Earlier this year, Barry Gibb took to the road with his Mythology Tour, in which he looked back on the music of The Bee Gees and his decades-long collaboration with his late brothers Maurice and Robin. Barry's warm onstage tributes to Robin, who died of cancer in May 2012, were among the emotional high points of each concert, with Barry candidly and affectingly acknowledging the friction that sometimes characterized their relationship. Barry’s son Stephen paid homage to his uncle with his lead vocal on “I’ve Gotta Get a Message to You,” and Maurice’s daughter Samantha performed the tender “Run to Me.” Barry, finally, ceded “I Started a Joke” to Robin himself, appearing via video. It was clear that Robin Gibb’s passing is still keenly felt by those in his family as well as by all of the fans whom his voice touched over the years. On September 30, Rhino/Reprise will afford those fans one more chance to hear Robin Gibb with the release of 50 St. Catherine’s Drive, a collection of 17 songs recorded by the late vocalist between 2006 and 2011.
50 St. Catherine’s Drive is so named for Gibb’s birthplace on the Isle of Man. It’s likely an apt title as the recording sessions found Gibb in a reflective mood; he even revisited one key track from the Bee Gees’ past. Rolling Stone, the first to break the news on the album, is offering an exclusive preview of the album’s re-recording of “I Am the World,” a B-side to the group’s Australian hit “Spicks and Specks.” The other sixteen songs are said to be original compositions by Robin, some co-written with his son RJ; most were intended by Robin for the St. Catherine’s LP but some are demos dating as late as 2011.
Hit the jump for more details!
"He was always fond of [“I Am the World”] and decided to record a new version for this album," Robin’s wife Dwina Gibb told Rolling Stone. "In the studio, Robin and [producer] Peter-John Vettese wrote new middle-eight sections, so it is now an extended version of the original. Robin loved playing with words, as in this song and also in 'Holiday' from the same era, where he sang, 'You Are a Holiday.'"
50 St. Catherine’s Drive follows Rhino’s 2012 release of the score to The Titanic Requiem, co-written by Robin and RJ. The song cycle marked the 100th anniversary of the ship’s sinking. Though classically-oriented, the project allowed for one vocal by Gibb, and his stunning performance of “Don’t Cry Alone” showed his vocal instrument was undiminished in its power.
This never-before-heard album from the voice of Robin Gibb will arrive in stores from Rhino and Reprise Records on September 30. You can peruse the track listing and pre=order below!
Robin Gibb, 50 St. Catherine’s Drive (Rhino/Reprise, 2014) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)
- "Days of Wine and Roses"
- "Instant Love"
- "Alan Freeman Days"
- "Wherever You Go"
- "I Am the World (New Version)"
- "Mother"
- "Anniversary"
- "Sorry"
- "Cherish"
- "Don’t Cry Alone"
- "Avalanche"
- "One Way Love"
- "Broken Wings"
- "Sanctuary"
- "Solid"
- "All We Have Is Now"
- "Sydney"
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