The only surviving drummer of the band is Geoff Bridgford, who was once referred to as the last non-Gibb brother to be an official Bee Gee. He started working with the band in 1971 to replace Colin and after recording the single "Alive," he left the brothers in February 1972.
Of the Bee Gees trio, only Barry remains. Maurice passed away at 53 in 2003, and Robin in 2012 at 62. At 78 years old, Barry's latest album released is "Greenfields" (2020), where he collaborates with country artists like Dolly Parton and Alison Krauss. He has been involved as an executive producer in the making of a biopic about him and his brothers, set to premiere next fall. It is rumored that Ridley Scott will direct it, and Bradley Cooper would portray Barry.
The group was formed in 1958, and except for a few years of distance, they remained together until 2003. In the 70s, they became the kings of disco music with "Stayin' Alive" and "Night Fever," featured in the movie "Saturday Night Live" (1977). At their peak, the lives of Maurice, Andy, and Barry were fueled by alcohol and drugs, causing serious harm around them. For example, Robin would sometimes not show up at concerts, and Maurice became unmanageable due to alcohol. They didn't hesitate to squander money on lavish mansions and luxury cars, especially Rolls Royces, which they drove themselves.
There seems to be a kind of curse with the Gibbs, as the fourth brother, Andy, a teen idol in the 70s and 80s, passed away at 30 in 1988 after breaking up with actress Victoria Principal, who was then at the peak of her career for her role as Pamela Barnes Ewing in the series "Dallas" (1978-1987).
Despite the sadness, Barry Gibb continued recording in the studio, performing in concerts, and attending various award ceremonies. Undoubtedly, music helped him cope with the pain of losing his loved ones. In 1966, he married Maureen Bates at 19, but they divorced in July 1970. The love of his life has been Linda Gray, a former Miss Edinburgh, with whom he has had a stable marriage since September 1970. Together, they have five children, Stephen (51), Ashley (47), Travis (43), Michael (40), and Alexandra (33). The couple enjoys being grandparents to their seven grandchildren.
Barry and Linda met in 1967 during a recording of the music program "Top of the Pops," where she was the host, and they were performing their hit "Massachusetts." He once confessed in an interview that "when we first saw each other, I thought it was love at first sight. Then I thought, 'That's the woman I'm going to spend the rest of my life with'."
Barry Gibb, with his wife Linda Gray and their five children.GTRES
Since 1974, the family has been living in Miami, but they still own a property in England. After the legendary Johnny Cash's death, the former Bee Gees member bought his mansion to preserve his legacy, but a fire during renovations completely destroyed it.
The deaths of his brothers turned Barry into an excessively cautious person. Obsessed with the fragility of life, he admits to being terrified of everyday tasks like boiling water in a kettle or driving at high speeds. The singer, who also fears fire, avoids any activity he deems too risky, such as riding a roller coaster.
Geoff Bridgford, the last drummer of the group
Geoff Bridgford's life is full of coincidences, as while working at an advertising company in Melbourne, he played as a drummer in several bands, including The Groove, Steve and the Board, where he replaced Colin Petersen, whom the Bee Gees had hired.
Shortly after, he formed the Australian bands The Groove and Tin Tin, and while with this pop-rock group, he recorded the album "The Loner" in 1969 with Maurice Gibb, which was never released. In 1971, Tin Tin had a one-hit wonder with the song "Toast and Marmalade for Tea." During that time, the aforementioned bands knew the Bee Gees, and whenever Bridgford visited Sydney, he would hang out at the Gibb brothers' house, although they were not close friends.
When in 1971 Colin Petersen decided to leave the Bee Gees to pursue success in England, Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb asked Geoff Bridgford to join them as a drummer. Their first major success was with "Trafalgar": "We were a four-member band, we fed off each other, and I never got involved in the vocal part or even in co-writing for the Bee Gees, but as a drummer, I am very proud of my contribution to the album 'Trafalgar'." It was the band's ninth album, with "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" being the single that gave them their first number one in the United States.
Against all odds, Bridgford left the Bee Gees in February 1972 because he couldn't handle the troubled lives of the brothers consumed by alcohol and drugs. Coupled with the fact that the drummer had become the first Australian musician to top the American charts, it caused significant emotional imbalance for him.
Bridgford also fell into substance abuse but managed to stop. After experiencing various mental issues and losing touch with himself, it was time to leave behind the Gibb brothers' lifestyle to find stability with his wife and daughter.
Influenced by the Beatles and their quest for inner peace, especially George Harrison, the drummer quickly turned to meditation and traveled to India. "Returning to my wife and son somewhat consolidated sanity in my life to continue with what happened from then on," he stated in an interview. From the spring of 1972, he took a break from pop and rock, traveled back to India, and upon his return to Australia, signed with a small record label.