"This seven-piece act was formed five
years ago, during a time when high-school band geeks in every
corner of the country were playing out and cashing in on ska's
most recent wave of mainstream popularity.
But when Good Charlotte and other quasi-punk boy bands sounded
a noisy death knell for Jamaican-styled pop - after American
teens' love affair with ska-influenced groups such as Reel
Big Fish, Save Ferris and Goldfinger was over - the Players
proved their undying devotion to the genre and kept on skanking.
Since then, the local act has done its part to keep the scene
alive, tirelessly touring the mid-Atlantic region and opening
for ska legends such as the Mighty Mighty Bosstones and the
Pietasters.
Quotable: Andy Schneider on quitting vs. staying in the game:
"I don't think [breaking up] once crossed our minds.
The fact that the scene was folding [was not] ... going to
have any effect on our decision to play. It's about playing
music that we want to play and playing with people who we
admire."
- Sarah Schaffer
The Baltimore Sun. March, 2004. Issue # 181
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“[The Players] ooze class and the horns
are just damn big. The best thing about [Hate the Game] is
that they have some studio tracks mixed with the live cuts
and the living vibe of their fun music is what really helps
you hear why you need to go see them. The ska and jazz mix
well makin’ this almost big band swing at times with
a razor edge of irrefutable cool.”
Laurin Wollan, February, 2003, Music Monthly
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