Moonlight Madness (Barry Gibb album)
| Moonlight Madness | |
|---|---|
| Studio album by Barry Gibb | |
| Released | Unreleased |
| Recorded |
February - March 1986 April - May 1986 Middle Ear, Miami Beach |
| Genre | Pop rock, New Wave, synthpop, dance-pop |
| Producer | Barry Gibb, Karl Richardson |
Moonlight Madness was to have been Barry Gibb's second solo album (not counting his The Kid's No Good) but not released, and was produced by Barry Gibb and Karl Richardson. Some of the songs from this album were released and appeared on the soundtrack Hawks. The name of this album was originally When Tomorrow Comes then My Eternal Love and finally Moonlight Madness. A bootleg version exists, titled The Original Hawks. The disc features the entire unreleased album, as well as a number of bonus tracks. The songs "My Eternal Love", "Where Tomorrow Is" and "Letting Go" appeared in the UK version of the box set Tales from the Brothers Gibb.[1]
Background and recording
Gibb said in 1986 that he planned to record his next album live in the studio, but he was tired of dubbing onto tracks.
The writing credit on "Distant Strangers" was by Gibb with the band (Carlos Vega, Steve Farris and Neil Stubenhaus). Songs like "My Eternal Love" and "Not in Love at All" was sung in falsetto. Gibb moved into a more strongly rhythmic "Where Tomorrow Is", the song was credited to B. Gibb/R. Gibb/M. Gibb songwriting partnership. "Change" and "Moonlight Madness" was credited to Gibb with pianist George Bitzer and guitarist Alan Kendall. "Moonlight Madness" was sung in Gibb's breathy voice. The synthesizer in intro was added when Gibb decided to make it the first track on the album. "The Savage is Loose" and "Cover You" was recorded in March sessions of the album. "The Savage is Loose" was a protest song invoking among others the 'woman in Dallas'. "Cover You" (original title "Cover You with Kisses") was features a bass line by Stubenhaus. After these two songs, he took a break and went to England. The album session was resumed later in April.[1]
Gibb wrote the verse melody of Carola's song "Lost in the Crowd" which was recorded from March to April. On April or May 1986, Gibb and David English wrote "We're the Bunburys" and "Chapter One: 'Record Breakers'" with Gibb on vocals and guitar and English on speech, the session was produced by Gibb and Karl Richardson.[1]
By April, he continued to record four songs for this album, "Words of a Fool" was a country ballad that was reminiscent of the Bee Gees' 1978 song "Rest Your Love on Me". The guitar riff by Kendall on "System of Love", which also formed the basis of the Bee Gees' 1993 song "My Destiny". The last song, "Letting Go" was a dramatic ballad, the other lines was sung in falsetto at the end of melody.[1]
Track listing
- This may be the line-up for Gibb's third solo album.[1]
| Side one | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
| 1. | "Moonlight Madness" | Barry Gibb, George Bitzer, Alan Kendall | 5:17 |
| 2. | "My Eternal Love" | Barry Gibb, Richard Powers | 4:37 |
| 3. | "System of Love" | Barry Gibb, Alan Kendall | 4:14 |
| 4. | "Where Tomorrow Is" | Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb | 4:14 |
| 5. | "In Search of Love" | Barry Gibb, Richard Powers | 4:18 |
| 6. | "Cover You" | Barry Gibb, Karl Richardson | 5:15 |
| Side two | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
| 1. | "The Savage is Loose" | Barry Gibb, Randy Jackson, George Bitzer | 3:25 |
| 2. | "Not in Love at All" | Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb, George Bitzer | 4:22 |
| 3. | "Words of a Fool" | Barry Gibb | 4:51 |
| 4. | "Distant Strangers" | Barry Gibb, Carlos Vega, Steve Farris, Neil Stubenhaus | 4:01 |
| 5. | "Change" | Barry Gibb, George Bitzer, Alan Kendall | 4:56 |
| 6. | "Letting Go" | Barry Gibb, George Bitzer | |
Personnel
- Barry Gibb — lead and backing vocal, guitar
- George Bitzer — synthesizer, piano
- Larry Williams — keyboards, sax
- Alan Kendall — guitar
- Steve Farris — guitar
- George Terry — guitar
- Neil Stubenhaus — bass
- Carlos Vega — drums