Rock & Roll Pre-School

For the past few years I’ve known “Mr. Hugh” as the guy who teaches music class at my kids’ pre-school on Fridays. He’s a friendly guy, always quick with a smile, with a certain Eric Idle look and air about him.

I recently discovered that the guy who taught my girls “Wheels on the Bus” and “Yellow Submarine” is also responsible for one of my favorite power pop songs of all time. “Mr. Hugh” is actually Huw Gower, former guitarist for The Records! Remember their song “Starry Eyes”? Total jam.

I first came to the song through Dr. Janet. Remember Dr. Janet? Probably not. They were an extremely short-lived, extremely inside baseball indie rock “super group” circa 1991 or so, featuring Ira Kaplan from Yo La Tengo, Gary Lee Connor from Screaming Trees, Lyle Hysen from Das Damen and Matt Sweeney from Skunk (and later, Chavez).

I don’t know what it was that made me buy their 45 - probably my Screaming Trees obsession at the time - but as soon as I heard their cover of “Starry Eyes” I was hooked.

As I dug deeper I would discover that The Records had more than “Starry Eyes” to be pround of. Founded by Will Birch, formerly of the damn-near-seminal pub rock band Kursaal Flyers, The Records provided an essential bridge between that genre and its new wave offspring.

Check out some vintage Records, performing “Starry Eyes” from 1979. That’s “Mr. Hugh” on lead guitar, wearing the black blazer and skinny tie.