Legends of Rock & Roll: The Bee Gees

"It's All About the Music!"

Welcome to another in the Legends of Rock & Roll series.

This is, like the others, a mini-biography of one the greatest performers, The Bee Gees.

I love the music of the 20th Century, especially rock and roll and everything that came after. The Bees Gees had two careers, one in the Sixties when they sounded a lot like the Beatles and again in the late Seventies when they defined the music of Disco for the world.

The Bee Gees were born in England, moved to Australia where they got their start and then moved back to England and then eventually took up residence in America.
This book is about the group, but even more importantly, it's about the music. This series is my way of honoring the people that have brought so much joy to our lives over the years. The Bee Gees defined music for a generation.

This is an unauthorized fan tribute.

Inside you'll find:

Introduction - Remarks about The Bee Gees in general and a kick-off for the book.
The Brothers Growing Up - Their early years from birth in England to leaving for Australia.
Moving to Australia - The family decides that Australia is the place to be.
The Bee Gees Are Born - How did they get their name and were they an overnight success?
Working Their Way Up - The first few years are a struggle, but they persevere.
Moving Back to England - Realizing there is more of an audience in England, the family moves back.
“New York Mining Disaster 1941” - What's the significance of their first hit?
“To Love Somebody” - Their second hit does about as well as their first one did.
“(The Lights Went Out in) Massachusetts” - They had never been to the United States, let alone Massachusetts, they just liked the sound of the word.
“I Started a Joke” - A touching story of father and son that relates to this song.
Split Up For Awhile - Having the disputes that often come with a small team working close together, the group separates for a while.
Solo Period - The guys all get involved with solo projects.
Reunited - Realizing that the whole is greater than the sum, they decide to get back together.
“Jive Talkin’” - Barry Gibb writes the song that will define the group for the next several years.
“Children of the World” - A great album which highlighted the new falsetto Barry Gibb sound.
“Saturday Night Fever” - The soundtrack and movie that kept disco and the Bee Gees alive, producing three number one hits.
“How Deep Is Your Love” - A little detail on the songs from "Saturday Night Fever".
“Spirits Having Flown” - The follow-up to "Saturday Night Fever" that also produced three number one songs.
Disco is Dead - Seemingly overnight, disco fell out of favor with the public and the Bee Gees died with it.
The Bee Gees Start to Fade Away - With disco gone, they had trouble getting their own work played, so they wrote for others.
The Loss of Andy Gibb - Their younger brother Andy, dies at the age of 30.
Maurice - In 2003, one of the twins, Maurice Gibb, passes away unexpectedly.
Robin - In 2012, we lose the other twin, Robin Gibb. The Bee Gees are over.
Legacy of The Bee Gees - Every Legends book has a Legacy section where we review the awards and contributions of the artist.
Afterword - My closing thoughts.
Grammy Awards - A list of the Grammy Awards won by the group.
Selected Discography - A list of the major works by The Bee Gees.