Ed's Bee Gees Appreciation Thread Part 1: 1963-1974

I was a big Bee Gees fan in the late '60s; even the early '70s material I thought was much weaker. And I have never even heard any of their disco stuff (well, very little)! Oddly enough, I really like the Main Course LP and would rank it higher than any of the earlier '70s LPs. The only track I really like on all the releases between Cucumber Castle and Main Course is The Greatest Man In The World, off Trafalgar.

The song that really does it for me is And The Sun Will Shine; the arrangement is just amazing ... If I Only Had My Mind On Something Else is also a personal favourite.

I should also like to put in a good word for the pre-First material, particularly Claustrophobia and Cherry Red.

I haven't read the thread yet, so I may add comments later ... !

 

Okay, so now I've read the thread. And coincidentally, I've got Odessa on the CD player, just starting side four. Great album, three good sides, with side two being the weak one (and even it has the wonderful Melody Fair in the middle of it).

Someone took a little shot at Give Your Best -- that's my favourite C & W song!!!

I was always mystified by the LP version of I've Gotta Get A Message To You, which sounds a lot worse than the original 45 version. The key change at the end is powerful in the 45, limp on the other one. I have the 45 version on a Rhino comp.

Robin's Reign -- amazing album! Lush orchestration all round, and the best tornado simulation ever on vinyl! Favourite tracks: The Worst Girl In This Town, Saved By The Bell, Mother And Jack, Most Of My Life. Allegedly there was a follow-up called Sing Slowly Sisters that was just as good. I quite like his How Old Are You CD from circa 1984, particularly the title track, Juliet and one other song. Too bad Boys Do Fall In Love isn't on it, that's another one I like.

Spicks And Specks -- good song, but I'm here to tell you that on the Picturesque Matchstickable Messages From The Status Quo LP, there is a cover that blows away the original!

Some acts just never let the quality drop below a certain level, and the Bee Gees are obviously one of them.

 

I've had the Bee Gees Trafalgar MoFi CD for a while but hadn't gotten around to listening to it until now.

WOW!

First of all it sounds like a million bucks, I'd say it's one of the best MoFis I've heard. Secondly, it a KILLER album. Full of over-wrought melancholy, soearing strings, great harmonies... I'm just loving this. It's so up my alley-- it's slightly kitschy, but *it means it*. Kitchen sink dramas, over-wrought sentimentality, quavering voices, it's a self-pity smorgasboard.

I have the 2CD set The Record which I highly enjoyed, it also sounds great to me (Bob Ludwig strikes again). Now I see I have to have more. It's gonna cost me. *sigh*

EDIT: How is the 3CD Too Much Heaven set sonically, worth-while?

 

Great thread everyone! You have me wanting to listen again to those early '70's albums!

If I may interject a question at this juncture -- I have a Bee Gee's song on cd by Andrew Sandoval called, "Nobody's Someone." It has become a favorite of mine and yet I've never heard a Bee Gee version! I understand it's from the Odessa period. Does anyone have any info on this amazing song? Thanks!

 

You're correct on all counts...

This is one of those MFSL's that really is THE reference, and that's factoring in US and UK vinyl, the 'common' Polydor CD, etc....very nice! And an underrated album, downbeat most of the way, but it sure does grow on ya...

 

"Trafalgar" is my all-time favorite Bee Gees album. I bought it on US LP and 8-track when it came out, and bought the US CD when it was released. I've probably listened to Trafalgar in its entirety 1000+ times. IMO, the original CD sounds more like the original vinyl than the MFSL, which on my EXTREMELY forgiving system (McInstosh electronics, Vienna Acoustics Mahlers, Sony SACD-AX777ES) sounds like it is goosed with smiley eq, giving the music a bit of a "shimmering" effect from the added high end. I think the original CD is the clear winner here - 100% natural, and very faithful to the LP. The MFSL is very clear and dynamic, but has too much treble boost.

 

A note on the RARE, PRECIOUS & BEAUTIFUL volumes:

In the US & Canada, these were, AFAIK, issued only in rechanneled stereo; yuch. Since I had a lot of this stuff elsewhere on vinyl not rechaneled, most of all the wonderful "Spicks And Specks," didn't give it much thought until today, when I found a UK 1st press of the album, but in MONO. Good ol' flat, unfutzed mono.

One of the drawbacks to the labels' conversion to 'stereo-only' Lp vinyl was that early on, labels tended to rechannel anything not true stereo, though they could have fudged and probably gotten away with it. Which is why a fan who wants this material packaged this way must go outside North America to find this stuff, unless the Canadian pressings were mono.

Just FYI...

 

I will admit that while I enjoy some of their music, I can recognize that the Gibbs are true survivors and that their oeuvre (as The Beatles, Beach Boys, Stones, Kinks and countless others) will still be discovered in 50 years.

I was quite a young lad when the world was bombarded with the Bee Gees' disco sounds (which still hold very well today) and have always liked the song "Tragedy" but without buying any of their records.

This all changed when 3 years ago, out of sheer curiosity, I picked up a stunning Canadian first stereo pressing of Idea for five dollars. It took me a few listenings, but this is one that I still play about once a month and always enjoy it.

My favorite tracks are Idea and Kilburn Towers.

Which titles from this period would you recommend I acquire?

Thanks for the suggestions and for the interesting reading!

Cheers!

Simon A.

 

What titles? Get 'em all! Everything through TRAFALGAR are good, though the early ones tend to be preferred by many.

 

1963 -1974

I own

"The Record" HDCD



My parents played the Bee Gees a lot.

 

Definitely don't miss Horizontal.

 

I think you mean THE RECORD...and every fan needs the overseas edition with the alt. take of "How Can You Mend A Broken Heart," one of those little surprises all collectors live for...

Mine didn't, so I compensated for them...

 

Guess Who confusion = OOPS

 

1955 There's a few things we share.

 

Ed,

Canadian and USA = Identical?

What are the differences in this song? Time?

What do you think of 'THE Record' HDCD sound?

Thanks

John

 

Idea (1969)

 

Should be...

Think I explained that already, it's an alternate take... Didn't note the timing, not relevant, the album's up north with almost everything else...

Sound is decent enough, though nothing to impress you compared to the original CD masterings. Good choice of material, strong overview for the more casual fan.

 

This casual fan thinks it's great!

 

You should listen to "Tales from the Brothers Gibb" box set.
That's what I call great sounding Bee Gees' CD's.

 

Ed, have you listened to the Nautilus half-speed remastering of "Spirits Having Flown" LP? How is the sound quality?
I got a sealed copy and haven't opened it yet.
I have a high respect for Nautilus Rec. vinyls for all of the copies I have sound great.

 

Seems I missed replying...sorry! Nope, never owned that one, though it's probably very good.

With the box set now out and heavily reviewed here, it's obviously an important part of the Bee Gees reissue canon. Kudos to Andrew and Bill Inglot, among many others, for the quality and presentation! Very nicely done, gentlemen and ladies!

The bonus tracks are great to have, but for me and many others, it's the mono mixes that drew me in. Of the three, the least heard--IDEA--will probably be the biggest revelation, as it does have a few seriously radical alt. mixes, and there are little things not evident in the stereo(or in the stereo and mixed down for mono)that even casual fans might pick up.

The liner notes are great, and offer many anecdotes from Barry and Robin that offer some added flavor to songs that often seemed more mysterious and exotic than they really were. What comes through is the pride the band had in their work, and given how young they were, I still marvel at how sophisticated this music was, even at its silliest or most obscure. That the Beatles(and RUBBER SOUL and REVOLVER especially)were spark plugs for their inspiration goes without saying, but we find out others(Beach Boys, Stones)were also referenced.

In a way, this box is a logical(if belated)extension of the fine box set TALES FROM THE BROTHERS GIBB. Adding the mono mixes, as was done for the Monkees first two box installents(and of course the boutique HEADQUARTERS set, which came first)was just what was needed. Music that I thought I'd pretty much played out now is a bit fresher again. Anyone who digs '60s pop should buy this one, and just have fun comparing the mono and stereo mixes, and find out why some of us are rabidly fanatical about getting the old mono on CD after so many years of stereo, stereo, and stereo yet again. Both mixes have validity, but if you want the hits, you gotta have the mono. I enjoy the comparison just for what's different, and it must be said, that these three albums all offer considerably different mono mixes, with things that will really hit you hard if you've never heard them before and are familiar only with the stereo.

The collection isn't perfect--none of them are, right?




This thread http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=91501&highlight=Bee+Gees+Remasters
is an essential one here for discussion of the box, included here for future searches/searchers...

 

Yup! Late to the party here by several months, I finally found this complete set today (well, CDs and booklet sans box)... for a mere $16! Great sound indeed, and a nice compliment to the reissues of the first 3 albums. Yet another all too rare score...

Aaron

 

Congratulation for finding this great sounding Bee Gees CD box set.
If you are happy with the sound of the Rhino CD set "the Studio Albums 1967-1968, the sound of the Tales of Brother's Gibb Box set is even better.