It is fairly well known that by entering IB, students are basically sacrificing a hearty portion of their social lives to studying and homework that could be spent doing other more leisurely activities. The stress and strain that comes with internal assessments and IB projects hardly leaves room for those extracurricular activities that most kids our age are partaking of (sleep included). Thus is not the case for IB student Brandon Quinn, who finds the time among his responsibilities to IB and our school Lacrosse club, to play lead guitar for �The Floaters.�

The Floaters is an eight-piece ska band formed a year ago by Brandon and some of his friends. Although most of the members attend Coral Reef, others, like the band�s lead singer, Nick, are students at Palmetto or Killian Senior High.

The group usually rehearses on the weekends, �Unless we have a show, then we rehearse during the week,� says Brandon.

�When I started playing with the band, I was a little concerned about how much time it would take up,� claims Brandon, who�s overall aura is one of recumbence, �but I�m pretty good about sorting my priorities so I always find time to practice.�

The band�s roster includes Brandon Quinn on the guitar, Saad Abbasi on the trombone, Oliver Carlson on the Baritone Sax, Esteban Fernandez on the drums, John Polny on the bass, George Ross on the Alto Sax, Nick Gonzales on vocals and the occasional guitar, and Amy Anzollo on the organ.

Some may consider the group to be a little large (the bands website quips, �Some�wonder how we fit on stage�), but the wide use of instruments is what makes ska music so distinctive from other genres.

�Ska� music began in Jamaica in the early 60�s as a fusion of jazz, 50�s rock, blues, and traditional Caribbean music (calypso and Rastafarian chants) and is divided into three eras or �waves� : Traditional Ska, Two-Tone and finally Punk Ska. Over the years the sound of ska music has evolved through artists such as Bob Marley, Laurel Aitken, Less than Jake, Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Goldfinger, and Save Ferris, all of whom have brought the profound and exciting sound to mainstream audiences.

Although ska�s popularity has declined since its explosion in the punk scene during the early 90�s, fresh acts like The Floaters have kept the music and the party going.

�Ska is still very much alive,� says the groups ska guru and all-around musical enthusiast, Saad Abbasi, �but it�s underground and the real fans are the ones still listening to it.�

The band has recorded several original tracks, along with two cover songs, Paul Anka�s �Diana� and Less Than Jake�s �My Very Own Flag,� the latter of which they played at a recent show.

�When we played the Less Than Jake cover it didn�t really go as planned,� said Brandon who claims that the group needed more time to get it ready for live shows (could summer IB assignments be to blame? Perhaps, but I digress).

All in all, perfect performance or not, The Floaters are crowd pleasers and deliver at every show.

As Brandon puts it, �I love the energy in Ska, the riffs are really easy to bob to so even if you aren�t the greatest dancer, the music moves you.�

The Floaters have just made a new album with their demo songs and hope that it will help reach new fans and bring larger crowds to their shows.

�Right now I�m just worried about graduating,� says Brandon with a nervous laugh, �playing with The Floaters is just something I do to take the edge off.�

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