Australia: - The Bee Gees [Colour Vinyl]

ODD LITTLE UNOFFICIAL RELEASE. Here's a curious little odd but interesting release of the unofficial kind. A compilation of the Bee Gees early Australian recordings when they were only beginning their career in music. These recordings originally first appeared on the young Gibb Brothers first recorded albums on the Australian Festival / Spin labels. Festival are still the licensees for these recordings. They later appeared courtesy of Festival Records globally on the Polydor and ATCO labels by arrangements made with Mr Robert Stigwood, who later became the Bee Gees manager when they made their return appearance to England in 1967. These recordings have been issued by many small obscure labels and some times some more familiar one's many times, on many formats, and on many such compilations. They have also since been remastered by Festival records in 1998. Its amazing how much life these old recordings of the Bee Gees have had over the years. While they may not have been too successful when first released, with the exception of the Australian hit "Spicks and Specks", they have since gained quite a dividend for the Festival Record Company. I have all the original official Festival and Polydor releases of the songs found on this new compilation album. So I did try to resist buying this release but as it was a limited colored splash vinyl edition I guess I was taken in by its novelty. So imagine my surprise when I heard something New! in these recordings. Specifically on three tracks found on Side B. "And The Children Laughing", I Was A Lover, A Leader Of Men, and "Second Hand People". All have had new instrumentation recorded on and over the original recordings with new keyboard strings sounds and new bass and drum additions. I don't know who authorised these new musical additions, or even if what has been done is legal or approved by the Gibb Estate or by Festival Records. There is no production credits information to be found on this release to make any reference. This compilation is issued by a company called Gold Vinyl. I have a sneaky suspicion that these musical additions could have been made by Lex Van Coeverden a Dutch DJ and producer. Or possibly by Rolf Baierle of Baierle Records / Roba music and founder of a german publishing company, but please don't quote me on this. So you might ask are these musical additions any good? Well I think the idea is interesting and it had acurred to me that some one might do something like this eventually. Actually there is a playlist on YouTube, provided by YouTube called 'Best of Bee Gees' were I actually first heard these types of musical additions and mixes add to these Bee Gees old Australian recordings. While some versions are not as good as others for a few reasons such as incorrect running speeds and the sound levels being off. The three tracks found on this album are the better cuts. Though the bass on, "And The Children Laughing" is heavy and causes the vocals to be muffled and dulled. "I Was A Lover, A Leader Of Men" seems also to have a different arrangement. Whether this detracts from this album and the original integrity of these recordings to me it is really a matter of opinion for the listener to decide. Some might feel it is sacrilege to interfere with the recordings. If so then this record is not the one for you. For me it's a novelty and it's interesting to get a different spin on these old songs. I think this could open the door to something more imaginative in the future. Maybe something more that could be professionally produced, dynamic, or even philharmonic? who knows! I don't think a bad thing. As for the album as a whole, the mastering and pressing is very good. The blue marble splatter vinly is very nice and it sounds really good. I'm not sure about the front album cover though. The sems a little out of place for the time of these recordings. The picture on the sleeve cover is of the three gibb brothers, Robin, Maurice, and Barry in 1970. Looking united and ready to record