The Records

The Records were a British power pop band formed in 1978, emerging from the remnants of the Kursaal Flyers. The group consisted of Will Birch on drums and John Wicks on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, who began writing songs together after the dissolution of their previous band. They initially included bassist Phil Brown and lead guitarist Brian Alterman, who was later replaced by Huw Gower in 1978. The Records were heavily influenced by bands like the Beatles and early power pop groups such as Badfinger and Big Star. The band's debut single "Starry Eyes" was released in December 1978 and became their signature song, peaking at number 56 on the Billboard Hot 100 in October 1979. Their debut album Shades in Bed followed in July 1979, featuring the hit single "Teenarama" and reaching number 41 on the Billboard chart. The band's subsequent albums included Crashes (1980) and Music on Both Sides (1982), but neither achieved significant commercial success. After a brief reunion in 1990 to contribute to the Brian Wilson tribute album, the band effectively disbanded. John Wicks died following a year-long struggle with cancer on October 7, 2018, while Phil Brown passed away on February 2, 2012, due to an undisclosed degenerative illness.