Bee Gees star Barry Gibb has refused to let one of the band's songs be used in an AIDS awareness advertisement - insisting the cover version sounds too similar to the original.

A new recording of the Bee Gees' Staying Alive was made using the cast of touring stage show Thank You For The Music to be used as part of a major health campaign across Europe. However, the musician's representatives at the Warner music company have banned organizers from using the song in a conflict over publishing rights.

Martin Spooner, who plays Gibb's brother Robin in the stage show, says, "I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Although we miss out on a lucrative TV deal we take this as a back-handed compliment that we sound too much like the Bee Gees. But it's disappointing too because it was a major campaign for a worthwhile cause. It never occurred to us there would be a problem."

http://www.starpulse.com/news/index.php/2009/05/04/barry_gibb_blocks_aids_ad_

I think that Barry should change his mind. I respect Barry, but in the case he is wrong. If the song can be used for a good cause, than he should let them use it. Barry is acting like Elton John here.

Wow!!

I'm really surprised at Barry. I would think he'd be all for this - maybe if the copy band changes their arrangement slightly? Or why doesn't Barry just offer them to use the original Bee Gees version.

I'm really surprised at Barry. I would think he'd be all for this - maybe if the copy band changes their arrangement slightly? Or why doesn't Barry just offer them to use the original Bee Gees version.
The Bee Gees were always about charity - remember back in 1979 they donated all the royalties of "Too Much Heaven" to UNICEF? So this is a bit confusing. :confused:

The Bee Gees were always about charity - remember back in 1979 they donated all the royalties of "Too Much Heaven" to UNICEF? So this is a bit confusing. :confused:


Exactly! Plus, didn't Maurice die of cancer? You'd think he'd be all for something charitable. And I don't think there's the same stigma connected to AIDS as there used to be - heck, there shouldn't be. (I'm just thinking in case he didn't want their song connected to an STD, but I don't think people consider AIDS a solely STD disease - it isn't).

I wonder if he's more concerned that the cover band is TOO good and TOO close to the Bee Gees themselves that they're a bit of a threat. I don't know if this is the same band, but a couple of years ago I saw a Bee Gee cover band that were absolutely incredible! Not only did they look just like them, but sounded basically IDENTICAL. The best part was that the tickets were close to the stage and were only $28. It was fabulous - girls got up from the audience and started dancing in the aisles they were so good!

Maurice actually passed away of complications from surgery to repair a twisted intestine - he then went into cardiac arrest. It may be more of an issue of the cover song than the cause itself. Maybe Barry can put out a statement or give an interview and he can go into more detail.