bee gees day
if you’re reading this from overseas, you might not realise that the 24th of august is actually a public holiday in australia. why indeed, it must be bee gees day, one of the most important public holidays on any australian’s calendar. it feels like it gets a little earlier every year.
it is true that, like a flared pant leg in front of a giant fan, public opinion on the bee gees has waivered wildly over time – perhaps reaching its nadir during maurice gibb’s infamous foray into state politics in 1978, when he stood for the seat of Southern Downs on a rather insubstantial pro-hat-and-dark-sunglasses policy platform.
nonetheless, australia takes one day out each year to pay respect to the gibb brothers, as is the nation’s contractual obligation as per an agreement paul keating signed with polydor records in 1993.
so, as is specified in sub-clause 34b of that agreement (dealing therein with all forms and variations of “social networking”), here are two bee gees clips i am obligated to embed in my blog today.
Video: (written by The Bee Gees)
great things about “chain reaction”
1. ridiculous snare & tom fills constantly
2. diana ross sounds more like the bee gees than diana ross
3. the bee gees can be heard on backing vox in the chorus – but in the film clip their parts are voiced by very handsome black dudes. sure they’re handsome, but would it have been too hard to actually have the gibbs appear in their place? i guess it may not be historically accurate given the mise en scene but… it seems unfair that they were left out. i think the gibbs would have been donned the blackface if that’s what it took. consummate professionals.
4. gratuitous climbing key changes
Video:
quite simply one of the more delightfully hideous live renditions you’ll ever hear of a stone cold bee gees classic. “when you lose control, and you’ve got no soul.” indeed.
there’s a great public access tv vibe to the editing, there’s a hilarious array of wanker session players (including a dude playing a headless bass, ultimate wanker kudos!). the love is totally gone. and there is something about the choice of keyboard and drum sounds that is very “glenn shorrock tuesday night at the RSL”.. i love it. the whole thing is but one step away from being a tim & eric sketch, or a clip.
BUT WAIT – and this is VERY important – you have to hang in there for the last 45 seconds. trust me. george martin cameos, and good god if it isn’t one of the best punchlines i’ve seen on a youtube clip in quite a while.
happy bee gees day everybody! please be aware that by reading this blog post you now owe polydor records, a subsidiary of universal music group, approximately 40c in royalties. please send a cheque or money order to Polydor c/o Universal Music Group, 1 Sussex Pl, Hammersmith, Greater London, W6 9, United Kingdom.
By reading the blog post, or by watching the youtube clips?
both. and you now owe another $100 for questioning a public ordinance.
Should I send my cheque care of Faux Pas? ;)
i KNEW there was a reason why i requested chain reaction on t&f…
Argh, I didn’t even realise “Chain Reaction” was a BG number going to have to dig up that C90 from primary school an’ amend th’ track listing. Killer clips! Though don’t be knockin’ on those handsome black backing danceros in th’ “Chain Reaction” clip. They were pretty much my personal pillars of effortless style for th’ longest time until I discovered th’ wild abandon of early 80s Detroit public television music shows. An’ to think that we got re-runs of “Solid Gold”during while this was happening on th’ other side of th’ world ..
A Number of Names “Shari Vari”
-
Methinks they ought to get together with th’ chicks from th’ suitcases from Grayson Hugh’s “Talk It Over” film clip, an’ perhaps someone could do a re-edit / re-compost of this with “Chain Rection”. That could be exceedingly, culturally head-explodingly good.
Gayson Hugh “Talk it Over”
Most awesome inappropriate yet heart-rending comment by ‘Polidelaiko’ around page 12 [ perfecto ] as well as some surreal fucking notes by th’ G-man himself about chicken bones.
– Chuan