Quotes from the brothers Barry, Robin and Maurice.
'We have two careers as composers and artists, the two go together but are separate as well. We are composers firstly. There is no greater thrill than to write a song for someone you love in mind and then to hear them sing it. Pop and country are very close – Islands in the Stream became a country record.'
For me Islands in the Stream is one of the greatest love songs ever – along with Massachusetts which holds special memories for me.
'People are lazy – harmony and melodies require work!.'
Harmony and melody is a big part of their music, when siblings sing together there is such a special subtle blend.
The Bee Gees are a musical group which originally comprised three brothers: Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb. The trio were successful for most of their 40-plus years of recording music, but they had two distinct periods of exceptional success: as a pop act in the late 1960s and early 1970s and as prominent performers of the disco music era in the late 1970s. The group sang three-part tight harmonies that were instantly recognisable; Robin's clear vibrato lead was a hallmark of their earlier hits, while Barry's R&B falsetto became their signature sound during the late 1970s and 1980s. The brothers co-wrote all of their own hits, as well as writing and producing several major hits for other artists.
It has been estimated that the Bee Gees' career record sales total more than 220 million, making them one of the best-selling music artists of all time. Only Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Michael Jackson and Paul McCarney have outsold the Bee Gees.