The Bee Gees release Bee Gees' 1st
Bee Gees' 1st is the third studio album by the English rock band, The Bee Gees, however, their first album to be released internationally, as their first two LPs were only available in Australia and New Zealand.
Released in July 1967, Bee Gees' 1st was the group's debut album for the UK Polydor label, and for the US Atco label.
Reflecting the group's early style, Bee Gees' 1st was a psychedelic rock album. The album cover was designed by Klaus Voormann who had previously done the cover for Revolver by the Beatles. Bee Gees 1st peaked at #7 on Billboard's Pop Albums chart and at #8 on the UK Albums Chart. In 2006, Reprise Records (sister label to Atco under Warner Music Group) reissued Bee Gees 1st with both stereo and mono mixes on one disc and a bonus disc of unreleased songs and alternate takes.
Colin Petersen and Vince Melouney, both Australians, were hired to make the Bee Gees into a band; Colin on drums and Vince on lead guitar. Both played on the first English album and became official members of the group shortly after it was completed and before it was released. Colin had played with the Bee Gees at St. Clair studio in 1966 and was officially added first, accounting for some early photos with him and not Vince, such as the one later used on the cover of Best of Bee Gees. Vince had been lead guitarist in top Australian band, Billy Thorpe & the Aztecs, later led his own group The Vince Melouney Sect and had most recently been in The Blue Jays based in Melbourne.
Most of the Bee Gees' recording for the next five years took place at IBC Studios, Portland Place. Robert Stigwood had booked his artists into IBC for years, most recently Cream, The Who, The Small Faces and Jimi Hendrix who were among other well-known names who recorded there. IBC had four track recording facilities, the standard in Britain at the time, even with The Beatles' famous Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band released the same year. The Bee Gees also recorded at various other studios during this first year in England.
