Awazians’ tribute to Bee Gees’ Maurice

By Khurrum Khan

KARACHI: It was an early end to one of the world’s greatest performers of all time. Maurice Gibb, 53, bassist and keyboardist of the Bee Gees, died on Sunday of a heart attack.

Haroon Rashid and Faakhir Mehmood, who formed the backbone of Awaz, once the most popular boy band of the country, expressed their deep sadness when Daily Times called them for their reactions. Faakhir praised the crooner’s outstanding harmonies. Maurice and Bee Gees always inspired him to “construct and sing sweet melodies,” he said. “It’s very sad indeed—a loss that is extremely tragic for music.”

Faakhir said Maurice always had a profound effect on him. “I used to do his cover songs when I was in college. The guy was a legend—Bee Gees is a legend. In fact, the group, especially Maurice, were an inspiration to me as a child especially because of their work in Saturday Night Fever and for the kind of harmonies they prepared. I rank them right at the top. With the Beatles and the Beachboys.”

Faakhir’s favourite Bee Gees rhythms are “How deep is your love?” and “To love somebody.”

Haroon described Gibb’s death as “the saddest thing ever to happen.” The Bee Gees are “over” with Maurice’s death, said “Aaron,” as he is known nowadays, for whom the star’s replacement is unthinkable. “He was an influence on a whole generation,” Haroon remarked. “For me, ‘How true is your love?’ will always be one of the number-one tracks ever heard, what with its amazing progressive chords.”

Haroon obliged when asked, and sang a couple of Maurice’s songs over the telephone. Maurice was the eccentric of the “Bee Gees” (“Brothers Gibb”) trio, the other siblings being Robin and Barry. The group was skyrocketing all through the Seventies, with overall sales exceeding $110 million. The group, who in 1990 were inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, received the Lifetime Achievement Award and a Brit Award. Their greatest achievement was the work they contributed in the John Travolta-starrer Saturday Night Fever.

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