The Records
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1978 in England |
| Founder | Will Birch, John Wicks |
| Defunct | 1982 |
| Headquarters | England |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
The Records were a power pop ensemble from England, established in 1978, and are primarily recognized for their hit track and cult classic "Starry Eyes".
Music career
The Records originated after the breakup of the Kursaal Flyers, a pub rock band that included drummer Will Birch. In 1977, John Wicks joined as rhythm guitarist, quickly forming a songwriting partnership with Birch, where Wicks handled compositions and Birch crafted lyrics. Following the Kursaal Flyers' disbandment, they sought to create a new quartet featuring Birch on drums and Wicks as lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist. Birch coined the name The Records for the group. The original roster featured bassist Phil Brown and lead guitarist Brian Alterman, whose guitar work was often likened to the Byrds. Alterman contributed to early demo recordings later compiled on Paying for the Summer of Love before departing; he was succeeded by Huw Gower in 1978. Both Gower and Brown brought experience from previous bands—Gower from the Ratbites from Hell and Brown from the Janets.
Their musical style drew inspiration from acts such as the Beatles, the Kinks, alongside early power pop icons like Badfinger, Big Star, and Raspberries, fitting within the power pop resurgence influenced by punk and new wave trends.
The Records supported Stiff Records artist Rachel Sweet during the "Be Stiff Tour '78," performing as opening acts and contributing the song "Pin a Medal on Mary" to Sweet's debut album. Additionally, Birch and Wicks penned "Hearts in Her Eyes" for the Searchers, who enjoyed a revival with their 1979 power pop release.
After signing with Virgin Records in 1978 based on their demo recordings (later issued as Paying for the Summer of Love), The Records unveiled their debut single "Starry Eyes" in December of that year. This track became their hallmark tune and a staple within the power pop genre. Acclaimed by AllMusic as "a near-perfect song that defined British power pop in the '70s," it found greater commercial success in the United States, reaching No. 56 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in October 1979.
Shades in Bed
For their first album, the band collaborated with producers Robert John "Mutt" Lange and Tim Friese-Greene. Huw Gower took on production duties for "The Phone," which was included on the album instead of Lange's version of Tim Moore's "Rock 'n' Roll Love Letter." Their debut LP, titled Shades in Bed, featured the single "Teenarama," regarded as their second most notable song. Released in the US in July 1979 under the title The Records, with altered track order and featuring the original single version of "Starry Eyes" rather than Lange's re-recording, the album climbed to No. 41 on the Billboard chart. Gower also produced an additional four-track bonus disc consisting of cover songs, including Spirit's "1984," which received FM radio airplay and was considered by Virgin as a potential follow-up single.
This period represented their commercial zenith. In the UK, Will Birch enlisted producer Craig Leon to create two new tracks and remix two songs from Shades in Bed for a possible single release, with Gower co-producing. Following an aborted German tour supporting Robert Palmer, Gower relocated to New York City, where he collaborated with New York Dolls frontman David Johansen on the successful album Live It Up.
Crashes
American musician Jude Cole, who had previously played with Moon Martin's backing band The Ravens, joined the group for their 1980 release Crashes. The album did not achieve commercial success and lacked any hit singles; as a result, the record label reduced its promotional efforts during the supporting tour. Cole stayed in the United States, while Birch, Wicks, and Brown made their way back to England.
Music on Both Sides
The original trio grew into a five-piece ensemble with the addition of guitarist Dave Whelan and frontman Chris Gent.[1] Prior to this, Wicks had handled lead vocals on most tracks, with other members occasionally taking the lead. Birch later reflected that bringing in a dedicated lead singer was "perhaps unwisely" done. This configuration recorded the 1982 album Music on Both Sides under Virgin Records, which also did not perform well commercially.
Breakup and aftermath
Soon after, the band effectively ceased operations.[1] Birch transitioned into tour management, overseeing 'Rock Tours' sightseeing buses in London, alongside producing and songwriting activities. In 1990, the founding members briefly reunited to record "Darlin'" for the Brian Wilson tribute compilation Smiles, Vibes & Harmony. Birch, Brown, and Wicks laid down basic tracks in London; Gower contributed additional parts and handled mixing in New York. That same year marked the US release of Paying for the Summer of Love. Despite favorable reviews, lingering disagreements prevented a full-scale reunion. In 1994, Wicks relocated to the United States, continuing his solo career and leading a new version of the band until 2018.
Brown passed away on 2 February 2012 due to a degenerative illness.[2] Wicks succumbed to cancer after a year-long illness on 7 October 2018 in Burbank, California.[3]
Discography
The Records’ first album, Shades in Bed (1979, UK), was released in the US under the title The Records. Their discography includes various editions across different countries:
Albums
- 1979: Shades in Bed
- 1980: Crashes
- 1982: Music on Both Sides
- 1988: Smashes, Crashes and Near Misses
- 1989: A Sunny Afternoon in Waterloo (Germany)
- 1998: Rock'Ola (Spain)
- 2001: Paying for the Summer of Love (US)
- 2009: Play Live: The Records Live in Concert (Japan)
Singles
- 1978: "Starry Eyes" (UK)
- 1979: "Rock 'n' Roll Love Letter" (UK)
- 1979: "Starry Eyes" (US)
- 1979: "Teenarama"
- 1980: "Hearts in Her Eyes"
- 1982: "Imitation Jewellery"
External links
- John Wicks and the Records official website
- The Records historical archive maintained by Will Birch
- Will Birch official homepage
- Entry in Trouser Press