Now Available: Robin Gibb, 50 St. Catherine’s Drive

It was a dark day in pop music when Robin Gibb, one of the founding members of the Bee Gees, succumbed to cancer on May 20, 2012, but for those still mourning the man who sang and co-wrote “I Started a Joke” (not to mention numerous other classic tracks), we can bring a little bit of bittersweet sunshine to your day with the release of 50 St. Catherine’s Drive, Robin’s final solo album.

Compiled by Robin’s widow, Dwina, and his son R.J., 50 St. Catherine’s Drive – named for the address where Robin was born – features 17 tracks, including the majority of the material he recorded for the album, along with a demo of “Sydney,” the last track he wrote and recorded in his lifetime.

“Robin composed this late at night, end of July 2011, at our home, The Prebendal,” explained Dwina. “He used the bedroom keyboards and then GarageBand on an iPad. He wished to finish this song in a studio with Barry, for a new album he hoped they would record together, but his health prevented this. He missed his twin brother Maurice, who had passed away; but when he closed his eyes, the three young brothers were back in Sydney, Australia, happy together with their dreams and hopes for the future. Their future creations of course affected the world. This fragment of song is poignant, wistful, beautiful and unfinished. It belongs on this album as one of his last works. He cried when he wrote it, and I wept when I heard it.”

In addition, the album features a new version of the 1966 Bee Gees song “I Am the World,” otherwise known as the B-side of the group’s first British single, “Spicks and Specks,” along with three tracks co-written by Robin and R.J. and track-by-track liner notes from Dwina, which – as you can tell from the above text – should be highly revelatory. As you can tell, 50 St. Catherine’s Drive is a labor of love from the whole Gibb family, so if you found yourself saddened by Robin’s demise, you may find solace in giving his final effort a spin and knowing that he was making music until the end.

50 ST. CATHERINE’S DRIVE

1. Days Of Wine & Roses
2. Instant Love
3. Alan Freeman Days
4. Wherever You Go
5. I Am The World (New Version)
6. Mother Of Love
7. Anniversary
8. Sorry
9. Cherish
10. Don’t Cry Alone
11. Avalanche
12. One Way Love
13. Broken Wings
14. Sanctuary
15. Solid
16. All We Have Is Now
17. Sydney (Demo)