Phil Brown
September 13, 1953 – February 2, 2012
Phil Brown was the bassist for the English power pop band, the Records. After earlier being considered to play in Free and Mott the Hoople, Brown was hired by the Records. Formed during the late ’70s, the band went on to build a formidable cult following with some loyalists going as far as calling them the “British Big Star.” Drawing inspiration from the likes of Badfinger and the Raspberries, the Records began putting out records in 1979. That year’s Shades In Bed included the catchy single, “Starry Eyes,” which went on to become one of power pop’s most enduring songs. Although signed to Virgin Records, the band failed to catch on beyond cult status in the US, and split up in 1982. After the Records, Brown collaborated with Kirsty MacColl, Mark Nevin, and Jane Aire. He formed his own band, the Hurt in 1984, and later played in Hollywood Killers. In 2001, Phil Brown was diagnosed with an undisclosed degenerative illness which ultimately took his life on February 2, 2012.
Thanks to Belinda Rawlins at Bubbles In The Think Tank for the assist.
What You Should Own
great guy , great bassist a missed son of darlington.
Strange. After not listening to the Records in decades, I typed “Starry Eyes” into the YouTube search engine to see what would turn up.
Lo and behold, I found a live performance video where Phil was playing my old Rickenbacker bass (the one in the photo above). I sold it to him in London circa 1976 or ’77, and had always presumed he’d used it on ‘Starry Eyes.’ I’d replaced the original Rickenbacker pickups with Hofner pickups, which gave the instrument a powerful, very distinctive sound — the main reason that he’d bought it from me. I’m glad that he put it to such good use.
We didn’t know each other extremely well all those years ago. But he was a decent, very likeable guy. And an excellent musician. I’m very sorry to hear that he’s gone.
Wow, it was you who sold him the Ricky. He loved that guitar, but ultimately traded it in for a Musicman Stingray bass. I can still remember how it hurt when he had to let it go.
hey phil…..good bye dude..I only found out the other day that you'd gone….seems like yesterday at the greyhound in fulham palace road, you looked as exciting as David Bowie, and you played like a bitch mother…miss you forever mate….
Sorry you had to find out on the internet Walter. 3 years today, but still missed.
Phil Brown – a lovely guy, and I remember him fondly.