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E.S.P. (Bee Gees album)

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E.S.P.
Studio album by
the Bee Gees
Released21 September 1987[1]
RecordedJanuary – March 1987
Studio
Genre
Length48:25
Label
Producer
The Bee Gees chronology
Staying Alive: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
(1983) 		E.S.P.
(1987) 		One
(1989)
Singles from E.S.P.
  1. "You Win Again"
    Released: 7 September 1987
  2. "E.S.P."
    Released: 30 November 1987
  3. "Crazy for Your Love"
    Released: 8 February 1988
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Los Angeles Times[3]
Number One[4]
Record Mirror[5]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[6]

E.S.P. is the seventeenth studio album (fifteenth worldwide) by the Bee Gees released in 1987. It was the band's first studio album in six years, and their first release under their new contract with Warner Bros. It marked the first time in twelve years the band had worked with producer Arif Mardin, and was their first album to be recorded digitally. After the band's popularity had waned following the infamous Disco Demolition Night of 1979, the Gibb brothers had spent much of the early 1980s writing and producing songs for other artists, as well as pursuing solo projects, and E.S.P. was very much a comeback to prominence. The album sold well in Europe, reaching No. 5 in the UK, No. 2 in Norway and Austria, and No. 1 in Germany and Switzerland, though it failed to chart higher than No. 96 in the US.[7] The album's first single, "You Win Again", reached No. 1 in the UK, Ireland, Switzerland, Germany, Austria and Norway.

The album cover photographs show the Gibb brothers at Castlerigg stone circle near Keswick in England's Lake District.

History

[edit]

With the Bee Gees now back in the Warner-Elektra-Atlantic conglomerate, producer Arif Mardin was once again available to work with them.

The Gibb brothers began writing and recording songs for E.S.P. around September 1986. They worked at Maurice's home studio, informally known as Panther House, rather than at Middle Ear. Maurice set everything up and Scott Glasel was effectively the assistant engineer. Scott's recollection years later is that Barry brought in the songs as demos, featuring just his voice and guitar, and that they recorded the fuller demos based on Barry's songs. Scott also recalls Barry and Robin many times arguing heatedly over trivial things and calling off the project, only to have Maurice call Scott a few days later to let him know they were starting again.[8]

Recording

[edit]

Over the previous few years Barry and Robin had become accustomed to different recording styles. Barry preferred to write the songs and record demos, then go into the studio with session players to record polished versions for release. Robin instead liked to use the recording sessions themselves to work out the songs. Maurice liked a hands-on approach and where he had a voice in production he either appears prominently on the finished tracks or worked out arrangements with a few session players during recording. The compromise recording method adopted for E.S.P. was for the brothers to start all the recordings themselves and then complete them with session players and a producer. If they started with an idea and a rhythm track, they built a song onto it as they recorded, something that would accommodate what all three preferred to do. The result of this process would then be a demo, with vocals by the three brothers and instrumentals by Maurice and Barry. The album made extensive use of the Fairlight CMI as much of the drumming was programmed using the instrument by Barry and Maurice and their engineer Scott Glasel. The Gibb instrumental tracks were done from October into 1987. The second stage appears to have been recording the main vocal tracks, and where this was done is unknown. The demo of "E.S.P." on the box set Tales from the Brothers Gibb is at this second stage. Lastly, session musicians replaced most of the instrumental parts and the brothers dubbed additional vocals. They also edited some of the tracks, inserted new sections, and sped up at least two of them. A song titled "Young Love" was scrapped from the album, and was the only outtake.[8]

Track listing

[edit]

All tracks are written by Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb.

No.TitleLead vocalsLength
1."E.S.P."Barry and Robin5:38
2."You Win Again"Barry and Robin4:02
3."Live or Die (Hold Me Like a Child)"Barry4:41
4."Giving Up the Ghost"Robin and Maurice4:26
5."The Longest Night"Robin5:46
6."This Is Your Life"Barry4:50
7."Angela"Barry4:57
8."Overnight"Maurice4:20
9."Crazy for Your Love"Barry4:40
10."Backtafunk"Barry4:22
11."E.S.P. (Reprise)"Barry and Robin0:34
Total length:48:16
The Warner Bros. Years bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
12."E.S.P" (demo version)4:43
13."Angela" (edit)4:18
14."E.S.P" (edit)4:17
15."You Win Again" (extended version)5:14
16."E.S.P" (extended version)6:15
Total length:73:02

Personnel

[edit]

Bee Gees

  • Barry Gibb – vocals, guitars, drum programming (3, 7), bass programming (3), electric rhythm guitar (4), acoustic guitar (5, 7), additional arrangements (5, 6, 10), percussion programming (7), additional electric guitar (8), track arrangements
  • Robin Gibb – vocals, basic track arrangements
  • Maurice Gibb – vocals, keyboards, synthesizer programming, guitars, bass, drum programming (2, 3), additional arrangements (5), electric guitar sequencing (6), acoustic guitar (7), additional electric guitar (8), track arrangements

Additional musicians

  • Scott Glasel – programming assistant
  • Robbie Kondor – keyboards (1–5, 7, 8, 10), synth bass (2, 3), acoustic guitar (3), acoustic piano solo (4), keyboard sequencing (10)
  • Rhett Lawrence – synthesizer programming (1, 5), drum programming (1, 2, 5, 8), keyboards (7), bass programming (8)
  • Greg Phillinganes – synthesizer lead (4), keyboards (6, 9), electric piano (7), bass sequencing (9)
  • Reb Beach – electric guitar (1, 8), guitar solo (8)
  • Reggie Griffin –electric rhythm guitar (4), bass sequencing (4), rhythm track programming (4), arrangements (4), electric guitar (10), basic track arrangements
  • Nick Moroch – electric guitar (5, 7, 10), additional electric guitar (8)
  • Marcus Miller – bass guitar (1, 5, 10)
  • Joe Mardin – bass programming (6), drum programming (6, 9), bass sequencing (9)
  • Will Lee – bass guitar (7)
  • Tony Beard – drums (4, 10)
  • Brian Tench – additional percussion programming (4), percussion programming (6, 7), drum programming (7)
  • Sammy Figueroa – percussion (10)
  • Bob Gay – saxophone (10)
  • Arif Mardin – basic track arrangements, string arrangements (3, 6), electric guitar sequencing (6), horn arrangements (6), additional arrangements (6, 10), synth bass (10)
  • Gene Orloff – concertmaster (3)

Production

[edit]
  • Bee Gees – producers
  • Arif Mardin – producer
  • Brian Tench – co-producer, recording, mixing
  • Scott Glasel – recording assistant
  • Claude "Swifty" Achille – additional recording
  • Ellen Fitton – additional recording
  • Michael O'Reilly – additional recording
  • Ken Steiger – additional recording
  • George Marino – mastering at Sterling Sound (New York, NY)
  • Martyn Atkins – art direction, design
  • David A. Jones – design
  • Andy Earl – photography
  • Jeri Heiden – artwork supervision
  • Gary Borman and Harriett Sternberg – management

Charts

[edit]

Certifications and sales

[edit]
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Germany (BVMI)[26] 3× Gold 750,000^
Hong Kong (IFPI Hong Kong)[27] Gold 10,000*
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[28] Gold 50,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[29] 2× Platinum 100,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[30] Platinum 300,000^
Summaries
Worldwide — 2,000,000[31]

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "BPI".
  2. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. E.S.P. at AllMusic. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
  3. ^ Grein, Paul (27 September 1987). "BEE GEES ARE BACK". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 16 February 2012.
  4. ^ Estaphanos, Josephine (17 October 1987). "Albums: Bee Gees — E.S.P. (Warners)". Number One. No. 226. London: IPC Magazines Ltd. p. 51. ISSN 0266-5328. Retrieved 18 November 2022 – via Flickr.
  5. ^ Smith, Robin (3 October 1987). "Albums". Record Mirror. p. 22. ISSN 0144-5804.
  6. ^ Cross, Charles R. (2004). "The Bee Gees". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. pp. 58. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
  7. ^ "Bee Gees Chart History". Billboard.com. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
  8. ^ a b "Gibb Songs : 1987". www.columbia.edu.
  9. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  10. ^ "austriancharts.at Bee Gees – E.S.P." (ASP). Hung Medien (in German). Retrieved 16 February 2012.
  11. ^ Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 16 February 2012
  12. ^ "dutchcharts.nl Bee Gees – E.S.P." (ASP). Hung Medien (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved 16 February 2012.
  13. ^ Billboard – 26 December 1987. 5 April 1997. Retrieved 16 February 2012.
  14. ^ Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005. Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
  15. ^ "charts.nz Bee Gees – E.S.P." (ASP). Hung Medien. Recording Industry Association of New Zealand. Retrieved 16 February 2012.
  16. ^ "norwegiancharts.com Bee Gees – E.S.P." (ASP). Hung Medien. VG-lista. Retrieved 16 February 2012.
  17. ^ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  18. ^ "swedishcharts.com Bee Gees – E.S.P." (ASP). Retrieved 16 February 2012.
  19. ^ "Bee Gees – E.S.P. – hitparade.ch" (ASP). Hung Medien (in German). Swiss Music Charts. Retrieved 16 February 2012.
  20. ^ "The Official Charts Company – Bee Gees – E.S.P." (PHP). Official Charts Company. Retrieved 16 February 2012.
  21. ^ "allmusic ((( E.S.P. > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums )))". allmusic.com. Retrieved 16 February 2012.
  22. ^ "Album Search: Bee Gees – E.S.P." (in German). Media Control. Archived from the original on 2 December 2014. Retrieved 16 February 2012.
  23. ^ "Complete UK Year-End Album Charts". Archived from the original on 11 January 2012. Retrieved 7 August 2011.
  24. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Jahreshitparade 1988". Hung Medien. Archived from the original on 12 October 2011. Retrieved 16 February 2012.
  25. ^ "Hitparade.ch – Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1988". Hung Medien. Archived from the original on 7 August 2011. Retrieved 16 February 2012.
  26. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Bee Gees; 'E.S.P.')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
  27. ^ "IFPIHK Gold Disc Award − 1989". IFPI Hong Kong. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  28. ^ "Solo Exitos 1959–2002 Ano A Ano: Certificados 1979–1990". Solo Exitos 1959–2002 Ano A Ano.
  29. ^ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('E.S.P.')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.
  30. ^ "British album certifications – Bee Gees – E.S.P." British Phonographic Industry.
  31. ^ Mario Luzzato Fegiz (25 April 1989). "Una lacrima nel ritorno dei Bee Gees". Corriere della Sera (in Italian): 25. Retrieved 28 April 2021. L'album "ESP", che, con due milioni di copie vendute il mondo (cifra lontana dai record dei passato, battutu solo da
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