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Tuesday, October 27, 2015
Saturday, October 24, 2015
Discovering The Bee Gees: Col Joyes’ big gamble paid off
ol Joye and The Joy Boys were pioneers in the rock industry took the Australian charts by storm in 1959. They were the first act to have three number ones in a calendar year with “Bye Bye Baby”; “Rockin’ Rollin’ Clementine” and the biggest selling record in Australia that year “Oh Yeah Uh Huh”.
They had many more hits and another number one in 1960 with “Yes Sir That’s My Baby”. But they had to wait until 1973 for their final number one hit, “Heaven Is My Woman’s Love” another top selling Australian song of the year. But perhaps Col Joye’s biggest contribution to the Australian music scene started at a party on the Gold Coast in 1961. At about 3am he was about to leave when he was told to hang around to hear these three local kids performing, at 3.15 they performed and Col joys one word reaction was “Knockout!”
The trio comprised of twins Robin and Maurice Gibb and their elder brother Barry. Col invited them to perform with him at a Church gig the following day, when he decided to tape them. Col recalls “I still have that tape somewhere it starts ‘Hi my name is Barry Gibb and I live at 23 Cambridge Avenue, Surfers Paradise and my first song is Let Me Love You’”. Col Joye took the tape to Festival Records who told him that groups don’t sell (big mistake) but convinced them to sign the boys saying he would produce them himself. “They had this magic sound and there was something about them and they knew when to harmonise the melody and they all did it naturally” Col states. They moved into Col’s house and he introduced them to Bandstand but he admits he did not have the expertise to get their sound on disc, so they went off to London.
When they arrived there they were met with the news that “Spicks And Specks” was top of the charts in Australia. They were signed by Robert Stigwood, a director of NEMS Enterprises, a company owned by Beatles Svengali Brian Epstein. The trio was supplemented with Aussie friends Colin Petersen (you may remember him as Smiley in the Australian movie) on drums and Vince Melouney on guitar. They had their first big international hit as The Bee Gees with “New York Mining Disaster 1941”. Their second record “To Love Somebody” was not a big hit but
produced some incredible covers by
Nina Simone, Eric Burdon & The Animals and Janis Joplin.
source: http://www.startsatsixty.com.au/
http://beegeesfanfever.blogspot.nl/
They had many more hits and another number one in 1960 with “Yes Sir That’s My Baby”. But they had to wait until 1973 for their final number one hit, “Heaven Is My Woman’s Love” another top selling Australian song of the year. But perhaps Col Joye’s biggest contribution to the Australian music scene started at a party on the Gold Coast in 1961. At about 3am he was about to leave when he was told to hang around to hear these three local kids performing, at 3.15 they performed and Col joys one word reaction was “Knockout!”
The trio comprised of twins Robin and Maurice Gibb and their elder brother Barry. Col invited them to perform with him at a Church gig the following day, when he decided to tape them. Col recalls “I still have that tape somewhere it starts ‘Hi my name is Barry Gibb and I live at 23 Cambridge Avenue, Surfers Paradise and my first song is Let Me Love You’”. Col Joye took the tape to Festival Records who told him that groups don’t sell (big mistake) but convinced them to sign the boys saying he would produce them himself. “They had this magic sound and there was something about them and they knew when to harmonise the melody and they all did it naturally” Col states. They moved into Col’s house and he introduced them to Bandstand but he admits he did not have the expertise to get their sound on disc, so they went off to London.
When they arrived there they were met with the news that “Spicks And Specks” was top of the charts in Australia. They were signed by Robert Stigwood, a director of NEMS Enterprises, a company owned by Beatles Svengali Brian Epstein. The trio was supplemented with Aussie friends Colin Petersen (you may remember him as Smiley in the Australian movie) on drums and Vince Melouney on guitar. They had their first big international hit as The Bee Gees with “New York Mining Disaster 1941”. Their second record “To Love Somebody” was not a big hit but
produced some incredible covers by
Nina Simone, Eric Burdon & The Animals and Janis Joplin.
source: http://www.startsatsixty.com.au/
http://beegeesfanfever.blogspot.nl/
Wednesday, October 21, 2015
Official trailer of JOY, with TO LOVE SOMEBODY of the Bee Gees
Joy
Posted October 21 2015 — 9:08 AM EDT
Related
'Joy' trailer:
Jennifer Lawrence can't always get what she wants Jennifer Lawrence on the 'Joy' of working with David O. Russell
How does director David O. Russell want people to react to the new trailer for his film, Joy? “I want it to be unexpected,” he says. “I want people to see that it’s exciting and that it’s emotional and it’s intense and it’s funny and it’s new. It’s something we’ve never done before.” The trailer for Joy – in theaters this Christmas – certainly takes a much deeper dive into Russell’s latest film starring Jennifer Lawrence, an epic journey examining one woman’s life from age 10 to age 40 as she becomes the matriarch of her family.
“It’s about emotion and about people and humanity and what is ridiculous and ordinary about them but where that becomes extraordinary and magical. That’s that place where we live,” says Russell. It’s a much more grown-up Lawrence than we’re used to seeing, and in this two-and-a-half minute clip her character laughs, cries, gets married, dances, reloads a shotgun, puts her head down in despair, and gets downright Don Corleone-y when she warns a family member to never speak on her behalf about her business. Returning Russell players Robert De Niro (with an excellent line about a gas leak) and Bradley Cooper join Edgar Ramirez, Diane Ladd, Virginia Madsen, and Isabella Rossellini in the cast.
And like previous Russell films (and Russell film trailers), music plays an important role. “Music is extremely important,” says Russell. “It makes things happen! It’s the harmonic trifecta of emotion. If it envelops you, you can forget time
. It’s part of the process of always trying to make things unexpected.” Unexpected like… using the Bee Gees? Russell laughs and points out that using “To Love Somebody” in Joy is the third time he’s used the Bee Gees in his films: In 2010’s The Fighter, Christian Bale and Melissa Leo sang “I Started a Joke” together in a car, while 2013’s American Hustle used “How Can You Mend a Broken Heart” to great effect. “The Bee Gees are operatic and fun and poppy but also serious,” says Russell. “They’re not cynical. It takes great courage to be sincere and put your heart out there. That’s what I love about them.” Joy is out in theaters on Christmas Day. Watch the new trailer above
http://beegeesfanfever.blogspot.nl/
Jennifer Lawrence can't always get what she wants Jennifer Lawrence on the 'Joy' of working with David O. Russell
How does director David O. Russell want people to react to the new trailer for his film, Joy? “I want it to be unexpected,” he says. “I want people to see that it’s exciting and that it’s emotional and it’s intense and it’s funny and it’s new. It’s something we’ve never done before.” The trailer for Joy – in theaters this Christmas – certainly takes a much deeper dive into Russell’s latest film starring Jennifer Lawrence, an epic journey examining one woman’s life from age 10 to age 40 as she becomes the matriarch of her family.
“It’s about emotion and about people and humanity and what is ridiculous and ordinary about them but where that becomes extraordinary and magical. That’s that place where we live,” says Russell. It’s a much more grown-up Lawrence than we’re used to seeing, and in this two-and-a-half minute clip her character laughs, cries, gets married, dances, reloads a shotgun, puts her head down in despair, and gets downright Don Corleone-y when she warns a family member to never speak on her behalf about her business. Returning Russell players Robert De Niro (with an excellent line about a gas leak) and Bradley Cooper join Edgar Ramirez, Diane Ladd, Virginia Madsen, and Isabella Rossellini in the cast.
And like previous Russell films (and Russell film trailers), music plays an important role. “Music is extremely important,” says Russell. “It makes things happen! It’s the harmonic trifecta of emotion. If it envelops you, you can forget time
. It’s part of the process of always trying to make things unexpected.” Unexpected like… using the Bee Gees? Russell laughs and points out that using “To Love Somebody” in Joy is the third time he’s used the Bee Gees in his films: In 2010’s The Fighter, Christian Bale and Melissa Leo sang “I Started a Joke” together in a car, while 2013’s American Hustle used “How Can You Mend a Broken Heart” to great effect. “The Bee Gees are operatic and fun and poppy but also serious,” says Russell. “They’re not cynical. It takes great courage to be sincere and put your heart out there. That’s what I love about them.” Joy is out in theaters on Christmas Day. Watch the new trailer above
http://beegeesfanfever.blogspot.nl/
Tuesday, October 13, 2015
List of Bee Gees TOP 10 Awards
Below is a list of the Top 10 awards won by the Bee Gees throughout their years as one of the most celebrated musical groups in the world.
10) Billboard’s Top Pop Producers:
Although Billboard did not have a televised awards show back in the ‘70s, they still highlighted the year’s greatest musicians within the magazine. In 1978, the Bee Gees scooped up several awards including the year’s Top Pop Producers.
9) Billboard’s Top Pop Albums Artist
The brothers also wrapped up their ultra-successful year winning the title of Top Pop Albums Artist.
8) Grammy for Best Arrangement for Voices
The group that defined disco dominated the 1979 Grammys. The Bee Gees took home the award for Best Arrangement for Voices for their catchy hit “Stayin’ Alive.” In total, the pop stars walked away with an impressive five awards making them the second group or duo to win five Grammys in a single night (the first was Simon & Garfunkel in 1971).
7) Grammy for Album of the Year
The Saturday Night Fever album won Album of the Year in 1979 and was the first movie soundtrack to ever win this coveted Grammy. The album was comprised of several Bee Gees songs including “Stayin’ Alive”, “You Should Be Dancing”, “Jive Talkin”, “More Than a Woman”, “Night Fever” and “How Deep Is Your Love.” The brothers also wrote and produced several tracks on the soundtrack.
6) Songwriters Hall of Fame
In 1994, the Bee Gees were recognized for their genius lyrics when they were voted into the distinguished Songwriters Hall of Fame.
5) Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Over a decade later, the Bee Gees joined other legendary artists in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It was about time!
4) Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group
Feb. 23, 1978 was a monumental day for Robin and his brothers. They beat out some stiff competition when they received their first Grammy. The award was for Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group for the Bee Gees’ single “How Deep is Your Love.” The other artists nominated for this category included Fleetwood Mac and Eagles.
3) Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group
One of their five awards won at the 1979 Grammys was Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group for Saturday Night Fever. The trio was the first group to receive this award two years in a row since the Carpenters won in 1970 and ’71.
2) Grammy for Producer of the Year
Besides swiping up several awards in 1979, the Bee Gees made history when they became the first musical group to win the Grammy for Producer of the Year.
1) Grammy Legend Award
Just six weeks after the upsetting death of Robin’s fraternal twin, Maurice, the Bee Gees were presented with the prestigious Grammy Legend Award in 2003. They are the only group or duo to receive this honor. This award has been given to iconic solo artists such as Elton John and the late Michael Jackson.
http://beegeesfanfever.blogspot.nl/
10) Billboard’s Top Pop Producers:
Although Billboard did not have a televised awards show back in the ‘70s, they still highlighted the year’s greatest musicians within the magazine. In 1978, the Bee Gees scooped up several awards including the year’s Top Pop Producers.
9) Billboard’s Top Pop Albums Artist
The brothers also wrapped up their ultra-successful year winning the title of Top Pop Albums Artist.
8) Grammy for Best Arrangement for Voices
The group that defined disco dominated the 1979 Grammys. The Bee Gees took home the award for Best Arrangement for Voices for their catchy hit “Stayin’ Alive.” In total, the pop stars walked away with an impressive five awards making them the second group or duo to win five Grammys in a single night (the first was Simon & Garfunkel in 1971).
7) Grammy for Album of the Year
The Saturday Night Fever album won Album of the Year in 1979 and was the first movie soundtrack to ever win this coveted Grammy. The album was comprised of several Bee Gees songs including “Stayin’ Alive”, “You Should Be Dancing”, “Jive Talkin”, “More Than a Woman”, “Night Fever” and “How Deep Is Your Love.” The brothers also wrote and produced several tracks on the soundtrack.
6) Songwriters Hall of Fame
In 1994, the Bee Gees were recognized for their genius lyrics when they were voted into the distinguished Songwriters Hall of Fame.
5) Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Over a decade later, the Bee Gees joined other legendary artists in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It was about time!
4) Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group
Feb. 23, 1978 was a monumental day for Robin and his brothers. They beat out some stiff competition when they received their first Grammy. The award was for Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group for the Bee Gees’ single “How Deep is Your Love.” The other artists nominated for this category included Fleetwood Mac and Eagles.
3) Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group
One of their five awards won at the 1979 Grammys was Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group for Saturday Night Fever. The trio was the first group to receive this award two years in a row since the Carpenters won in 1970 and ’71.
2) Grammy for Producer of the Year
Besides swiping up several awards in 1979, the Bee Gees made history when they became the first musical group to win the Grammy for Producer of the Year.
1) Grammy Legend Award
Just six weeks after the upsetting death of Robin’s fraternal twin, Maurice, the Bee Gees were presented with the prestigious Grammy Legend Award in 2003. They are the only group or duo to receive this honor. This award has been given to iconic solo artists such as Elton John and the late Michael Jackson.
http://beegeesfanfever.blogspot.nl/
Sunday, October 4, 2015
"IT'S THE SONG, NOT THE GROUP SAYS BARRY GIBB"
(Beat Instrumental, 13 May 1968)
In only a shade over a year, the Bee Gees have made an enviable impact here in Britain. They’ve also shaken a lot of people by cutting across established lines of a group career. Like releasing no less than six singles in 12 months; and by launching a tour with a Royal Albert Hall orchestra of some 67 musicians behind them.
They are five boys with a nice and uncontrived line in modesty and a built-in sense of perfectionist ambition. But are they going TOO far in their efforts to please?
GERMANY
Barry says “In Germany, then at the Albert Hall and later on the tour, we carried a large orchestra with us. Okay, at the Albert Hall we gave the cynics a certain amount of ammunition. An RAF band, a choir, a near-symphony orchestra … it was obvious that some knockers would say we over did it – and worse that we got ourselves out numbered simply because we couldn’t depend on our own music to get us through.
“But this is surely unfair thinking. My feeling is that it is the song, not the group that sells records nowadays. If a really established group came out with a very bad song, their disc sales would slump. With us, we’ve been on the big ballad scene. Except for ‘Words’, it worked out for us. But to present those big rather sad songs on record, you have to have a full scale arrangement. And we think it is only fair to go as far as possible to present those same sounds on stage.
“We’re spending the money, remember. We could go on, just guitar and drums and do the same dreary old thing and make much more. Thinking big must produce, in the end, big results. Taking a big orchestra round the country causes problems, especially with small stages but problems can always be overcome.”
NEW GROUPS
Few new groups have come up in the past couple of years with built-in scream appeal. With the Herd, Peter Frampton was hailed as the new hysteria-gatherer but he’s already fed up with the title “Face of 1968” – and anyway only the Bee Gees get the real hit records to go with the incredible audience reaction. Says Barry “This is fine, but I think we score because we are five members of equal status. We all have an individual following. No one is picked out to the detriment of the others. I have a fear about someone being built up, ballyhooed, because pop history proves that the public tend to build up, then knock down.
ATTACKED
“But we’ve been attacked for apparently never changing our style. Well, remember that we write all our own material. We try for unusual song lyrics, but obviously we have a bias towards one particular style of song.
“On our last single, it was going to be ‘Singer Sang The Song’ as the A-side. But we heeded the criticism. We switched to ‘Jumbo’, which is a distinct change of direction for us. A simple sort of idea – every kid has an imaginary pet animal – but scored differently. As it happened, lots of people thought we were wrong to change … said they preferred ‘Singer’ even if it was on the same lines as earlier ones. So it becomes a double A-side. But when we study other groups, like the Walkers – we KNOW the dangers of staying on one direction.”
Behind the Bee Gees, of course, is Robert Stigwood, who spares no expense in projecting the biggest possible image for the boys. Says Barry “It’s not a question of trying to show anybody else up. We’re not the flash-Harry types. We don’t even like the flashy clothes that some groups do. But we feel we have this debt to people who buy our records … and are determined to give them the best possible sound.
ROCK REVIVAL
“I don’t know about this so-called rock revival. I feel that it’s never been away. Certainly the Beatles have generally been on a rock scene most of the time – but obviously up-dated. However there are outside influences. Indian music was one, definitely, Robin and I hope to go to Egypt as soon as the tour is over and study history over there and also see what there is in Egyptian music. It’s distinctive. It could easily fit into a modern pop idiom.”
Barry, clearly a deep thinker about the pop scene, said he didn’t agree that it was almost impossible for a group to make it big these days. “You have to have a basic talent and also the right promotion” he said earnestly. “Promotion is all-important. Not in the matter of gimmicks and stunts, but in doing the right work at the right time. We built our reputation on the Continent and in Germany and our tours have been ambitious, whether you like what we do on stage or not.
“Then there is a special TV spectacular, Cucumber Castle, for which we’re writing the music. We do what we think boosts our career – avoid the danger of sitting back and saying ‘Right we’re number one so there’s nothing more to do’. Our film, with Johnny Speight writing the script, has been thought about very carefully. One bad film by a pop group and you’re virtually out. People remember a failure, even if it is in the middle of a lot of triumphs”.
It’s been a long haul since the Gibbs were simply the Gibb Brothers and playing for pennies hurled into a stock-car arena in Australia. And in one year of British residency, they’ve done more than virtually any other group in showing themselves to the public … on stage and on record.
Added Barry by way of a parting shot “We don’t mix much in the business. We have our own ambitions for 1968 and what matters most is achieving them without shouting around too much beforehand”.
http://beegeesfanfever.blogspot.nl/
In only a shade over a year, the Bee Gees have made an enviable impact here in Britain. They’ve also shaken a lot of people by cutting across established lines of a group career. Like releasing no less than six singles in 12 months; and by launching a tour with a Royal Albert Hall orchestra of some 67 musicians behind them.
They are five boys with a nice and uncontrived line in modesty and a built-in sense of perfectionist ambition. But are they going TOO far in their efforts to please?
GERMANY
Barry says “In Germany, then at the Albert Hall and later on the tour, we carried a large orchestra with us. Okay, at the Albert Hall we gave the cynics a certain amount of ammunition. An RAF band, a choir, a near-symphony orchestra … it was obvious that some knockers would say we over did it – and worse that we got ourselves out numbered simply because we couldn’t depend on our own music to get us through.
“But this is surely unfair thinking. My feeling is that it is the song, not the group that sells records nowadays. If a really established group came out with a very bad song, their disc sales would slump. With us, we’ve been on the big ballad scene. Except for ‘Words’, it worked out for us. But to present those big rather sad songs on record, you have to have a full scale arrangement. And we think it is only fair to go as far as possible to present those same sounds on stage.
“We’re spending the money, remember. We could go on, just guitar and drums and do the same dreary old thing and make much more. Thinking big must produce, in the end, big results. Taking a big orchestra round the country causes problems, especially with small stages but problems can always be overcome.”
NEW GROUPS
Few new groups have come up in the past couple of years with built-in scream appeal. With the Herd, Peter Frampton was hailed as the new hysteria-gatherer but he’s already fed up with the title “Face of 1968” – and anyway only the Bee Gees get the real hit records to go with the incredible audience reaction. Says Barry “This is fine, but I think we score because we are five members of equal status. We all have an individual following. No one is picked out to the detriment of the others. I have a fear about someone being built up, ballyhooed, because pop history proves that the public tend to build up, then knock down.
ATTACKED
“But we’ve been attacked for apparently never changing our style. Well, remember that we write all our own material. We try for unusual song lyrics, but obviously we have a bias towards one particular style of song.
“On our last single, it was going to be ‘Singer Sang The Song’ as the A-side. But we heeded the criticism. We switched to ‘Jumbo’, which is a distinct change of direction for us. A simple sort of idea – every kid has an imaginary pet animal – but scored differently. As it happened, lots of people thought we were wrong to change … said they preferred ‘Singer’ even if it was on the same lines as earlier ones. So it becomes a double A-side. But when we study other groups, like the Walkers – we KNOW the dangers of staying on one direction.”
Behind the Bee Gees, of course, is Robert Stigwood, who spares no expense in projecting the biggest possible image for the boys. Says Barry “It’s not a question of trying to show anybody else up. We’re not the flash-Harry types. We don’t even like the flashy clothes that some groups do. But we feel we have this debt to people who buy our records … and are determined to give them the best possible sound.
ROCK REVIVAL
“I don’t know about this so-called rock revival. I feel that it’s never been away. Certainly the Beatles have generally been on a rock scene most of the time – but obviously up-dated. However there are outside influences. Indian music was one, definitely, Robin and I hope to go to Egypt as soon as the tour is over and study history over there and also see what there is in Egyptian music. It’s distinctive. It could easily fit into a modern pop idiom.”
Barry, clearly a deep thinker about the pop scene, said he didn’t agree that it was almost impossible for a group to make it big these days. “You have to have a basic talent and also the right promotion” he said earnestly. “Promotion is all-important. Not in the matter of gimmicks and stunts, but in doing the right work at the right time. We built our reputation on the Continent and in Germany and our tours have been ambitious, whether you like what we do on stage or not.
“Then there is a special TV spectacular, Cucumber Castle, for which we’re writing the music. We do what we think boosts our career – avoid the danger of sitting back and saying ‘Right we’re number one so there’s nothing more to do’. Our film, with Johnny Speight writing the script, has been thought about very carefully. One bad film by a pop group and you’re virtually out. People remember a failure, even if it is in the middle of a lot of triumphs”.
It’s been a long haul since the Gibbs were simply the Gibb Brothers and playing for pennies hurled into a stock-car arena in Australia. And in one year of British residency, they’ve done more than virtually any other group in showing themselves to the public … on stage and on record.
Added Barry by way of a parting shot “We don’t mix much in the business. We have our own ambitions for 1968 and what matters most is achieving them without shouting around too much beforehand”.
http://beegeesfanfever.blogspot.nl/
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