Missing Maurice

After my utter disappointment over watching Americans choose the wrong winner in last year’s “American Idol,” the results of the ninth season finale last week proved gratifying. 

Earlier in the season, there was already hush-hush talk that a woman would get the Season 9 plum. However, AI showed that it still is a boy’s club.

Those who never stopped beLEEving that the former paint store clerk is DeWyze choice may have, like yours truly, literally embraced the TV set and kissed the boob tube – never mind the dust mote – to mark jubilation.

No question that all of the AI finalists have the vocal prowess, however, America decided right this time (finally, back to the good job) by choosing Lee whose arrangements to song choices proved pleasing to the stirrups and anvils. Lee’s efforts paid off because he doesn’t scream. He listens. That is the most taxing duty for the artist: Lending ears to the navigator while walking his own journey. Only a few musicians have mastered this art of being true to the contents of their heart.

So much for that, since I bet you already have an overload of what-have-others-got-to-say. Segue now to The Brothers Gibb. My, oh my! I terribly miss Maurice (pronounced Morris) Gibb with that Siobhan Magnus-Aaron Kelly-Bee Gees number.

Who among family groups in popular music has lasted longer than the others and succeeded as consistently? I can name one from my passionate generation – the Bee Gees.

Barry and Robin (Mo’s fraternal twin) still sound so, so good – so true to their notes, so falsetto-oompah!

The Bee Gees (you should know this) is one of the most successful pop/disco/soft rock acts of all time with seven Grammys to their name after 23 albums and worldwide sales pegged at 125 million copies, in a five-decade music career.

The recording indulgences took a halt though when Mo, at 53 years old, succumbed to an intestinal failure in January 2003 while receiving treatment in a Miami hospital. The condition was referred to as volvulus (twisted intestine).

I miss Mo terribly and his acoustic guitar (given to him by John Lennon) on the “This Is Where I Came In” project released in 2001. This is the last Bee Gees album I have.

Mo is mainly responsible for the melody of most Bee Gees songs so on that occasion he held the acoustic guitar and provided lead vocals for two songs – “Man in the Middle” (remains my top pick) and “Walking on Air,” little did these denote something of an “adieu.”

Maurice Ernest Gibb: One promising songwriter of my generation gone too soon.