Secret Agent is the third solo album by British singer Robin Gibb, released in 1984. The album enjoyed limited success, mostly in Europe and Australia. The lead single "Boys Do Fall in Love" made the Top 10 in Italy and South Africa.
The album followed on from How Old Are You? the previous year with Robin's twin brother Maurice again co-writing and playing keyboards. Three songs were written by all three Bee Gees, including oldest brother Barry. The album is heavily electronic, relying mostly on multi-layered keyboards with bass and drums played on synthesizers. Recording took place at Criteria Studios as Barry Gibb was occupying the Bee Gees' own Middle Ear studio at the time, recording his solo debut Now Voyager.
Robin and Maurice continued the Bee Gees tradition of "making it up" in the recording studio. Assistant engineer Richard Achor recalled the years when Robin and Maurice would come in with only ideas for songs. Robin wrote lyrics with Maurice, and sometimes they set up drum and synthesizer grooves first, in which a song would work out from that. Maurice played synthesizer and keyboard, but played relatively little on the finished tracks in favor of Rob Kilgore's expertise. Robin had long been interested in the electronic sound and Maurice was a willing accomplice. The concept was to carry on the sound of the big freestyle hit by Shannon, her 1983 song "Let the Music Play", which is why Robin brought in the same producers, Mark Liggett and Chris Barbosa, and musicians Rob Kilgore and Jim Tunnell to work on the album.[1]
Robin asked Barbosa and Liggett to produce this album. As Barbosa explained: "Robin really wanted a dance hit, he specifically wanted to avoid a Bee Gees sound-alike record."[2] "The Gibb project was different for us in that way", Liggett added. "We're not usually working with mega budgets, and its better that way. All the money comes out of your pockets anyway."[2] Gibb said of the album, "I don't like songs of the past. I like to get ahead. These songs are very 1984, maybe even more futuristic."[3] He further described the record as "very black and urban – it reflects street music."[3]
Bob Stanley said that Secret Agent dove deeply into "the worlds of Roland, Korg and Fairlight." He said the title track mixed Gibb's melancholy style with contemporary Latin freestyle production, and noted its mid-song "fight scene".[3] "Robot" is a reggae song with a vocoder, while "In Your Diary" was another heavily electronic track.[3]Cash Box called "In Your Diary" a "a pleasing piece which suffers slightly from its formula quality, but benefits strongly from the familiar strength of the Gibb’s reliable performance, production and styling."[4]
Track listingedit
All tracks are written by Robin and Maurice Gibb, except where noted
^ abWeinger, Harry (5 January 1985). Liggett, Barbosa: Let It Play. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
^ abcdStanley, Bob (2023). "The Bunker". Bee Gees: Children of the World. London: Nine Eight Books. p. 279. ISBN978-1-7887-0541-7.
^"Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. 10 November 1984. p. 9. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
December 15, 2023
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This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Secret Agent Robin Gibb album news newspapers books scholar JSTOR August 2012 Learn how and when to remove this template message Secret Agent is the third solo album by British singer Robin Gibb released in 1984 The album enjoyed limited success mostly in Europe and Australia The lead single Boys Do Fall in Love made the Top 10 in Italy and South Africa Secret AgentStudio album by Robin GibbReleasedJune 1984 1984 06 US July 1984 1984 07 UK RecordedMarch June 1984StudioCriteria Miami GenreSynth popnew wavedance popfreestyleLabelMirage Atco Atlantic Records US Polydor Records UK ProducerRobin GibbMaurice GibbMark LiggettChris BarbosaRobin Gibb chronologyHow Old Are You 1983 Secret Agent 1984 Walls Have Eyes 1985 Singles from Secret Agent Boys Do Fall in Love Released May 1984 Secret Agent Released August 1984 Contents 1 Background 2 Track listing 3 Personnel 3 1 Production 4 Chart positions 5 ReferencesBackground editThe album followed on from How Old Are You the previous year with Robin s twin brother Maurice again co writing and playing keyboards Three songs were written by all three Bee Gees including oldest brother Barry The album is heavily electronic relying mostly on multi layered keyboards with bass and drums played on synthesizers Recording took place at Criteria Studios as Barry Gibb was occupying the Bee Gees own Middle Ear studio at the time recording his solo debut Now Voyager Robin and Maurice continued the Bee Gees tradition of making it up in the recording studio Assistant engineer Richard Achor recalled the years when Robin and Maurice would come in with only ideas for songs Robin wrote lyrics with Maurice and sometimes they set up drum and synthesizer grooves first in which a song would work out from that Maurice played synthesizer and keyboard but played relatively little on the finished tracks in favor of Rob Kilgore s expertise Robin had long been interested in the electronic sound and Maurice was a willing accomplice The concept was to carry on the sound of the big freestyle hit by Shannon her 1983 song Let the Music Play which is why Robin brought in the same producers Mark Liggett and Chris Barbosa and musicians Rob Kilgore and Jim Tunnell to work on the album 1 Robin asked Barbosa and Liggett to produce this album As Barbosa explained Robin really wanted a dance hit he specifically wanted to avoid a Bee Gees sound alike record 2 The Gibb project was different for us in that way Liggett added We re not usually working with mega budgets and its better that way All the money comes out of your pockets anyway 2 Gibb said of the album I don t like songs of the past I like to get ahead These songs are very 1984 maybe even more futuristic 3 He further described the record as very black and urban it reflects street music 3 Bob Stanley said that Secret Agent dove deeply into the worlds of Roland Korg and Fairlight He said the title track mixed Gibb s melancholy style with contemporary Latin freestyle production and noted its mid song fight scene 3 Robot is a reggae song with a vocoder while In Your Diary was another heavily electronic track 3 Cash Box called In Your Diary a a pleasing piece which suffers slightly from its formula quality but benefits strongly from the familiar strength of the Gibb s reliable performance production and styling 4 Track listing editAll tracks are written by Robin and Maurice Gibb except where notedSide oneNo TitleLength1 Boys Do Fall in Love 3 502 In Your Diary Robin Gibb Maurice Gibb Barry Gibb 3 413 Robot 3 424 Rebecca 3 515 Secret Agent 4 58 Side twoNo TitleLength1 Living in Another World Robin Gibb Maurice Gibb Barry Gibb 3 402 X Ray Eyes 3 533 King of Fools 3 404 Diamonds 3 57Personnel editRobin Gibb vocals backing vocals Maurice Gibb keyboards synthesizers backing vocals Robbie Kilgore keyboards synthesizers guitars Jimi Tunnell guitars backing vocals Chris Barbosa sequencers Lori Ellsworth backing vocals Arlene Gold backing vocals Cindy Mizelle backing vocals Evan Rogers backing vocals Audrey Wheeler backing vocals Lari White backing vocalsProduction edit Chris Barbosa producer Maurice Gibb producer Robin Gibb producer Mark Liggett producer Dennis Hetzendorfer engineer Richard Achor assistant engineer Mike Fuller mastering Dick Ashby project coordinator Tom Kennedy project coordinator Scott Sands project coordinator Bob Defrin artwork Richard Schmidt artwork Mark Tucker photographyChart positions editChart 1984 PeakpositionSwiss Albums Chart 20US Billboard Top Pop Albums 204US Cashbox Top Albums 183West German Media Control Albums Chart 31References edit Joseph Brennan Gibb Songs 1984 a b Weinger Harry 5 January 1985 Liggett Barbosa Let It Play Retrieved 11 February 2013 a b c d Stanley Bob 2023 The Bunker Bee Gees Children of the World London Nine Eight Books p 279 ISBN 978 1 7887 0541 7 Reviews PDF Cash Box 10 November 1984 p 9 Retrieved 26 July 2022 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Secret Agent Robin Gibb album amp oldid 1182670648, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
