Fans of the early Bee Gees will want to check out a fabulous new release from our friends at Ace in the UK. ‘To Love Somebody: The Songs of the Bee Gees 1966-1970’ features 24 great covers of early Bee Gees material. It includes the likes of Al Green, Lulu, Jose Feliciano and Sandie Shaw, as well a few Aussie singles – by Ronnie Burns, April Byron and Jon (aka John Blanchfield) - recorded with help from the Bee Gees before they left for the UK.

Our personal favourites include a couple of great Southern Soul tracks from 1969  – "To Love Somebody" by James Carr (the man who first had a hit with "The Dark End of The Street") and "I’ve Gotta Get A Message To You" by the legendary Percy Sledge. Nina Simone’s stunning "I Can’t See Nobody" from ’68 is also a revelation, and reveals the esteem that Barry Gibb’s songs were held in from the start.

For out and out fun though, we can’t go past a very young Status Quo having a crack at that Aussie icon, "Spicks and Specks". We’re not sure why this one isn’t better known – or why it wasn’t a hit in the UK for that matter – as it’s a ripper. They could have used a piano though.

For more info on the ‘To Love Somebody’ compilation, check out the Ace Records site, and if you’re in the mood for more early Brothers Gibb, check out our great playlist of the best of their Festival recordings here.