Too Much Heaven: Vale Robin Gibb

After a five decade career Robin Gibb passed away yesterday, aged 62. He was born in the UK in 1949, along with his twin brother Maurice, and in 1959 the family moved to Australia.  Joining with their older brother Barry, the three formed the Bee Gees, making a name for themselves first in Australia, then around the world. Graham Webb, who was one of the first radio announcers to be involved in their early career, has recorded this tribute for radioinfo and his Golden Years of Radio show.  

 

Robin’s quivering voice featured on several of the group’s earliest hits, including New York Mining Disaster 1941, I Started a Joke, Massachusetts, and I’ve Gotta Get a Message to You.

 

Their career stalled for some years while Robin was estranged from the other two brothers for his drug taking and wild partying, but they reunited in the mid 70s and in 1977 had the hit movie soundtrack album Saturday Night Fever. The picture above is from the Saturday Night Fever album cover (Robin is on the left).

 

Webb’s memories of the Gibb brothers go back to their first gigs in Queensland, where another radio DJ, Bill Gates, also played an important role in the early days of the band. Hear the full story in Weby’s tribute by clicking the audio link above.