as well as headlining at smaller venues. RSO wanted Player to harden up their image, putting them on tours with hard rock bands. Peter was quoted later as saying that "this could have probably been their biggest mistake, and that Player may have still been around today if not for that."
Not soon after the tour ended, J.C.Crowley left the band to start a new career in country music. RSO Records folded, and PLAYER signed with Casablanca Records, releasing their third album Room With A View in 1980, which Peter co-produced with Tony Peluso. From this album came the top forty hit 'It's For You'. Room With A View was a combination of soft, romantic melodies, such as 'Bad News Travels Fast', and heavier rock tunes, such as 'Tip Of The Iceberg'. Peter sang and wrote every song on this LP. By the end of this tour, Ronn Moss' focus had now shifted to acting, and he quit the band to make films in Italy. By 1982, Peter Beckett and Dennis Lambert collaborated on the release of Player's fourth LP Spies Of Life on RCA Records. From that album came the single 'If Looks Could Kill'. Also joining Peter and John Friesen, the only two original band members left, were Miles Joseph(guitar/vocals) and Rusty Buchannan(bass). Miles was credited on Room With A View as a session artist but was now listed as Player members on Spies Of Life. J.C Crowley appeared again on this Player album, but this time as a co-writer with Dennis Lambert on "I'd Rather Be Gone'.
After this album, the band members went their separate ways, and Peter decided to become a full time writer, leaving Player on the back burner. He began penning hits for such notable artists as Olivia Newton-John, Heart, Little River Band, and many others. He also was credited with writing songs for movie soundtracks as well as singing some of the tracks himself, both lead and backup vocals. Peter was actually the mystery voice on the song 'Two Heads Are Better Than One' from Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure in 1989. The Nelson twins recorded the song for the movie but Geffen Records was not happy with them recording for another label. They pulled it before the soundtrack came out and Peter's voice was dubbed over theirs under the name Powertools. The name was taken from a then L.A. club. Being so much in demand for his work, Peter became a session artist for other recording stars, such as Roger Daltry, Starship, and Kenny Rodgers, to name a few.
But Player was not done yet....
PLAYER 1980:PETER BECKETT~RONN MOSS~JOHN FRIESEN
ALBUMS |
PLAYER 1977
RSO RECORDS
1. Come On Out (Crowley) 2. Baby Come Back (Beckett,Crowley) 3. Goodbye(That's All I Ever Heard) (Crowley) 4. Melanie (Beckett) 5. Every Which Way (Beckett,Crowley) 6. This Time I'm In It For Love (Pippin,Keith) 7. Love Is Where You Find It
(Beckett,Kailing,Crowley) 8. Movin' Up (Beckett,Kailing,Kipner) 9. Cancellation (Beckett,Kailing,Kipner) 10. Tryin' To Write A Hit Song (Mahonin) *Band members: Peter Beckett, JC Crowley, John Friesen, Ronn Moss |
DANGER ZONE 1978
RSO RECORDS
1. Love In The Danger Zone (Beckett,Crowley) 2. Silver Lining (Beckett) 3. I Just Wanna Be With You (Beckett) 4. Forever (Beckett,Crowley) 5. I've Been Thinking (Beckett,Crowley) 6. Prisoner Of Your Love (Beckett,Crowley) 7. Join In The Dance (Beckett,Crowley) 8. Wait Until Tomorrow (Beckett,Crowley) 9. Let Me Down Easy (Crowley) *Band members: Peter Beckett, J.C.Crowley, John Friesen, Ronn Moss |
ROOM WITH A VIEW 1980
CASABLANCA RECORDS 1. Room With A View (Beckett) 2. It's For You (Beckett) 3. Upside Down (Beckett) 4. Who Do You Think You Are (Beckett) 5. Bad News Travels Fast (Beckett,Lambert) 6. All Tied Up (Beckett) 7. Givin' It All (Beckett) 8. It May Never Happen (Beckett) 9. Tip Of The Iceberg (Beckett) *Band members: Peter Beckett, John Friesen, Ronn Moss |
SPIES OF LIFE 1982
RCA RECORDS
1. If Looks Could Kill (Beckett,Lambert) 2. Some Things Are Better Left Unsaid (Beckett,Lambert)
3. Thank You For The Use Of Your Love (Beckett,Lambert)
4. It Only Hurts When I Breathe (Beckett,Lambert)
5. My Mind's Made Up (Beckett,Lambert) 6. I'd Rather Be Gone (Crowley,Lambert) 7. Take Me Back (Beckett) 8. My Survival (Beckett) 9. Born To be With You (Beckett,Lambert) 10. In Like Flynn (Beckett) *Band members: Peter Beckett, Rusty Buchannan, John Friesen, Miles Joseph |
BEST OF PLAYER 1990
MERCURY RECORDS
JAPANESE RELEASE 1. Baby Come Back 2. Givin' It All 3. I Just Wanna Be With You 4. Let Me Down Easy 5. I've Been Thinking 6. Tryin' To Write A Hit Song 7. This Time I'm In It For Love 8. It's For You 9. Bad News Travels Fast 10. Who Do You Think You Are 11. Upside Down 12. Prisoner Of Your Love 13. Wait Until Tomorrow 14. Every Which Way 15. Silver Lining |
THE BEST OF PLAYER
POLYGRAM RECORDS
1. Baby Come Back 2. This Time I'm In It For Love 3. Melanie 4. Prisoner Of Your Love 5. I've Been Thinking 6. Wait Until Tomorrow 7. Givin' It All 8. Who Do You Think You Are? 9. It's For You 10. Bad News Travels Fast 11. If Looks Could Kill 12. Some Things Are Better Left Unsaid 13. It Only Hurts When I Breathe 14. Beautiful Love 15. Footprints In The Sand
PLAYER/DANGER ZONE 2001 (2 CDS)
ONE WAY RECORDS
1. Come On Out
2. Baby Come Back 3. Goodbye (That's All I Ever Heard) 4. Melanie 5. Every Which Way 6. This Time I'm In It For Love 7. Love Is Where You Find It 8. Movin' Up 9. Cancellation 10. Tryin' To Write A Hit Song 11. Love In The Danger Zone 12. Silver Lining 13. I Just Wanna Be With You 14. Forever 15. I've Been Thinkin' 16. Prisoner Of Your Love 17. Join In The Dance 18. Wait Until Tomorrow 19. Let Me Down Easy |
BABY COME BACK...2005
INTERSOUND RECORDS
1. Baby Come Back (Beckett,Crowley) 2. No More Rain (Beckett,Marlette) 3. After All This Time (Beckett,Dorff) 4. Footprints In The Sand (Beckett,Parker) 5. This Is Your Life (Beckett,Marlette) 6. Without You (Beckett,Ross) 7. Cherry Lane (Beckett,Jordan,Kopatz) 8. Every Time I Turn Around (Beckett,Lambert) 9. Just To Be With You (Beckett,Feldman) 10. Baby Come Back (Remix) |
BABY COME BACK 1977
JAPANESE PRESSING
SIDE 1 1. Baby Come Back 2. Melanie 3. Just Wanna Be With You 4. Come On Out 5. I've Been Thinkin' 6. This Time I'm In It For Love SIDE 2 1. Prisoner Of Your Love 2. Silver Lining 3. Every Which Way 4. Love In The Danger Zone 5. Tryin' To Write A Hit Song |
SILVER LINING EP 1978
RSO RECORDS 1. Silver Lining 2. Love In The Danger Zone 3. Prisoner Of Your Love 4. I've Been Thinkin' |
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PLAYER 1982: PETER BECKETT~JOHN FRIESEN~MILES JOSEPH~RUSTY BUCHANAN
SINGLES
PAST SHOW
GINO VANNELLI 'PAUPER IN PARADISE' TOUR
10/27/1977 University of Texas El Paso TX 10/28/1977 Civic Center Lubbock TX
10/29/1977 Municipal Auditorium San Antonio TX
10/30/1977 Municipal Auditorium San Antonio TX
11/02/1977 Convention Center Waco TX
11/04/1977 Music Hall Houston TX
11/05/1977 Convention Center Dallas TX
11/06/1977 Civic Center Monroe LA
11/09/1977 Municipal Auditorium Mobile AL
11/10/1977 LSU Assembly Center Baton Rouge LA
11/12/1977 Jacksonville State U. Jacksonville AL
11/13/1977 Omni Coliseum Atlanta GA
11/15/1977 Commonwealth Center Louisville KY
11/17/1977 Music Hall Boston MA
11/18/1977 Leroy Theater Providence RI
11/19/1977 Calderone Theater Hempstead NY
11/23/1977 Shea's Theater Buffalo NY
11/24/1977 Maple Leaf Gardens Toronto Canada
11/25/1977 The Forum Montreal Canada
11/27/1977 Civic Arena Pittsburgh PA
11/28/1977 Spectrum Philadelphia PA
11/30/1977 Music Hall Cleveland OH 12/02/1977 Arie Crown Theatre McCormick Place Chicago IL 12/03/1977 Arie Crown Theatre McCormick Place Chicago IL |
BOZ SCAGGS 'DOWN TWO THEN LEFT' TOUR
12/04/1977 Southern Mississippi University Hattiesburg MS
12/05/1977 Tad Smith Coliseum Oxford MS
12/07/1977 Mobile Municipal Auditorium Mobile AL 12/10/1977 William and Mary Hall Williamsburg VA
12/11/1977 Roanoke Civic Center Roanoke VA
12/16/1977 Greensboro Colisium Greensboro NC 12/17/1977 Charlotte Coliseum Charlotte NC 12/18/1977 Rupp Arena Lexington KY |
1/01/1978 Selland Arena Fresno CA (Heart) 1/02/1978 Bakersfield Civic Auditorium Bakersfield CA (Heart) 1/10/1978 The Roxy Hollywood CA (Gary Mule Deer) |
ERIC CLAPTON 'SLOWHAND' TOUR
2/03/1978 Northlands Coliseum Edmonton AB
2/05/1978 Paramount Northwest Theater Seattle WA
2/06/1978 Washington State U. Coliseum Pullman WA
2/08/1978 Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall Portland OR
2/10/1978 Oakland Coliseum Arena Oakland CA
2/11/1978 Santa Monica Civic Auditorium Santa Monica CA
2/12/1978 Santa Monica Civic Auditorium Santa Monica CA
2/13/1978 Aladdin Casino Las Vegas NV
2/15/1978 McNichols Sports Arena Denver CO
2/18/1978 Metropolitan Sports Center Minneapolis MN
2/19/1978 Hilton Coliseum Ames IA
2/20/1978 Municipal Auditorium Kansas City KS
2/21/1978 Harry Kiel Auditorium St. Louis MO
2/23/1978 Chicago Stadium Chicago IL
2/24/1978 Louisville Gardens Louisville KY
2/26/1978 Civic Center Arena Huntington W. Virginia
3/01/1978 Mid-South Coliseum Memphis TN
3/02/1978 Boutwell Auditorium Birmingham AL |
7/08/1978 Mississippi River Festival Edwardsville Il (Boz Scaggs) 9/04/1978 Hughes Stadium Sacramento. CA (Heart, Randy Meisner, Bob Welch, Everlyn Champagne King) |
KENNY LOGGINS 'NIGHTWATCH TOUR' 10/08/1978 Capitol Theatre Passaic NJ 10/20/1978 The Palladium New York City NY 10/26/1978 University of Florida Gym Gainesville FL 10/27/1978 Sunrise Musical Theater Sunrise FL 10/28/1978 Tampa Jai Alai Fronton Tampa FL 10/29/1978 Coconut Grove Miami FL |
11/2/1978 Dunn Center Clarksville TN (Headliner) |
HEART 'DOG AND BUTTERFLY' TOUR 11/16/1978 IMA Auditorium Flint MI 11/17/1978 Richfield Coliseum Richfield OH
11/18/1978 Toledo Sports Center Toledo OH
11/19/1978 Wheeling Civic Center Wheeling WV
11/24/1978 Municipal Auditorium Kansas City MO 11/25/1978 Mary E. Sawyer Auditorium La Crosse WI 11/26/1978 Duluth Arena Duluth MN 11/27/1978 Met Sport Center Bloomington MN
12/06/1978 The Forum Inglewood CA |
6/30/1980 Universal Amphitheater Los Angeles CA (Little River Band) 7/01/1980 Universal Amphitheater Los Angeles CA (Little River Band) 7/02/1980 Universal Amphitheater Los Angeles CA (Little River Band |