They became known as the Brothers Gibb and like the fairytale storyteller brothers these other Brothers ‘G’ wrote their own fairytale with a mix of the glorious and grim. It’s a long held mistake that the name the ‘Bee Gees ‘ stands for ‘The Brother’s Gibb’ when in fact it doesn’t. The name was formed from the names of two other BG initialled fellows, Bill Gates, not the Microsoft one but instead an Australian DG and Bill Goode a racetrack promoter. It was these two gentleman who first saw the bothers perform at Archerfield speedway. With a career stretching back to 1958 the Bee Gees have been colossal creators, bridging rock and disco.
Recently I spoke to a member of the Australian Bee Gees tribute band Michael Clift from Tucson, where the Australian Bee Gees are playing. Michael, and the other two members that comprise the Australian Bee Gees, are in demand as performers in Las Vegas nowadays and hope to sign a new four year contract. Although the US has been their base for a while now the boys are very familiar with Tasmania having performed here for over 17 years including shows at the Wrest Point Casino and Launceston Country Club as well as theatres in Burnie and Devonport.
Michael says that the reception to the ‘Bee Gees Staying Alive’ performance in Las Vegas is great with the audiences quite knowledgeable and enthusiastic, and it will be Tasmanian turn to experience the Bee Gees magic when the boys tour here for concerts in the form of a concert itself which takes the form of a chronological walk through the Bee Gees hits.
Michael says ‘Tasmania is a beautiful place’ and hopefully they can make the tour an annual occurrence.
Michael tells me he and the boys were not massive Bee Gees fans growing up although they did have healthy respect for the music. Michael indeed is more eclectic in his musical tastes with not one particular artist providing a favourite.
The idea of a Bee Gees tribute band grew out of the guys working as musos with a few clips appearing on rage and doing some teaching. They came up with the idea of forming a tribute band and the Bee Gees were chosen because at that time the Bee there was no tribute band celebrating their music.
The fact the guys do look like the Bee Gees was a happy coincidence. Michael says they do what they can to enhance that resemblance to an extent although that doesn’t include plastic surgery although they do however wear prosthetic teeth and take advantage of wigs!
The boys have also worked hard on replicating the original Bee Gees three piece harmonies with Michael working hard to create Barry’s famous falsetto.
Although never meeting the real Bee Gees, the Australian Bee Gees, did write to the Bee Gees manager about their act and were given the thumbs up.
You can see the Australian Bee Gees at Launceston’s Country Club March 28 and Hobart’s Wrest Point Casino March 29.
Paula Xiberras
