The bee gees the biography amazon

This biography has been criticized by other reviewers for various inaccuracies. People like me, who are rather latent Bee Gees fans, really would not recognize any errors or care much if they are there. Personally, I had a ton of fun reading through the personal and musical facts about an amazingly gifted set of brothers. Anyone who has listened to these performers’ beautiful three-part harmony in their hundreds of original songs over the decades knows their talent is the focus that matters. I had a vinyl Bees Gees album once way back in the mid-1970s, and rather liked “How Can You Mend a Broken Heart” and “Run to Me,” but stopped short of thinking the guys were very cool. Author David N. Meyer says much the same thing, “Always trying too hard, The Bee Gees never got near hipness or cool.” Meyer also does not hesitate to throw out descriptions such as “buck-toothed,” “twerpy,” and “biggest dork in the universe” to describe the boys in certain early singing moments as children in Manchester, England, teens in Australia, and contemporaries of the Beatles in 1960s London. And then there were their clothes, especially during the disco era of 1979, which included “the crotch-grabbing glimmering trousers” (seen in the photo on the book’s cover). Meyer notes that everyone looked awful during the disco era, (but) “give the Bees Gees a fashion period and they always chose the worst possible options.” Maybe if Robin and Maurice looked more like “Alpha brother” Barry? It’s not that the fraternal twins were not attractive—they were, each in his own way. But their coolness factor pales next to their elder, taller brother with his luscious hair and movie star looks. Then there was the fact that Barry was bossy and a bit of a glory hog, grabbing most of the good solos for himself, an irksome habit that led Robin to leave the group for 15 months in 1969-70, and cut a solo album. The author does not sugar coat the problems of the Brothers Gibb such as the ups and downs of their record sales, see-sawing critical responses, and their frequent in-house squabbling, as well as the tragedies of drugs, alcohol, and untimely deaths. But again, the narrative focuses mainly on the bottomless talent with which all of the Bee Gees were endowed as well as the basic sweetness and closeness of the Gibb family—four brothers, one older sister (who stayed behind in Australia to raise her family), a loving mum and dad (who lived most of their lives with or near one son or another), three long-lasting (second) marriages to lovely, supportive wives, and plenty of posterity (which now includes a growing number of Bee Gee grandchildren). Ultimately, the proof of their talent is in the sales. Only the Beatles, Paul McCartney, Madonna, Michael Jackson and Garth Brooks, have sold more recordings worldwide. One chapter follows the meteoric, but short, solo career of youngest brother Andy, a smaller clone of Barry—gorgeous, golden, talented, but doomed. The whole family adored Andy, and by the time he was 19 years old, so did a bevy of giddy fans. But Andy's elder brothers, who had carefully overseen his career development, grew exasperated with his tendency to tank every good thing that came his way. Lacking the grit and confidence that the Bee Gees gained as they clawed their way up performing as boys on the street corners of Manchester and the night clubs of Brisbane, Andy suffered from melancholy, and fell victim to the party and drug culture that too often follows sudden fame. His long-term use of alcohol and cocaine caused a fatal heart infection days after his thirtieth birthday in 1988. Similar tales of devastation plagued the family as they lost dad Hugh in 1992, Maurice, a recovered alcoholic, who died suddenly from complications of twisted intestine in 2003, and Robin, who stoically endured a bout with cancer before his death in 2012. Patriarch Barry, now the last Bee Gee standing, has made efforts in recent years to continue concerts and tributes to help assure that the group’s music endures, which, of course, it does. Meyer meticulously chronicles the genesis and trajectory of the Bee Gees’ best-loved tunes. If a reader comes across unfamiliar song title or wishes to see the boys in a certain concert (or their first appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show), one need only close the Kindle book for a moment, go to YouTube, and voilà. What a blessing to have such technology at our fingertips, and what a musical legacy with which to enjoy it.