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Robin reigns
Having sold more than 220 million records, the Bee Gees have truly earned their place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. But Robin Gibb predicts the days of big music catalogues like theirs are now over.
- By Marie-Louise Olson, Staff Reporter
- Published: 01:28 January 31, 2008
- Image Credit: AP
- The Bee Gees: Maurice, Barry and Robin Gibb, at a party following the Hollywood premiere of Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band in 1978.
Having sold more than 220 million records, the Bee Gees have truly earned their place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. But Robin Gibb predicts the days of big music catalogues like theirs are now over.
The day Robin Gibb and his brothers Maurice and Barry first sat down to write the songs for the soundtrack of Saturday Night Fever in 1977, they had no idea that they would create a cultural revolution, indeed a whole new era in the music industry. In fact, they had never heard of the term "disco" before.
Thirty years on, the Bee Gees' music is still very much stayin' alive, so to speak. With more than 220 million records sold, they are among the best-selling artists of all time, only surpassed by such greats as Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson and the Beatles.
Robin was born in 1949 on the Isle of Man, in the UK. Nine years later, the family moved to Australia where the brothers had their first break with their debut album The Bee Gees' Sing and Play 14 Barry Gibb Songs. Their first real taste of fame came when they moved back to the UK where Polydor Records signed them and announced that they were "The Most Significant Talent of 1967".
At the time they were often mistaken for the Beatles, which was an important factor in getting their songs played on the radio stations.
Success
In 1975, at Eric Clapton's suggestion, the brothers moved to Miami, Florida, and began creating more rhythmic songs with Barry starting to sing falsetto. This was a new sound for the group which became immensely popular.
Their subsequent album, Children of the World with the single You Should Be Dancing skyrocketed them to stardom. But it was with the songs Stayin' Alive, How Deep Is Your Love and Night Fever on the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack that made the Bee Gees immortal.
Their success continued with many more albums and No 1 hits in the charts. But when Maurice died unexpectedly in 2003, Robin and Barry decided to put their stage name the Bee Gees to rest.
Robin, although deeply affected by his twin brother's death, continued to do what he loves best — compose music. In 2006 he released an album of Christmas carols called Robin Gibb — My Favourite Carols and continues to tour the world delighting his fans wherever he might roam.
Through an email interview, Robin Gibb talks to tabloid! as he gears up to play at the Skywards Dubai International Jazz Festival:
How do you feel about coming to Dubai, and the Middle East in general, to perform?
It is a privilege and an honour to come to Dubai for the first time to perform. I am looking forward to it very much, and I hope to come next time with my brother Barry.
How do you think and hope the audience will react to your show?
It will be interesting to see how the audience react. I just do the show and perform the songs and usually the audience feels good. When they feel good, I do too. I have been told there is a "happy" feeling when they hear the music. I only want people to feel happy.
Tell me about your latest projects in terms of collaborations and releasing more singles... perhaps another album?
I never stop writing melodies and songs, whether with my brothers or on my own. Barry and I are working on separate solo albums and projects at the moment but it does not rule out plans for the future.
You've been performing a lot recently. Is that what you intend to continue doing or will your career path change directions in any way?
I will always continue to do what I do best, whether composing or performing. My greatest love is composing.
What is your favourite part of your job? Songwriting? Producing? Performing?
Composing, without a doubt. We, as the Bee Gees, have one of the most successful catalogues in the world only because of our dedication to composing new songs.
When you look back on the days of the Bee Gees, what would you change or do differently if you had the chance?
I do not think there is anything I would have changed. We have enjoyed such a wonderful successful career in the world and that makes it difficult to think of making any changes. I suppose we would have liked not to suffer the tragedies in our lives. No amount of success takes that tragedy away, but that is life and we have been blessed with our achievements.
I've got to ask: which is your personal favourite Bee Gees song?
How Deep Is Your Love. I also like Woman In Love that we wrote for Barbra Streisand, and Islands In The Stream for Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton.
How does it feel to know that the Bee Gees are one of the most covered bands in the world?
It feels great to be one of the most covered bands in the world. How could it be otherwise? Knowing that the music is appreciated and the songs are loved enough to be sung by others is a wonderful thing.
The Bee Gees were reborn in the disco era with Saturday Night Fever. Did you welcome that change to your style of music, when it was previously more ballad-driven?
At the time we wrote Saturday Night Fever we were just writing r 'n' b music for our next album. We had written the songs before we knew about the plans for a film, and when approached to do the music, we offered our new album. We were not aware of the word "disco" being part of a culture out there at the time.
No-one was doing what we did before we did it, so we were not following a trend nor were we aware that we were about to set a trend either. Fever just sparked the imaginations of millions all over the world. It was something that could not have been planned or predicted.
Was there any particular artist or group who was your inspiration when you first started making music?
The Beatles were the greatest influence because they were songwriters as well, but we had other influences in our earlier childhood too. I always liked hymns and carols and choirs because of the harmonies.
How did the falsetto singing-style come about and develop within the Bee Gees — is it safe to say that it's your trademark sound?
When Arif Mardin was producing Nights On Broadway, the falsetto was an ad-lib in the song, although the lead vocal was not falsetto. However, Barry experimented and tried it as a lead vocal in Tragedy and it worked, so I suppose it became a trademark of ours at that time. We have always had tremendous range with our voices doing three part harmonies, and those harmonies were already a Bee Gees trademark, so it was easy to try something new.
When you look back at your amazing music career, which moment would you say was the most memorable?
There were many memorable moments, and most of them were in our writing. Each new song was like a discovery. It has been very fulfilling to hear others singing our songs. I suppose those are greater accolades and rewards than any awards that might be given.
What's your opinion about the music that's popular these days? Do you think the music industry in terms of depth and quality is getting better or worse?
The crafting of the melody seems to be disappearing. Without a doubt, the music industry is getting worse. It is no longer about music and artists and songwriters. It is "style over substance", with the industry being run by business people and lawyers. The image has taken over from the song. Not enough chances are taken on new songwriters or new innovative ideas. The time of the big music catalogues like ours has probably passed.
Awards
In 1994, Robin Gibb was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and in 1997 the Bee Gees were inducted as a group into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Robin was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2001/2002 New Year's Honours List, along with his brothers Maurice and Barry.
Robin and Barry Gibb both received Honorary Doctor of Music Degrees from the University of Manchester in May 2004.
Robin's albums
- 1970: Robin's Reign.
- 1970: Sing Slowly Sisters.
- 1985: Walls Have Eyes.
- 2003: Magnet
- 2005: Robin Gibb with the Neue Philharmonie Frankfurt Orchestra Live
- 2006: My Favourite Christmas Carols
The event
- What: Robin Gibb live at the Skywards Dubai International Jazz Festival.
- Where: Dubai Media City Amphitheatre.
- When: March 1.
- Time: Doors open at 4pm, show starts at 10pm.
- Tickets: Dh250.
- Visit: www.boxofficeme.com
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