Barry Gibb, the last living member of the Bee Gees, says the happiest times for him and his brothers came before they were famous. The Bee Gees were a group made up of Barry and his brothers Robin and Maurice, who sang fun songs like “Stayin’ Alive” that lots of people loved. But Barry says things were better when they were just kids making music together, before everyone knew their names.
Barry told a newspaper called The Guardian that fame can be really hard. He said it’s like being in the middle of a big storm and not even knowing it. When the Bee Gees got super famous, it was tough for his brothers. Robin and Maurice had problems with drinking and drugs, and their younger brother Andy did too. Sadly, all three of them passed away—Andy in 1988, Maurice in 2003, and Robin in 2012. Barry wishes they had been closer before they died, but they weren’t talking much at the end.
Barry was lucky, though. His wife, Linda, who he’s been married to for 50 years, kept him safe. She wouldn’t let him get into trouble like his brothers did. If he brought drugs home, she’d flush them away! Barry says she helped him stay on the right path.
Back when they started, the brothers didn’t care who sang the main part of a song—they just had fun. Their first big hit, “Massachusetts,” had Robin singing the lead, and Barry thinks Robin wanted to keep doing that. But in the Bee Gees, they all shared the singing. Whoever had an idea for a song got to sing it.
Barry loved making music with his brothers, especially singing in harmony, which is when their voices blended together perfectly. Even though he thought about quitting after Robin died, he decided to keep going. He wants to make sure people still hear and love the Bee Gees’ music. That’s his big goal now—to keep their songs alive for everyone to enjoy.
