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Andy Gibb |
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#1 |
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Join Date: Jan 2004
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Andy Gibb
For those that have never heard of him, he was the younger brother of the Bee Gees - he was born 5th March 1958, eight years younger than Robin and Maurice and eleven years younger than Barry.
I've only ever heard him sing one song (Andy was apparently never too popular in the UK, or doesn't seem to have been at least) - and that was Don't Throw It All Away (Our Love). I think it's a lovely song, though, and I do think Andy had a nice voice. Also, from what I've read about him, he seems to have been a very sweet person, and an adorable little brother to have. I would have loved to have had Andy as my baby brother! Sadly, he died 10th March 1988, only five days after he turned 30. He hadn't been taking drugs at the time of his death - he'd been free of them for quite a while. He died of a heart infection, viral myocarditis, although admittedly, his drug use probably weakened his heart and made him more susceptible to getting an infection. But his past drug use didn't directly cause his death - although at the time, some papers erroneously reported that he'd died of a drug overdose. Is there anyone here who likes him? |
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#2 |
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Location: Middle England
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I will join you in your admiration for Andy - one of the most underrated and unappreciated singers ever.
If anyone wants to like the idea of the Bee Gees but can't get past the falsettos and (admittedly) rather sleazy 'white suit' Saturday Night Fever image the album to go for is Andy's 'After Dark' - truly one of the greatest albums ever released. Everyone I've ever played it to wanted to get a copy straight after they'd heard it. Barry's song writing in his peak creative period, and at its best. And Andy despite (allegedly) already being only semi-alive through his lifestyle choices, sounds like a warmer, more sensitive version of his older brothers. If you only buy one CD this year make it 'After Dark', you won't regret it
Last edited by N X M : 17-09-2006 at 00:20. |
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#3 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 4,333
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Quote:
Originally Posted by N X M
If anyone wants to like the idea of the Bee Gees but can't get past the falsettos and (admittedly) rather sleazy 'white suit' Saturday Night Fever image the album to go for is Andy's 'After Dark' - truly one of the greatest albums ever released.
OK, I know he died young and it was tragic (though no matter what the OP claims, at least 50% self-inflicted)...but ARE YOU SURE ABOUT THAT??
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#4 |
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SGE
OK, I know he died young and it was tragic (though no matter what the OP claims, at least 50% self-inflicted)...but ARE YOU SURE ABOUT THAT?? ![]() I did say that Andy's death was brought about by his past drugs use. There's no denying that - his use of cocaine obviously weakened his heart, and there were periods in the 1980s when he was very unhealthy. But what I'm saying is, it wasn't as though Andy was taking a lot of drugs at the time he died, and his actual death came about because of an infection of his heart. This wasn't directly related to him taking drugs, although his past drug use had made his heart more susceptible to such viruses. I think one of Andy's worst problems was his various insecurities. From basically the word go, he was compared with his brothers. He really admired them (particularly Barry, who was his hero) and I don't think he ever felt he could become as good as them. Apart from all this, though, it seems Andy was a really lovely person - like his brothers. Last edited by BeeGeesFan : 17-09-2006 at 10:31. |
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#5 |
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BeeGeesFan
Apart from all this, though, it seems Andy was a really lovely person - like his brothers.
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#6 |
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OK, I'm not claiming that 'After Dark' is in the same category of musical genius as say 'What's going on' or 'Kind of blue' but if I was on a desert island and could only have 20 albums it would be one of them.
I come back to the fact that, even at the time, the Bee Gees image was (for most people) a joke, with the teeth and the hair and the suits but the image obscured the fact that, in the late 70's and early 80's, Barry Gibb was one of the best songwriters around, creating hits not just for his brothers but for artistes such as Diana Ross and Barbra Streisand. 'After Dark' is, imho, Barry at his best and in Andy (and Olivia Newton-John on two tracks) he probably had the most sympathetic interpreter(s) of his work. I know a lot of people won't like it, that goes without saying for any type of music, but if you're willing to put aside your prejudices and be open-minded you'll find an album full of beautifully produced and insanely catchy songs |
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#7 |
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Join Date: May 2006
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NXM, if you don't mind, can I ask you how old you are?
I seem to remember Kenny Everett's Bee Gees sketch where he drank the potions that gradually turned him into a Bee Gee but, other than that, I don't remember them being seen as a joke. The image they adopted in the late 70s was in keeping with the route their music had taken and what they were promoting. It was totally different from the band they had been (even the falsettos) and the image they had had when they started in the 60s and the image they developed from the mid-80s. On the subject of Andy, I absolutely loved his voice and music and I agree he was indeed a sad and tragic early loss, self-inflicted or not. Last edited by sHAYneWARD : 17-09-2006 at 11:17. |
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#8 |
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Join Date: May 2006
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Quote:
Originally Posted by belleooo
I seem to remember his brothers taking a strop on a television show because they didn't like the questions they were being asked. I think it may have been the Clive Anderson show? But not 100% sure about that. They came across to me as being cocky and arrogant. I was rather hoping that this was a one off as I liked their music too. But it certainly put me off them. As for Andy, he was really into his drugs big time. So it was of no surprise that it finally caught up to him. Saying that it was an awful demise for such a young and talented man.
If it was the Clive Anderson show, I'm not at all surprised. I'm often surprised people don't walk out of his show sometimes. I'm sure no one can find him anywhere near as amusing as he finds himself. |
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#9 |
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Quote:
Originally Posted by belleooo
I seem to remember his brothers taking a strop on a television show because they didn't like the questions they were being asked. I think it may have been the Clive Anderson show? But not 100% sure about that. They came across to me as being cocky and arrogant. I was rather hoping that this was a one off as I liked their music too. But it certainly put me off them.
But I've seen the Bee Gees in many interviews, and they can be hilarious. They're not arrogant at all - they're very friendly, down-to-earth people, and I've heard they always take time to talk to their fans. The Clive Anderson show was most definitely a one-off. Trust me, Barry, Robin and Maurice really are/were very nice people. I watched Robin on the second series of Fame Academy (the only reason I watched was because he was one of the judges) and he was nice to all of the students, even when they hadn't performed well, which wasn't always true of some of the other judges. A lot of people criticised Robin, as they felt he wasn't really offering a proper opinion, but I've watched it numerous times now, and I feel he was giving valid opinions, but he was putting them in a nice and gentle way. Watching Robin as a judge on Fame Academy is proof to anyone that he's a lovely, very nice guy - he was never argumentative, never raised his voice, he just remained very gentle. |
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#10 |
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BeeGeesFan, I agree with you that Andy was indeed a nice person. In 1973, along with my Mum and Dad, (seems odd going to a concert with your parents, but I was very young and they were also fans) I went to a Beegees concert in London, and spotted Andy in the audience (being a fan, I knew what he and their Mum, Dad, sister etc looked like!). I told my Dad and in the interval we went up to Andy and asked him if he could get the Beegee's autographs. He was only too happy and nipped off backstage, returning with the precious programme, signed by all three boys. I knew it was genuine, having met Maurice before and having his autograph already, and it was identical. At the last second, Dad asked Andy to sign the programme himself. He said 'but I'm not famous', laughed and signed. He must have been 15 at the time. I was so proud of having the autographs of all four Gibb brothers, I still have it. I always knew he'd be as famous as his brothers. By the way, Maurice was an absolute gentleman, as nice as you'd imagine. I miss him immensely.
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#11 |
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You're so lucky, Radiomaniac! Yes, Andy was 15 in 1973. I always enjoy hearing of people's encounters with the brothers; they always have positive things to say.
Andy was a really cute little boy as well - I've seen photos of him when I was young and video footage of him when he was a young child (I've got two video biographies of the Bee Gees, and bits of home movies the family made in the 1960s are shown.) |
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#12 |
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BeeGeesFan
Andy was a really cute little boy as well - I've seen photos of him when I was young and video footage of him when he was a young child (I've got two video biographies of the Bee Gees, and bits of home movies the family made in the 1960s are shown.)
However, their mother has always commented on how Andy and Barry were practically identical from birth and right through different stages of their lives, far more alike than the twins, even down to having the same birthmark, despite having been born 12 years apart. I remember the 'Audience with the Bee Gees' show when Maurice was still alive and a montage they did with Andy singing on video in the background with their accompaniment on stage. It was very touching. Last edited by FrankieB : 17-09-2006 at 16:44. |
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#13 |
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Quote:
Originally Posted by FrankieB
However, their mother has always commented on how Andy and Barry were practically identical from birth and right through different stages of their lives, far more alike than the twins, even down to having the same birthmark, despite having been born 12 years apart.
There was an interview that Andy gave in April 1969, when he was 11 years old, where he's saying lovely things. He says of Barry: "I think he's my favourite brother. He's so kind and generous and when he comes to visit us, he plays with me. I've only got to ask for something and he'll buy it for me. I think he's too soft-hearted, people can talk him into things, and he hates hurting anyone. I see him about twice a week. He takes me out for rides in his Bentley, but he doesn't let me have a go at driving it, though! I go up to his flat sometimes, and we play together. He's very kind and generous, and when I grow up, I hope I'm like him." Doesn't Andy sound like an adorable little brother? And you're right, Andy and Barry were incredibly alike in appearance. I saw a photo of Andy where he'd temporarily grown a beard, and he looked like a clone of Barry. |
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OK, I know he died young and it was tragic (though no matter what the OP claims, at least 50% self-inflicted)...but ARE YOU SURE ABOUT THAT??