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/ News

Spicks and Specks: Bee Gees’ Catalogue Moves to UMe

December 7, 2016 By Mike Duquette 34 Comments

bee-gees-barry-gibb-songs.jpgSecond Disc HQ always buzzes when new catalog acquisitions are announced, and last week had us feeling like bees…Bee Gees, that is!

Last Tuesday, it was announced that distribution of the legendary Australian trio’s discography (including 22 studio albums, the bestselling Saturday Night Fever soundtrack, compilations and unreleased material) would transition from longtime home Rhino to Capitol/Universal Music Enterprises.

Barry Gibb, along with his late brothers Robin and Maurice, guided the group from psych-pop outfit in the late ’60s and early ’70s to disco juggernauts and songwriter/producers extraordinaire–some 220 million records sold in all. But this is hardly the start of Bee Gees catalog activity over the last quarter century or so. Join us for a brief trip down memory lane of Gibb-oriented reissues!

Tales From The Brothers Gibb (Polydor, 1990)

A gorgeous relic of the original CD box set boom (produced by box set guru Bill Levenson), Tales covered more than two decades of Bee Gees material, focusing largely on single sides from 1967 to 1989 as originally released on Polydor, RSO and Warner Bros. Records, offering bits of solo material from Robin and Barry, some first-time stereo mixes by Bill Inglot on some of the early, pre-disco material, and a few unreleased treasures from the band’s then-current tenure on Warners (a demo of the title track to 1987’s E.S.P. and live tracks from a 1989 concert).

Their Greatest Hits: The Record (Polydor/UTV, 2001)

A double-disc career-spanning collection (which goes right up to that year’s This is Where I Came In, the last Bee Gees studio album) that makes itself essential by illustrating some of the Gibbs’ works as songwriters/producers, with new or unreleased versions of hits for Samantha Sang (“Emotion”), Dionne Warwick (“Heartbreaker”), Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton (“Islands in the Stream”) and Celine Dion (a demo of her “Immortality”). Track down the Target-exclusive edition for five bonus live cuts.

The Studio Albums 1967-1968 (Reprise, 2006)

While previous Bee Gees comps were comprehensive, fans had long clamored for the trio’s early, psychedelic-inspired recordings (released on Polydor around the world and ATCO in the U.S.) to get the attention it deserved. That finally happened with The Studio Albums 1967-1968, which presented expanded editions of the band’s first three international albums (Bee Gees’ 1st (1967), Horizontal (1968) and Idea (1968)). Each album was presented in both mono and stereo, with bonus discs for each album. This is the ideal place to catch early hits like “To Love Somebody,” “Massachusetts,” “Words,” “I’ve Gotta Get a Message to You” and “I Started a Joke,” the group’s first Australian No. 1 hit.

Bee Gees Greatest (Reprise, 2007)

While there were far more comprehensive Bee Gees comps during the Rhino era (2009’s double disc Ultimate Bee Gees is the likely go-to), this original 1979 compilation does a thorough job covering the group’s hits-packed disco period on RSO between 1975 and 1978. And Reprise’s remaster bridges a gap for fans old and new, offering two vault tracks (Saturday Night Fever outtake “Warm Ride” and an original 12″ mix of “Stayin’ Alive”) and a host of decent modern remixes of Fever-era material.

Mythology (Reprise, 2010)

Mythology stands apart from other Bee Gees comps by being something of a family affair. The 4CD set features three discs of handpicked favorites of each of the brothers (Barry and Robin selected theirs, while Maurice’s disc–which featured two unreleased outtakes and the CD debut of single “Hold Her in Your Hand”–was curated by his widow, Yvonne). And as an added treat, Mythology becomes the first collection to include material from Andy Gibb, the youngest of the brothers and a star in his own right with hits like “I Just Want to Be Your Everything” and “Shadow Dancing.” Andy’s daughter Peta curated his disc, which featured the debut release of his final recorded song, “Arrow Through the Heart.”

The Festival Albums Collection 1965-67 (Festival/Warner Music Australia, 2013)

For those wishing to go back further than Bee Gees’ 1st, try The Festival Albums Collection, which, for the first time on CD, gathered the scattershot collections of the group’s earliest official material: The Bee Gees Sing and Play 14 Barry Gibb Songs (1965), Spicks and Specks (1966, featuring the Australian Top 5 title track) and 1967’s non-LP singles collection Turn Around, Look At Us.

The Warner Bros. Years 1987-1991 (Warner Bros./Rhino, 2014)

While the Bee Gees (most notably Barry) struck gold in the ’80s as producers and songwriters, they’d done so at the cost of their own hitmaking streak. As The Warner Bros. Years shows, that would change after the end of a six-year gap between albums and a new record deal. 1987’s E.S.P. featured the U.K. chart-topper “You Win Again,” while 1989’s One gave the group their last U.S. Top 10 hit with the peppy title track. (The group’s last Warner album, 1991’s High Civilization, included a U.K. Top 5, “Secret Love.”) Remastered versions of all three albums populate this box (which feature bonus B-sides and remixes for E.S.P. and One), as well as the 2CD debut of 1989’s One for All concert, released in part on Tales From The Brothers Gibb.

Saved by the Bell: The Collected Works of Robin Gibb 1968-1970 (Rhino, 2015)

While Barry’s production techniques often stood out after the Bee Gees became proven hitmakers, Robin’s melancholy voice and baroque pop compositional gifts were a secret weapon of the group, particularly during their earlier years. Robin released a solo album, Robin’s Reign, in 1970, while the group were apart. That LP forms the backbone of the lovingly-assembled Saved by the Bell (named for the album’s hit single); producer Andrew Sandoval collected the stereo album, select mono mixes, outtakes, demos, BBC recordings and, for the first time, the previously unreleased material for Robin’s planned second album, Sing Slowly Sisters. As Joe can tell you, it’s a must for Bee Gee devotees!

1974-1979 (Rhino, 2015)

The most recent catalog offering from the Bee Gees collects the meatiest parts of the trio’s RSO tenure, remastering Mr. Natural (1974), Main Course (1975), Children of the World (1976) and Spirits Having Flown (1979) and including a bonus disc, The Miami Years, which featured the four original songs from Saturday Night Fever (“Stayin’ Alive,” “How Deep is Your Love,” “Night Fever,” “More Than a Woman”) plus other B-sides and relevant tunes (“Warm Ride,” “(Our Love) Don’t Throw It All Away,” “If I Can’t Have You”). An accompanying Record Store Day 12″ single featured additional disco mixes from the time period which were, perplexingly, left off The Miami Years.

What sort of releases would you like to see come from this new Bee Gees/Capitol/UMe partnership? A Kick in the Head is Worth Eight in the Pants? Physical releases of Barry’s demos for other artists? A super deluxe Saturday Night Fever? Vinyl reissues? Tell us your ideas in the comments!

Categories: News Formats: Box Sets, CD, Vinyl Genre: Classic Rock, Disco/Dance, Pop, R&B/Soul Tags: Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb, Robin Gibb, The Bee Gees

Mike Duquette

Mike Duquette

Michael Duquette (Founder) was fascinated with catalog music ever since he discovered there was more than one version of John Williams' soundtrack to E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial. A 2009 graduate of Seton Hall University with a B.A. in journalism, Mike paired his intended profession with his passion through The Second Disc, one of the first sites to focus on all reissue labels great and small, from vintage soul to stirring film scores. His passion for reissues turned into a profession in 2014 with co-producing credits on two best-selling vinyl singles for Sony's Legacy Recordings: a 30th anniversary "ecto-green" pressing of Ray Parker Jr.'s "Ghostbusters" and a celebratory pressing of Wham!'s "Last Christmas" on red and green vinyl. Born and raised in New Jersey, Mike lives in Astoria, Queens with an ever-expanding collection of box sets and vinyl.

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Comments

  1. Wimii says

    December 7, 2016 at 2:25 am

    A Kick In The Head
    The Kid’s No Good
    Many unreleased songs / demo’s
    Videomaterial from Trafalgar promotion shot in Netherlands. Can’t wait!
    Unreleased australian concertvideo’s, there so much to explore!!!

    Reply
  2. Billy Dojcak says

    December 7, 2016 at 2:43 am

    Looking for Living Eyes and Robin’s Secret Agent. + pretty much all solo stuff from the 80s. They’re probably going to lead off with a new compilation, but I’m good on those.

    Reply
    • Keith T Brittain says

      December 7, 2016 at 3:58 pm

      Want a “Secret Agent” reissue with the “Boys Do Fall in Love” and “Secret Agent” 12 inches, a “Living Eyes” and new “Staying Alive” soundtrack with the “Woman in You” 12 inch included. Would also like to see Andy’s albums reissued.

      Reply
  3. Earl Cambron says

    December 7, 2016 at 8:10 am

    Resume the previous reissue series starting with Cucumber Castle.

    Reply
    • dishy says

      December 16, 2016 at 4:26 pm

      ^ THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU EARL! This is the only way to study the great BEE GEES! Trafalgar and To Whom It May Concern are brilliant records! PLEASE!

      Reply
      • Scott Charbonneau says

        March 31, 2017 at 3:58 am

        Agreed! Long past time to finish what Rhino started.

        Would also love to see a compilation of the work the Bee Gees had a hand in for other Australian artists during the ’60s, although that might be far too much of a specialist item.

        Reply
  4. Rob says

    December 7, 2016 at 9:09 am

    Blu-ray audios with hi-res stereo and 5.1 mixes!

    Reply
  5. Mark H. says

    December 7, 2016 at 9:39 am

    Your list above missed the 3 CD “fuzzy box” reissue of Odessa. One of my favorites.

    Reply
  6. Marcel de Wit says

    December 7, 2016 at 11:54 am

    Please release all songs / albums in digital download format 24bits / 96Khz and of course the spirits tour in blu ray

    Reply
  7. Gibb4ever Fan says

    December 7, 2016 at 12:57 pm

    Session materials, unreleased demos, tracks and videos ( if available ) from Main Course, Children of the World, Saturday Night Fever and Spirits Having Flown !! And PLEASE a full concert ( audio AND Video ) from The Spirits Having Flown Tour 1979 !!! Blu-Ray Pure Audio of all these albums and more… The Bee Gees catalogue is so huge.

    Reply
  8. Sean Anglum says

    December 7, 2016 at 1:19 pm

    Wasn’t there rumor once of an unreleased Christmas collection. If so, please earmark that one! And an official Kick in the Head. Thanks, Santa!

    Reply
  9. Sean Anglum says

    December 7, 2016 at 1:20 pm

    Wasn’t there rumor once of an unreleased Christmas collection? If so, please earmark that one! And an official Kick in the Head. Thanks, Santa!

    Reply
    • Sean Anglum says

      December 7, 2016 at 1:21 pm

      Sorry, friends. I double clicked.

      Reply
  10. Zubb says

    December 7, 2016 at 3:10 pm

    Would be nice to get Barry’s Now Voyager remastered and expanded, I mean, since it was on MCA anyway. Too long out of print.

    Reply
    • dishy says

      December 16, 2016 at 4:27 pm

      ^ THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU EARL! This is the only way to study the great BEE GEES! Trafalgar and To Whom It May Concern are brilliant records! PLEASE!

      Reply
  11. Zubb says

    December 7, 2016 at 3:12 pm

    Hopefully we don’t just get a bunch of ICON or GOLD collections.

    Reply
  12. Steve Talia says

    December 8, 2016 at 2:53 am

    I’ve been waiting on Deluxe Edition reissues for Two Years On and Trafalgar for what seems like forever.

    Reply
  13. victor says

    December 8, 2016 at 4:12 am

    Would like to see released Maurice’s “The Loner” Barry’s The Kids No Good” including “This Time” & Bee Gees Kick In The Head
    Plus restarting the Studio Album releases From Cucumber Castle plus releasing Cucumber Castle on DVD
    NO More Best Of Please

    Reply
  14. Günter Lehmann says

    December 8, 2016 at 6:37 am

    Here at Last Live Deluxe CD and BlueRay
    Spirits Tour Live CD and BlueRay
    Saturday Night Fever Deluxe maybe including hits like Grease, Shadow Dancing etc.
    Soundstage 1975 Live CD and BlueRay
    A Kick In The Head
    The Kid’s No Good
    Barry Gibb 1986 Album featuring unreleased Songs like Distant Strangers

    Reply
  15. Philip Cohen says

    December 8, 2016 at 2:47 pm

    Barry Gibb’s “The Kid’s No Good” album circulates unofficially and with full fidelity. The album is best left unheard. It is a dreary M.O.R. country music effort, whose arrangements sounded bland and dated even by 1970 standards. It is not Bee Gees type music.
    Is unlikely that the new license is going to yield anything more than verbatim reissues. Barry Gibb is not keen to release vault material, but he was willing to agree to it when Robin was still alive. Let’s hope that Capitol got it in writing that the deal includes vault material.

    Reply
  16. Charlie Bermant says

    December 8, 2016 at 3:47 pm

    I’d like to see a vinyl release of “This is Where I Came In.” While it’s a little inconsistent and disjointed there are a handful of tracks that rank with their best.

    Reply
  17. Scott says

    December 8, 2016 at 3:57 pm

    I assume this deal also includes Andy’s stuff. All three of his studio albums and handful of non-LP tracks would easily fit on a two-disc collection. It would be nice to finally get the “All I Have To Do Is Dream” duet with Victoria Principle on CD.

    Reply
  18. Toon de Rouw says

    December 9, 2016 at 9:03 am

    All the demo versions they wrote for other artists would be great.

    Reply
  19. Mark Bumgardner says

    December 9, 2016 at 9:06 am

    This new arrangement should be interesting. How about a complete 12″ collection on CD, including those that were on the RSD vinyl, so that we could have all of these in one place?

    I was fortunate enough to find a CD of Living Eyes a few months ago at one of my favorite used CD stores. Set me back $6 in store credit. It’s the only copy I’ve ever seen.

    Reply
  20. Thomas Gogo says

    December 9, 2016 at 3:13 pm

    I would love to see the early 1970s reissues continue from Cucumber Castle onwards in the same style as the 1974-79 box set. I’m not that worried about vault material. Live…At Last & Living Eyes on CD would be wonderful too.

    Reply
  21. LouieG says

    December 10, 2016 at 8:44 am

    My wish list includes:
    1. An official release of “A Kick In The Head”
    2. Blu-ray of all the promotional films and videos made between 1967 and 2001
    3. Blu-ray box set for all their filmed concerts, especially the never before seen Children of The World Tour and the Spirits Tour.

    Reply
  22. GianniC says

    December 13, 2016 at 6:19 am

    Restart with the release of old album with unreleased material (like BG’s first, Horizontal, Idea, Odessa).

    It would be great if also the solo unreleased albums will be made available. I mean for example Barry’s albums and also The Loner and The Breed Apart from Maurice.

    Also Sunrise from Jimmy Ruffin (but written and produced by Robin) is not available on cd, but maybe this is out of the agreement.

    Reply
  23. Grace says

    December 14, 2016 at 7:19 pm

    Hell Or High Water, Price Of Fame and an instrumental of Arrow Through The Heart from Andy Gibb,just some of many i would like to see released

    Reply
  24. ROGER KEAY says

    December 31, 2016 at 4:37 pm

    I would like to see all BEE GEES ,their SOLO work ,and any ANDY GIBB demos & unreleased songs.Especially like to see Barry’s “A KICK IN THE HEAD” &” THE KIDS NO GOOD” on CD.
    Also CUCUMBER CASTLE DVD.
    Also would like to see MYTHOLOGY TOUR CONCERT on DVD.Thank you.

    Reply
  25. Emily says

    January 13, 2017 at 2:46 pm

    I hope to see all the unreleased Bee Gees music especially A Kick in the Head, all solo work especially unreleased work by Maurice including the Loner, The Breed Apart soundtrack and any other his instrumentals, demos for other artists by Bee Gees individually or as a group,

    according to EU copyright law, unreleased materials will lose copyright after 50 years, hopefully this will make Barry as last member of the Bee Gees to release for the group, himself ,his brothers including Andy anything in the vault, whatever they have registered for copyright

    All the visual materials including all concerts, tours, music videos, interviews, movies like Cucumber Castle, Bunbury etc

    available in whatever format at least downloadable and best remastered, box sets etc

    Reply
  26. Max Says says

    January 16, 2017 at 8:20 pm

    There have been so many great hits compilations – what I would like to see is a compilation of lesser known songs (album tracks, B-sides, lesser known singles and yet-to-be released classics) that will add to the publics appreciation of the Bee Gees music. I’d love to see them get some contemporary acclaim for their diversity of music, for their harmonies, melodies, and songwriting – ie a compilation that highlights these things instead of another greatest hits compilation that only adds to the publics belief that the Bee Gees only did falsetto disco songs.
    I’m thinking of such songs as Every Christian Lion Hearted Man, And The Sun Will Shine, Mrs Gillespies Refrigerator, When The Swallows Fly, Marley Purt Drive, Black Diamond, Sun In My Morning, Morning of My Life, Trafalgar, Walking Back To Waterloo, While I Play, Wouldn’t I Be Someone, Castles In The Air, Mr Natural, Voices, Had A Lot of Love Last Night, Wind Of Change, Come On Over, Country Lanes, Spirits Having Flown, Paradise, Wildflower, Evening Star, Shine Shine, Tokyo Nights, When He’s Gone, Blue Island, Rings Around The Moon, My Destiny, Irresistible Force, Wedding Day, Deja Vu, Walking On Air.

    Reply
  27. Steen Hansen says

    January 24, 2017 at 7:04 am

    I hope to see all the unreleased Bee Gees music. MYTHOLOGY TOUR CONCERT on DVD.Thank you.. Blu-ray box set for all their filmed concerts, especially the never before seen Children of The World Tour and the Spirits Tour.Andy’s stuff.

    Reply
  28. Red says

    March 4, 2017 at 3:24 pm

    I’d like to see A Kick in the Head . Life in a Tin Can. Walls have Eyes, Mr Natural, Ones heard less but deserving of release.
    Maurice’s unreleased stuff….The
    Loner, Breed Apart, Strings and Things.
    Maybe an instrumental only album with fabulous songs like Seven Seas Symphony.
    All video of concerts not seen yet on DVD.

    Reply
  29. Robert DuPont says

    May 26, 2017 at 9:41 pm

    Everything!!!

    Straight reissues of the first four albums as before, the mono versions are superior let’s not lose them

    Continue with Cucumber Castle, Robin’s Reign, then 2 Years On , Trafalgar etc. All have great stuff on them.
    I think individual reissues are needed on their big RSO records, the current ones are barebones with meh sound. Bee Gees Live should be included.

    Reply

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