The Bee Gees

by David N. Meyer

  Barry leaves the stage, clearly moved, and a sea of fifty-year-olds dancing on their chairs with reckless ecstasy take their love to a whole new level. It wasn’t only that Barry, by any standard, had done a stellar show for a sixty-five-year-old. He’d cut no corners; he gave it up with total commitment. After a few minutes of cheering and screaming that grow louder and louder, Barry returns.

  He introduces the band, says that a couple of them, including the musical director, had come over from England for six weeks of rehearsal, and squeaks out a credible, whispered-falsetto showstopper of “Stayin’ Alive.’” Even more grandparents climb onto their chairs to dance, film with their phones, shriek with delight and wave their hands in the air.

  Afterward, there was a shocking lack of souvenirs or T-shirts or glossy programs or merchandising of any kind. Had Barry failed to anticipate how beloved he really is? Everyone filing out looked happy, satisfied and a little starry-eyed.

  A twenty-five-year veteran of rock and roll, whose band had two platinum albums, made a couple of key points after the show. “He did this,” the veteran said, “to see if he has the stamina to tour. He was auditioning for himself.” The veteran, who had blown countless wads renting buses to haul Marshall stacks, reckoned the costs to Barry—of bringing musicians from England, housing and feeding them, paying them and local studio players to rehearse daily, booking the hall, renting equipment, bringing in lighting and sound crews, buying ads and promotion—at $250,000 minimum. Given the size of the crowd—despite the expensive tickets—there’s no way Barry broke even. He lost $150,000 or more.

  It’s beside the point to say that to Barry Gibb $150,000 is cab fare. What matters is that Barry invested in himself, and got the most out of his investment.

  In July, Barry appeared, for the first time ever, on the Grand Ole Opry. Ricky Skaggs introduced him. Barry seemed relaxed, and happy to be there. He sang “When the Roses Bloom Again,” by A. P. Carter of country’s Carter Family, as a gesture of outreach to the Opry crowd. He was in fine voice and harmonized beautifully with Skaggs and multiple backup players. Barry followed that with “To Love Somebody.” Singing in his midrange without reaching for falsetto, Barry performed with uncharacteristically true and exposed emotion. On the next song, “How Can You Mend a Broken Heart” Barry sang as if a door had slammed. The feeling left Barry’s eyes, and his performance was automatic, disconnected, as if the previous show of genuine feelings had undone him.

  But for that one song, there stood Barry Gibb, revealed.

  In October of 2012, Barry was interviewed for Australian television. He was remarkably open. “My greatest regret,” he said, “is that every brother I’ve lost was in a moment when we were not getting on and so, I have to live with that. I’m the last man standing.” Of his father, Barry said: “Dad was undemonstrative. He couldn’t show his emotions. You’re probably looking for acceptance all the time and if you get that too easily you don’t work for it.” When speaking of his brothers, Barry wiped tears from his eyes. He claimed that Australia was “his country.” He seemed, in this small sample, like a different man, ready to reveal new aspects of himself. In an interview with Australia’s OneNews, Barry revealed that he had not spoken to Robin for a year before Robin’s death.{675}

  It’s shocking to see—after all these decades of such impenetrable armor—Barry embrace his own mortality, show emotion and admit vulnerability and regret. Being Barry, he can’t quite embrace or admit it fully, but a change has come. Given that he needn’t ever play again, and that his vanity or ego certainly needs no more appeasing, Barry’s new openness seems a sincere attempt at healing his wounds.

  In February 2013, Barry played for two and a half hours before a crowd of twenty-five thousand delirious fans in Melbourne.

  selected bibliography

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  _______. “Bee Gees Sitting Targets for the Cynics.” New Musical Express. May 4, 1968.

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  “Bee Gees Banned from Britain.” Melody Maker. October 14, 1967.

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  “Bee Gees’ Robin Gibb ‘Feels Fantastic’ After Cancer Recovery.” New Musical Express. February 5, 2012.

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  Bennett, Oliver. “Fever Pitch.” Times. February 15, 1997.

  Bennetts, Leslie. “An ‘In’ Crowd and Outside Mob Show Up for Studio 54’s Birthday.” New York Times. April 28, 1978.

  _______. “Absenteeism Said to Be Rising.” New York Times. March 9, 1983.

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  Buchan, Alasdair. “Primed and Timed for Healing.” Times. June 26, 1992.

  Buckland, Chris. “Oh Boys! How Mr. and Mrs. Bee Gee Helped to Make Their Sons Shine.” Daily Mirror. April 17, 1979.

  Burke, Tom. “Hey Mom, Look at Me Now.” Record Mirror. October 7, 1978.

  Buskin, Richard. “Classic Tracks; The Bee Gees Stayin’ Alive.”
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  Caroli, Daniele. “Robin & Barry Gibb Preparing Own Label.” Billboard. October 14, 1978.

  Charlesworth, Chris. “The Bee Gees’ Lonely Days.” Melody Maker. November 14, 1970.

  _______. “Nights on Broadway.” Melody Maker. December 4, 1976.

  Clark, Pete. “It Has Never Been Cool to Admit Liking the Sobbing Sound of the Bee Gees, But After 30 Years They Deserve Their Place in the Pop Pantheon.” Evening Standard. August 5, 1993.

  Cohn, Nik. “Fever Pitch.” Guardian. September 17, 1994.

  “Colin Demands Apology.” Melody Maker. September 13, 1969.

  “Colin Quits the Bee Gees.” New Musical Express. August 30, 1969.

  Cooper, Tim. “Bee Gee Maurice Critically Ill After Mystery Collapse.” Evening Standard. January 10, 2003.

  Crowe, Cameron. “The One and Only Peter Frampton.” Rolling Stone. February 10, 1977.

  Dacre, Paul. “Off to the Sun—The Family Gibb.” Daily Express. April 19, 1979.

  Daley, Dan. “Stayin’ Power.” Studio Sound. June 1997.

  Davies, Hugh. “Bee Gee Maurice Critically Ill After Surgery.” Daily Telegraph. January 11, 2003.

  Dawbarn, Bob. “Bee Gee Barry Decides . . . I’m Not Leaving—Yet.” Melody Maker. September 28, 1968.

  “Death Not Unexpected: Ex-Wife.” Advertiser. March 12, 1988.

  Demorest, Stephen. “The Bee Gees Are Back and They’re Having a Ball.” New York Times. November 28, 1976.

  Dempster, Nigel. “Stayin Alive . . . and in Love.” Daily Mail. February 24, 1992.

  Diliberto, Giolia. “Awol from Broadway Once Too Often, Andy Gibb Is Ordered to Turn in His Dreamcoat.” People. January 31, 1983.

  “Doctors Say Heart Inflammation Caused Death of Singer Andy Gibb.” Associated Press. March 12, 1988.

  Downey, Donn. “Bee Gees Special Steers Clear of the Hokey.” Globe and Mail. November 21, 1979.

  Doyle, Tom. “Arif Mardin: Producer.” Sound on Sound. July 2004.

  “Drug Treatment for Andy Gibb.” Courier-Mail. April 8, 1985.

  Drummond, Norrie. “Bee Gees Happened Everywhere—But Here!” New Musical Express. September 30, 1967.

  _______. “Bee Gees May Give You ‘World’ Next!” New Musical Express. October 14, 1967.

  Duncan, Robert. “Aerosmith.” Creem. December 1978.

  Duncan, Susan. “I want Justice for Our Daughter, Says Andy Gibb’s Ex-Wife Kim.” Australian Weekly. August 1989.

  Durkee, Cutler, and Jonathan Cooper. “The Bee Gees Search for Life After Disco.” People. August 7, 1989.

  “Early TV Start for Three Boys.” Australian Women’s Weekly. June 29, 1960.

  Edwards, Henry. “Inventing a Plot For ‘Sgt. Pepper.’” New York Times. July 16, 1978.

  Egan, Jack. “Cashing in on the Boogie to the Tune of $5 Billion; Disco.” Washington Post. June 26, 1978.

  Eggar, Robin. “The Bee Gees Keep on Bouncing Back.” Advertiser. October 17, 1987.

  Elder, Bruce. “Stayin’ Alive.” Sydney Morning Herald. March 20, 1999.

  Eldridge, Royston. “Out of the Whole Mess Comes the New True Bee Gees Says Barry.” Melody Maker. October 4, 1969.

  “Even at Miami Studio, the Bee Gees Stay Close to Fans.” Palm Beach Post. November 27, 1981.

  “Ex-Bee Gee Robin Makes Single Debut.” Melody Maker. June 28, 1969.

  “‘Fever’ Success OK, But Could Affect Tavares’ R&B Roots.” Variety. April 26, 1978.

  Fong-Torres, Ben. “‘Saturday Night’ Bumps ‘Rumours.’” Rolling Stone. March 9, 1978.

  _______. “Al Coury Owns Number One.” Rolling Stone. October 5, 1978.

  _______. “‘Sgt. Pepper’ Returns.” Rolling Stone. November 2, 1978.

  “For One Night Only—Lesley As a Bee Gee.” Daily Mirror. April 25, 1969.

  Gambaccini, Paul. “A Conversation with Paul McCartney.” Rolling Stone. July 12, 1979.

  Garland, Phyl. “Saturday Night Bee Gees.” Stereo Review. May 1978.

  Gibb, Barry, Robin, and Maurice. Bee Gees: The Authorized Biography, as told to David Leaf. New York: Pinnacle Books, 1980.

  Gilbert, Jeremy. “Robin at Christmas.” Melody Maker. December 29, 1969.

  Gillard, Michael and David Connett. “Rock Stars in Secret Pounds 25m Tax Deal.” Observer. March 2, 1997.

  Glazer, Mitchell. “Golddiggers of ’77!” Crawdaddy. September 1977.

  _______. “The Rise and Fall of the Brothers Gibb.” Playboy. August 1978.

  “Glib Andy Gibb.” Philadelphia Daily News. June 5, 1978.

  Goddard, Jacqui. “Hospital to Probe Death of Bee Gee.” Australian. January 15, 2003.

  Goldstein, Richard. “The Children of Rock Belt the Blues.” New York Times. July 30, 1967.

  Goldstein, Toby. “Andy Gibb: The Bee Gee’s Smarter Brother?” Creem. February 1978.

  Goodman, Chris. “Why We Still Feel Andy’s Presence.” Sunday Express. November 11, 2001.

  Gould, Phil. “Off the Record: They Win Again.” Birmingham Post. April 7, 2001.

  “Gravely Ill? I’m at Home Writing Music and Feeling Great, Says Robin Gibb.” Mail on Sunday. January 22, 2012.

  Green, Richard. “Bee Gee Maurice Plays Up-Tempo Raver.” New Musical Express. June 21, 1969.

  _______. “Bee Gee Barry Censored Colin in an Effort to Stop Any More Bee Gees Feuding.” New Musical Express. September 13,1969.

  _______. “Barry Plans Thank You Tour for Loyal Fans.” New Musical Express. October 4, 1969.

  Green, Robin. “What the Bee Gees Mean to Me.” Rolling Stone. April 15, 1971.

  Grein, Paul. “A Day in the Life of Dee Anthony.” Billboard. November 26, 1977.

  _______. “‘Fever’ Sells at White Hot Pace Setting New Record.” Billboard. April 22, 1978.

  _______. “KC & the Sunshine Band Coming in from the Cold.” Billboard. April 14, 1979.

  _______. “Paul Atkinson Rocks RCA’s Roster.” Billboard. July 20, 1985.

  Gritten, David. “Dallas Darling.” People. March 30, 1981.

  _______. “Pam Dawber Casts Off from Mork to Crew with Andy Gibb and ‘The Pirates of Penzance.’” People. June 29, 1981.

  Gundersen, Edna. “The Bee Gees Are Back in the Groove; ‘Fever’ Trio Is Earning a Healthy Respect Again.” USA Today. May 6, 1997.

  Haden-Guest, Anthony. The Last Part: Studio 54, Disco, and the Culture of the Night. New York: William Morrow, 1997.

  Hall, Carla. “The Fame Game.” Washington Post. July 31, 1980.

  _______. “Stars and Austerity at Ford’s Theatre Gala.” Washington Post. March 23, 1981.

  Harmetz, Aljean. “Annie Hall Wins 4 Academy Awards.” New York Times. April 4, 1978.

  Harrington, Richard. “The Bee Gees, After the Fever; Once Strung by Critics, the Brothers Gibb Return from the Disco Dungeon.” Washington Post. August 3, 1989.

  _______. “Grammy Granddaddy: Arif Mardin, Norah Jones’s Hall-of-Fame Producer, Was Winning Them Before She Was Born.” Washington Post. February 23, 2003.

  Harris, Bruce. “Please Read Me: A Definitive Analysis of the Bee Gees’ Lyrics.” Jazz and Pop, May 1971.

  “Heart Inflammation Killed Pop Singer Andy Gibb.” Associated Press. March 11, 1988.

  Henshaw, Laurie. “The Saga of the Bee Gees Continues.” Melody Maker. August 16, 1969.

  _______. “Strange Case of the Sacked Drummer.” Melody Maker. September 6, 1969.

  Herbeck, Ray Jr. “Radio Syndicators Wary of Disco.” Billboard. January 13, 1979.

  Herbert, Dominic. “Bee Gees Mum Flies in to See Sick Robin.” Sunday Mirror. April 1, 2012.

  _______. “Robin’s Hospital Bed ‘Bucket List.’” Sunday Mirror. April 15, 2012.

  _______. “Miracle Robin Out of the Hospital This Week.” Sunday Mirror. April 29, 2012.

  Hilburn, Robert. “Andy Gibb, 1970s Pop Music Sensation, Dies in England at 30.” Los Angeles Times, March 11, 1988.

  Himes, Geoffrey. “Monday Night Fever;
Shrieks and Lasers for the Bee Gees.” Washington Post. September 25, 1979.

  Hodgson, Grant and Victoria Murphy. “Ah, ha, ha, ha, Straying Alive.” Sunday Mirror. February 8, 2009.

  Holden, Stephen. Review of Main Course. Rolling Stone. July 17, 1975.

  _______. “The Bee Gees’ Millennial Fever.” Rolling Stone. April 5, 1979.

  _______. Review of After Dark. Rolling Stone. April 17, 1980.

  Humphrey, David. “Family Keeps Vigil as Singer Recovers from Emergency Op.” Western Daily Press. January 11, 2003.

  “Illness Wrecks Bee Gees Tour.” Melody Maker. August 3, 1968.

  “It’s the Song That Matters Now . . . Says Bee Gee Barry.” Melody Maker. January 13, 1968.

  “I’ve Never Paid My Dues! Why Andy Gibb Is Scared of Success.” Teen Beat. July 1979.

  Jerome, Jim. “It’s Singles Time for Bee Gee Baby Andy Gibb: He’s Got 1977’s No. 1 Hit and a Marital Split.” People. November 14, 1978.

  _______. “Bee Gee Mania.” People. August 6, 1979.

  Johnson, Jane. “Life with Robin’s Cupboard Loves.” Daily Mirror. August 24, 1995.

  Johnson, Rebecca. “Family Vigil as Bee Gee Robin ‘Slips into Coma.’” Express. April 14, 2012.

  Jones, Nick. “Bee Gees: Who Needs Drugs to Make Music?” Melody Maker. December 16, 1967.

  Jones, Tony. “Bee Gees Lose a Brother and the Harmony Is Gone.” Advertiser. January 13, 2003.

  Katz, Robin. “In the Family Way.” Record Mirror. July 16, 1977.

  Kernis, Mark. “The Bee Gees: Still Ready for a New Start.” Washington Post. March 2, 1979.

  Kirk, Cynthia. “The Bee Gees Sue Stigwood in N.Y. for Coin & Freedom After Audit.” Variety. October 15, 1980.

  Kirkeby, Marc. “Bee Gees Sue Stigwood, Charge Mismanagement.” Rolling Stone. November 23, 1980.

  Kozak, Roman. “Backstage at a Gift of Song.” Billboard. February 3, 1979.

  Kubernik, Harvey. “How the Bee Gees Captured America.” Melody Maker. January 21, 1978.

  Laverty, Marilyn. “You Can Fool . . .” Record Mirror. August 12, 1978.