The magic.
It's always been there. Almost from the first moment they sang together so many years ago, the Bee Gees have been
sharing their indescribable harmonies and wonderful songs with the world, becoming, for the past thirty years, the
most melodious part of the soundtrack of our lives.
For the brothers Gibb, singing together is as natural as breathing and almost as essential. Born on the Isle of Man,
where their late father Hughie was a big band leader, the brothers began harmonizing in their modest British bedroom
in the late 1950's when, as mere lads, oldest brother Barry (then 9) and twins Robin and Maurice (only 6 years old)
made their first public appearance at a local cinema, miming to the hits of the day.
After their family emigrated to Australia in 1958, the soon-to-be-named Bee Gees (Brothers Gibb) graduated to Aussie
nightclubs as pre-teens where they were a successful act. Then, in 1964, inspired by the Beatles, the brothers
became a teenaged pop group and honed their songwriting and recording skills as they earned national stardom
"Down Under." By the end of 1966, just before they sailed for England, they went to #1 with "Spicks and Specks," the
money earned from that hit helping to finance their return home from Oz to the real Emerald City, the swinging London
of 1967.
In England, they soon hooked up with legendary impresario Robert Stigwood, who immediately recognized their talent
and determination and quickly put them in the studio. Bee Gees 1st was released in the post-Pepper musical universe
of the fall of '67, just in time for the Bee Gees to be part of the 2nd wave of the "British Invasion" that included Cream,
the Who, Van Morrison, the Moody Blues, Procol Harum and Traffic.
For five years, beginning with their first international hit, "N.Y. Mining Disaster, 1941" the Bee Gees were massive pop
stars. Fueled by a songwriting gift that is virtually unequaled in pop music history, their first four UK albums (especially
the landmark concept record, Odessa) revealed their talent and ambition in full bloom. During this first run of success,
they, with seeming ease, supplied themselves with an unending stream of hit singles ("Massachusetts," "To Love
Somebody," "Holiday," "I've Gotta Get A Message To You," "I Started A Joke," "Lonely Days," "How Can You Mend A
Broken Heart," et al), and took perhaps equal pleasure in the fact that their hit songs were also being recorded by their
idols, such as Elvis Presley ("Words") and Sarah Vaughn ("Run To Me"), Al Green & Janis Joplin.
In the early 1970's, despite a pair of #1 singles, the Bee Gees fell out of favor, particularly at home. It was a time in
England when "The Next Big Thing" came along every month, and the glam-rock era didn't really have room for three
family men singing beautifully-crafted pop songs. The brothers recorded new albums and steadfastly refused to
become an oldies act. Struggling to connect with listeners, they relocated to Miami where they hoped to re-establish
their musical identity. When they joined forces with the legendary producer Arif Mardin, they found "the sound" and
began making the kind of soul-drenched records (such as 1974's underrated Mr. Natural) that reflected their real
influences.
In truth, the brothers had always been most inspired by great R&B music (Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder being two
particular favorites), and when they gave that part of their heart free reign, it fueled the Bee Gees return to the top.
Their "comeback" began in 1975 with "Jive Talking," the first of their dance-tinged #1 hits that would trigger an
unprecedented second round of superstardom. By ignoring popular tastes and writing & singing straight from the gut,
they had returned to the top. Unpredictably, they would soon be bigger than ever.
1975's Main Course album (which also featured "Nights On Broadway" and "Fanny") was followed by 1976's smash,
Children Of The World (including the #1 hit "You Should Be Dancing" and #3 "Love So Right"). Those records set the
stage for what was to come next---1977's Saturday Night Fever, which sparked not only a cultural phenomenon but
became the biggest selling soundtrack record in history (around 40 million copies to date) and began a miraculous
string of #1 hit singles with "How Deep Is Your Love," "Stayin' Alive," and "Night Fever."
At the same time that Saturday Night Fever was burning brightly, another member of the Gibb family was burning up
the charts. Barry, at Robert Sigwood's behest, somehow had found the time to oversee the launch of baby brother
Andy's stateside singing career. Andy's first album, Flowing Rivers, which was actually released months prior to
Saturday Night Fever, marked the beginning of the 19-year-old's white-hot stardom. Andy (who passed on in 1988)
became the first solo artist to ever have his first three singles reach #1---"I Just Want To Be Your Everything" (which
was written by Barry, preceded "How Deep Is Your Love" to the top of the charts), "(Love Is) Thicker Than Water," a
Barry-Andy collaboration, which replaced "Stayin' Alive at #1 and the multi-million-selling "Shadow Dancing," Billboard's
#1 single of 1978, which is also noteworthy for having been co-authored by all four Gibb brothers. Various creative
combinations of Gibbs also led to three more top ten singles for Andy, including "Everlasting Love," the poignant "(Our
Love) Don't Throw It All Away" and "Desire."
In 1978, the Bee Gees were at a pinnacle they had often dreamed of. But they would only barely pause to enjoy the
view before they set a new challenge for themselves---How do you top what was then the biggest selling album of all
time? With that question mark hanging over their heads, the brothers returned to the studio (for the third straight time
with co-producers Karl Richardson and Albhy Galuten) determined to "just" make their greatest album over. The result
was the falsetto-dominated Spirits Having Flown, which sold an unbelievable 20 million copies and yielded three more
million-selling, number one singles ("Too Much Heaven," "Tragedy" and "Love You Inside Out"). That album, and the
wildly-successful Spirits tour firmly and finally placed them in the pop pantheon with their one-time idols, the Beatles.
From 1977-1980, the Bee Gees were, very simply, the biggest group in the world.
At that point, with most of their goals achieved, it was time to take a breather, and in the early 1980's, the brothers
decided to concentrate on their families, slowing down their prolific pace. Of course, nothing could stop them from
creating, and in their spare time, the brothers wrote and Barry (again, with Karl & Albhy) produced a string of hits for
some of their favorite singers---Guilty, the Grammy Award winning Barbara Streisand album (three top ten singles
including the #1, "Woman In Love" and, at 15 million sold, the biggest album of her career), a giant, UK #1 for Diana
Ross ("Chain Reaction"), Dionne Warwick's 1982 return to the top ten ("Heartbreaker") and Dolly Parton & Kenny
Rogers' duet, "Islands In The Stream," a 1983 #1 hit and the most successful single in the history of RCA Records. In
fact, every one of those collaborations yielded a career milestone for each artist.
But by the mid-1980s, the Bee Gees were again ready to take their place center stage. And inspired by the
international welcome received by hits like the anthemic "You Win Again" and their spiritual "One," the brothers, after a
nearly ten-year hiatus, returned to live performing in 1989. Their SRO tour covered three continents and drew what
was now three generations of Bee Gees fans.
The 1990s have been marked by continued international success for the group, with hit albums like 1991's High
Civilization and 1993's Size Isn't Everything (with the smash ballad "For Whom The Bell Tolls") proving that the
brothers have never lost their ability to create a catchy dance track or a from-the-heart pop song that touches people
everywhere.
That truth was brought home again in 1996 when the Gibb brothers songwriting earned them four more number one
singles ("Stayin' Alive" by Ntrance, "How Deep Is Your Love" by Take That, "Words" by Boyzone and the brothers' own
version of "First Of May") adding to a worldwide career total that's in the dozens and again demonstrating the lasting
quality of their work. Remarkably, they have written #1 UK chart hits in each of the last four decades (60's, 70's, 80's ,
& 90's). Among the records they've set that may never be equaled---the Bee Gees are the only recording artists to
write and produce six straight number one singles, they were the first composers to have five songs in the top ten at
the same time, and during that same Feverish era, in 1978, when the brothers Gibb-written "If I Can't Have You" went
to number one for Yvonne Elliman, Barry became the first songwriter to write or co-write four straight number ones,
breaking Lennon-McCartney's record from 1964.
Truly, after thirty years at the top of the charts, the Bee Gees career statistics are now incomparable. They are one of
the top five most successful recording artists of all time (behind Elvis Presley, the Beatles, Michael Jackson, and Paul
McCartney) with well over 100 million records sold worldwide. In the U.S. alone, they've had seven million selling
singles, five others that sold over two million, nine gold albums, three platinum and three straight number one LPs.
Of course, the brothers have also won recognition commensurate with their stature and ability. Among a lifetime of
industry honors, they've earned sixteen Grammy nominations and taken home 7 Grammy Awards. And in the fall of
1996, they were elected to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
And yet, the Bee Gees are not satisfied. They never are. With the creative restlessness that defines all great artists,
they recently returned to the studio with an undiminished passion for making records that will fill people's hearts with
the love that is so deeply-imbedded in their music. Many people felt that their last LP, 1993's Size Isn't Everything, was
the greatest record a group of the Bee Gees experience had ever made. However welcome that kind of praise is, the
Bee Gees only want one thing---for people to hear their music.
So, determined to make a record that is as right for today's listeners as their past triumphs were perfect for their eras,
the Bee Gees, for the first time ever, worked with a variety of outside producers on the same album, including old
mentor Arif mardin, proven charttoppers David Foster, Russ Titelman and Hugh Padgham and cutting edge
recordmakers like Raphael Saadiq. Meticulously laboring throughout 1996, the work, at last, is done. Finally, the wait is
over, and they are ready to again share their music with the world.
In early 1997, just in time for the 30th anniversary of their first worldwide hits, comes Still Waters, their latest album of
all new material, and like every one of their more than two dozen studio releases, it is their trademark and relatable
lyrics for lovers everywhere. From the rhythmically contemporary beat of the title song, the album opener "Alone," the
terrifically-hip "With My Eyes Closed" and "Irresistible Forces" to classic Gibb ballads such as "I Could Not Love You
More," "My Lover's Prayer," "I Surrender," "I Will" and "Miracles Happen," Still Waters is another wonderful collection of
great pop and dance music. It is obvious that the Bee Gees are once again ready to conquer the world.
Given their past history, it's almost inconceivable that 1997 could be the Bee Gees biggest year ever. But it just might
be. Because in addition to their remarkable new album comes a series of well-deserved honors and tributes that
brings everything full circle. The Bee Gees will receive the American Music Awards' "International Achievement" salute
in January, the prestigious Brit Award for "outstanding Contribution to Music" in February, the World Music Awards'
"Lifetime Achievement" recognition in April and will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in May. In the fall of
'97, they'll celebrate the 20th anniversary of "Saturday Night Fever," and in honor of that, impresario Robert Stigwood is
opening a stage version of the film which includes a new song written by the brothers called "Immortality."
Their media presence will be equally noteworthy, with specials dedicated to them on Britain's prestigious "South Bank
Show" (February), VH-1's "Storytellers" (April), CBS-TV's "48 Hours" (May) and many other high-profile appearances
ranging from a day on "Oprah" to a night on NBC's "Saturday Night Live" to a week on ABC's "General Hospital."
But the Bee Gees have never been ones to rest on past success, so even as they look forward to their induction day at
the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, their focus remains on the future, bringing their newest music to their millions of fans all
over the globe. In the summer of '97, they will begin the grandest tour of their career, an 18-month journey that will take
them to 4 continents, dozens of countries they've never visited before and many places that haven't heard the Gibb
harmonies "live" in nearly a quarter century.
For thirty years, they have set trends and transcended fads with the sheer purity of their music. And now, as we head
towards the millennium, everything is again in place for a new outbreak of Bee Gees fever. Get ready. The CD will
soon be in your heart.
One listen to Still Waters, and it is very clear that "the magic is back." What else do you need to know? |
