After Dark is an album by Andy Gibb. It was his final studio album, and was released in 1980. It features his last US Top 10 single "Desire", "I Can't Help It" and two Bee Gees numbers "Rest Your Love on Me" and "Warm Ride". Although the album is not currently in print, it was released to music streaming platforms along with the other two Andy Gibb albums in 2011.
Overview
Around the same time when Barry Gibb was co-writing and recording demos for Barbra Streisand as a guideline to her, as drugs impeding his previous ability to write and even fully sing the tracks on his own record, Andy was only able to forge his performance with nearly intrusive support from Barry as he began writing songs for Andy to sing and to include on his next album.
Recording
The album was recorded in May, continuing in October and finishing in November 1979 at the Criteria Studios. "Desire" was originally a Bee Gees song that was recorded in 1978 on the sessions of Spirits Having Flown with Barry on lead vocals but was later dropped on the album. Andy's version was recorded on 30 May 1979. Related songs that were not released from the sessions include, "Warm", "Back to the Wind", and "For You". Andy and Olivia Newton-John had previously performed "Rest Your Love on Me" on a UNICEF show in January that year, and later she agreed to record it in the studio as part of the album track on this album. His rendition of "Warm Ride" by the Bee Gees which was an outtake from Saturday Night Fever sessions was also included on this LP. Years later, co-producer Albhy Galuten said of it, "I don't know how that got on there". The title track and "Wherever You Are" features Andy and Barry singing together. The ballad "Dreamin' On" closes the album. Aside from producing this album, arranging the orchestra on some songs, played synthesizer on the album, Galuten also co-wrote "Can't Help Falling in Love" with Barry. The album also features guitar work from famous session musicianHugh McCracken as well as The Brecker Brothers, Randy and Michael.
Critical reception
In March 1980 the last of Gibb's Top Ten singles charted just ahead of the album's release, "Desire". A second single, "I Can't Help It", a duet with family friend Olivia Newton-John, reached the Top Twenty. Unlike the Bee Gees version of "Warm Ride", Andy's version was recorded in slower tempo and was not sung in falsetto. The album's disappointing performance, coupled with Gibb's mounting drug problems, would lead to RSO Records dropping Gibb from its roster. On VH1's Behind the Music, label founder Robert Stigwood said that he was heartbroken at having to make the decision to drop Gibb, but that his behaviour gave him very little choice. It was his final full studio album; his first compilation Andy Gibb's Greatest Hits was released in September 1980 with three new songs. In 1981, he later performed on Canadian band Flower's "Here Inside", releasing his last single "All I Have to Do Is Dream", a duet with his partner at that time, actress Victoria Principal. Around the same time as the song was recorded, he attempted to record "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" again.
