inu-liger 20.05.2012 20:57 |
http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/Entertainment/20120520/robin-gibb-obituary-120520/
LONDON — Robin Gibb, one of the three Bee Gees whose falsetto harmonies powered such hits as "Stayin' Alive" and "Night Fever" and defined the flashy disco era died Sunday, his representative said. He was 62. Gibb's family announced in a statement that "Robin passed away today following his long battle with cancer and intestinal surgery," Gibb's representative Doug Wright said. "The family have asked that their privacy is respected at this very difficult time," it said. The band of Gibb brothers was famed for the influential 1977 "Saturday Night Fever" soundtrack that became one of the fastest-selling albums of all time with its innovative fusion of harmony and pulsing dance floor rhythms. The album remains a turning point in popular music history, ending the hard rock era and ushering in a time when dance music ruled supreme. "Saturday Night Fever" -- actually a compilation album featuring the Bee Gees but including songs by other performers -- represented the pinnacle of Gibb's career, but he enjoyed more than 40 years of prominence as a Bee Gee, as a solo artist, and as a songwriter and producer for other artists. Gibb was for decades a familiar figure on the pop stage, starting out in the 1960s when the Bee Gees were seen as talented Beatles copycats. They sounded so much like the Beatles at first that there were strong rumours that the Bee Gees' singles were really the Beatles performing under another name. Many late-'60s bands were quickly forgotten, but the Bee Gees transformed themselves into an enduring A-List powerhouse with the almost unbelievable, and certainly unexpected, success of the song "Stayin' Alive" and others from the "Saturday Night Fever" soundtrack. The movie it accompanied also catapulted the young John Travolta to cinematic stardom. The Bee Gees went on to sell more than 200 million records and had a long string of successful singles, clearing their way to induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. There are more than 6,000 cover versions of their songs -- a substantial testament to their continued popularity. The name Bee Gees was short for Brothers Gibb. They consisted of Barry Gibb, the eldest, and twins Robin Gibb and Maurice Gibb, who died of intestinal and cardiac problems in 2003. The brothers' three-part harmonies became their musical signature, particularly in the disco phase, when Barry's matchless falsetto often dominated, and they were renowned for their wide-ranging songwriting and producing skills. The Gibbs were born in England on the Isle of Man, an island in the Irish Sea, but moved to Australia with their parents in 1958 when they were still young and began their musical career there. They had been born into a musical family, with a father who was a drummer and bandleader and a mother who liked to sing. After several hits in Australia, their career started to really take off when they returned to England in 1967 and linked up with promoter Robert Stigwood. After several hits and successful albums, Robin Gibb left the group in 1969 after a series of disagreements, some focusing on whether he or Barry should be lead vocalist. He released some successful solo material -- most notably "Saved by the Bell" -- before rejoining his brothers in 1970 and scoring a major hit with "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart." The Gibbs then suffered some slack years -- searching for a style that could sustain them in the post-Beatles era -- and Barry Gibb started experimenting with falsetto vocals, first on backup, and then in the lead position. The brothers were at a low point when they went into a French studio to try to come up with some songs for the "Saturday Night Fever" soundtrack at the urging of Stigwood. The success of those tunes -- closely linked to the popularity of the movie, and the power of the disco movement -- changed their lives forever, giving them a string of number one hits. After several years of chart success, the Gibbs spent much of the 1980s writing songs and producing records for other artists, working closely with top talents such as Barbra Streisand, Dionne Warwick, Diana Ross and Dolly Parton. They also continued touring and releasing their own records. Gibb also released more solo albums, including "Secret Agent," during this period. The band continued in the 1990s, gaining recognition for their body of work with induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Then came Maurice's sudden death in 2003. The surviving brothers announced that the name Bee Gees would be retired with Maurice Gibbs' death, although Robin and Barry did collaborate on projects and Robin Gibb continued his solo career and extensive touring despite mounting health problems. Robin Gibb had to cancel several engagements in 2011, including one with Prime Minister David Cameron, and he showed an alarming weight loss on his rare public appearances. He was hospitalized briefly in 2011 with what doctors said was an inflamed colon, and had several intestinal surgeries to remove growths. One of his final projects was a classical requiem with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra that he co-wrote with his son RJ to mark the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. Younger brother Andy Gibb, who also enjoyed considerable chart success as a solo artist, had died in 1988 just after turning 30. He suffered from an inflamed heart muscle attributed to a severe viral infection. Robin Gibb remained emotionally attached to the Isle of Man, keeping a house there as well as homes in rural Oxfordshire, England, and Miami. He was a vegan who did not drink alcohol. He also became involved with numerous charities and worked to establish a permanent memorial to the veterans of Britain's World War II Bomber Command and recorded songs honouring British veterans. Gibb is survived by his second wife, Dwina, and four children, as well as his older brother, fellow Bee Gee Barry Gibb, and his sister Lesley Evans, who lives in Australia |
Sebastian 21.05.2012 07:12 |
I'd been preparing myself for it for the last two months or so, as I was aware he was very ill, yet it did hit me hard when I heard it on the radio this morning. The Bee Gees were one of those groups I always listened to since I was a kid, and their music never abandoned me (contrary to say, Led Zeppelin, which I loved for a while but have hardly listened to in the last 11 years). Robin will probably be more remembered for singing 'I Started a Joke' and 'Massachusetts' (sp?) as well as the first verse of '...Get a Message to You' and the lead on 'NY Mining Disaster', yet many of his other talents have always been overlooked: his falsetto, while not as famous as Barry's, was wonderful (e.g. the lift on 'Staying Alive', where he's actually singing a *higher* harmony on top of Barry's). He sang (and composed) what was in my estimation the best Bee Gees song ever, 'Odessa' (which has an indirect Queen connexion as its cellist, Paul Buckmaster, was the man Brian recommended to score the orchestra on Flash Gordon, but he was sacked by the film producers and they got Howard Blake to replace him). Unbeknownst to many, Robin was also a very good piano player and could also play some violin. |
queenUSA 21.05.2012 07:27 |
Robin Gibb was my favorite Bee Gee. |
Sebastian 21.05.2012 07:45 |
Mine was Maurice. But they were all great (Barry still is, of course). |
thomasquinn 32989 21.05.2012 07:56 |
The Bee Gees were a very important and influential group, but I have to admit that I find their music thoroughly unlistenable. Still, work like his Titanic Requiem shows incontrovertibly that Robin Gibb was a very good musician. It's a shame he died - no one deserves to die like that, certainly not at 62. |
MadTheSwine73 21.05.2012 11:04 |
Rest in Peace. |
*goodco* 21.05.2012 14:02 |
As one who is married to a die-hard Bee Gees fan (she saw them twice in the 70s, almost cries when Robin does lead), I've made up a few 'best ofs' to listen to with her. Never a disco fan, I've always enjoyed much of their early releases, grew to actually enjoy the music of their late 70s releases (when performed by tribute bands with the lack of a 'symphony' backing...it's actually damn good), and had to admire their superb song writing. Brian has a good link to a Princes Trust performance from '88, where he's one of the background musicians. It's pretty darn good. link I wish Saturday Night Live didn't block their stuff on youtube. Belushi's 'Samurai Night Fever' skit with Buck Henry was one of my all time favorites. |
blerp 24.05.2012 14:22 |
Rest in Paradise |
david (galashiels) 24.05.2012 17:00 |
i am old enough to remember,andy gibb. i liked him. |
mooghead 27.05.2012 04:35 |
I thought I heard him singing in my herb garden yesterday but it was just the chive talking... |
brENsKi 27.05.2012 16:19 |
"Spirits Having Flown" rest in peace |
GratefulFan 27.05.2012 23:12 |
mooghead wrote: I thought I heard him singing in my herb garden yesterday but it was just the chive talking...Lyric jokes in this situation are COMPLETELY INAPPROPRIATE. Don't be so mean. Robin Gibb is dead, and it's a tragedy. Jeez. |
GratefulFan 27.05.2012 23:14 |
And BTW, how weird is it that the only one left living is the one actually named "Barry". |
emrabt 28.05.2012 01:53 |
Lyric jokes in this situation are COMPLETELY INAPPROPRIATE. Don't be so mean. Robin Gibb is dead, and it's a tragedy. Jeez. ================================= It is ironic though you have to admit that. |
john bodega 28.05.2012 03:24 |
So people shouldn't ask questions like, "How Deep Is Your Coma"? |
inu-liger 28.05.2012 03:51 |
So much for stayin' alive... |
tcc 28.05.2012 03:53 |
It all started with a night fever night fever. |
GratefulFan 28.05.2012 08:21 |
Really people? So that's how it's going to be? Mooghead started a joke, which started the whole world laughing? Shameful! |
emrabt 28.05.2012 08:58 |
Really people? So that's how it's going to be? Mooghead started a joke, which started the whole world laughing? Shameful! =========================== Robin gibb would have probably liked it. I know when i die i want jokes being told. |
GratefulFan 28.05.2012 10:09 |
Either the Bee Gees' catalogue outside Saturday Night Fever is not as well known, or I'm a bit too subtle, or my jokes on this thread just suck. LOL. Tired-ish today so I'm fine with going with the latter if you think that's best. :P |
mooghead 28.05.2012 10:44 |
Nice one GratefulFan, I got it... Apparently before he died Robin Gibb asked the gravedigger if he could be buried next to Maurice. The gravedigger asked 'how deep is your bruv'? (I'll stop now. RIP Robin Gibb) |
GratefulFan 28.05.2012 11:19 |
Actually I heard Maurice was buried but Robin was cremated. The gravedigger pointed at Maurice and said "Dis go Down" and pointed at Robin and said "Dis go Inferno". Sorry. Really. I'm done. Credit to The Trammps. Especially Victoria Principal. Oops sorry again. I'll just go eat lunch now. |
inu-liger 28.05.2012 14:06 |
GratefulFan wrote: Really people? So that's how it's going to be? Mooghead started a joke, which started the whole world laughing? Shameful!Do you realize the irony of your post there? XD |
GratefulFan 28.05.2012 14:57 |
? |
inu-liger 28.05.2012 15:36 |
"I Started A Joke" |
john bodega 29.05.2012 02:21 |
I started to choke. |
GratefulFan 29.05.2012 11:31 |
inu-liger wrote: "I Started A Joke"Ohforgodsake. That's it. I'm out of the play-on-Bee-Gees-lyrics joke business. Clealy I've gotta get a message to you, well in advance, for there to be a hope of you picking up on what is apparently crippling subtlety. Here's what I really think about the whole thing: A deep loss to music and moving and terrible burden of grief on one family. Three brothers, three sons, all too soon, far too much. I feel for them immensely, as I have with each loss. They were incredibly talented and prolific songwriters and though the output wasn't always going to make it to my iPod, I think this is a love song that is a among the best there is: link Peace to all the Gibbs, those gone now and those left behind. |
Holly2003 29.05.2012 11:41 |
Kenny Everett's Bee Gees. link link |
GratefulFan 29.05.2012 16:21 |
Must have been so strange for the Bee Gees to have had so much respect and success through the 60s and the early and middle 70s only to get caught so badly and so abruptly in the disco backlash. I mean they literally became shorthand for everything that was suddenly wrong with the genre. The Stayin' Alive video alone just killed them eventually. And understandably so. Look at it! LOL Took them a long time to pull it all back together, but credit to them that they did. |
mooghead 31.05.2012 12:38 |
Its amazing how one really bad video that seemed like a good idea at the time can kill a band...... :/ |
Micrówave 31.05.2012 14:17 |
GratefulFan wrote: Must have been so strange for the Bee Gees to have had so much respect and success through the 60s and the early and middle 70s only to get caught so badly and so abruptly in the disco backlash. I mean they literally became shorthand for everything that was suddenly wrong with the genre. The Stayin' Alive video alone just killed them eventually. And understandably so. Look at it! LOL Took them a long time to pull it all back together, but credit to them that they did. It wasn't the video. Punk Rock and a harder edge killed the entire genre. It got Chic, The Commodores, even the poor Construction worker from The Village People. The Bee Gees were the only act to live on thru the 80's until now and beyond. Think of how many movies have used Stayin' Alive as some kind of reference to that era... way more than any other disco band. I don't think they were trying to "pull it together". They were quite satisfied with the next phase of their careers, cashing checks and "producing". It's kind of funny how a Commodore and then the Bee Gees kept Country's Kenny Rogers going and gave him some of his biggest hits. |
mr feller 7777 02.06.2012 03:23 |
He died the same day as Great King Rat who was born on the 21st of May died Syphilis 44 on his birthday. |
Missreclusive 04.06.2012 10:49 |
Witty abounds here, thanks for waking up my brain today. |
Hangman_96 04.06.2012 17:56 |
mr feller 7777 wrote: He died the same day as Great King Rat who was born on the 21st of May died Syphilis 44 on his birthday.It's just a coincidence. R.I.P. |
mooghead 05.06.2012 04:52 |
"It's just a coincidence." Are you sure? Its only that I heard that Robin Gibb's family delayed his death with drugs so that he could purposely die on the same day as a fictional character in a Queen song. |
GratefulFan 05.06.2012 06:59 |
Close. They pulled the plug. |