Colin Petersen, Bee Gees original drummer, dead at 78
The news of his demise became as soon as “sadly” confirmed by Evan Webster of Most productive of the Bee Gees, a tribute band that Petersen played with.
“It’s with a heavy heart we enlighten the passing of our expensive perfect friend Colin ‘Smiley’ Petersen,” Webster wrote on the band’s Fb web page. “He enriched our lives and sure our community with adore, care and admire. No longer obvious how we can tear on without his colorful smile and deep friendship. We adore you Col. Leisure in Peace.”
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Colin Petersen, inset, the novel drummer for the Bee Gees, has died. He became as soon as 78. (Getty Photos)
Petersen played on the albums “Bee Gees’ 1st,” “Horizontal,” “Idea,” “Odessa” and, although uncredited, “Cucumber Castle.”
He accomplished hits including “To Admire Any individual,” “Massachusetts” and “Phrases.”
While Petersen became as soon as an acclaimed musician, he within the starting attach stumbled on status at a young age as pretty one actor, starring within the 1955 movie “Smiley” with Sir Ralph Richardson.
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The movie gave him his nickname – “Smiley” – and further alternatives within the industry, including roles in “Weird Affection” and “A Relate from the Streets.”
Colin Petersen, bottom loyal, accomplished on a desire of Bee Gees tracks. (GAB Archive)
Colin Petersen stumbled on status at a young age as pretty one star in “Smiley.” (LMPC)
Petersen met the Gibb brothers whereas attending college on the Redcliffe Peninsula in Australia and would hear to the Bee Gees recording classes, at remaining playing on early releases of the brothers’ recordsdata.
It became as soon as no longer till Petersen met up with the Gibbs in England that he modified into the first non-Gibb brother of the Bee Gees.
“I became as soon as in actuality pretty imaginative with my playing, however there had been loads of drummers on the time that were technically worthy more developed than I became as soon as,” he suggested the “Weird Brew” podcast in 2022 of his work with the Bee Gees. “Witness, Chuck Berry handiest doubtlessly knew four chords, loyal? So, in most cases if you’re small, you’ve got to be ingenious … I specialize in it’s good to overdo the system and also you salvage to a stage where it’s good to’t demand the wood for the timber. I’ve continuously been a tune man with drumming.”
He officially left the band in 1969, explaining on the podcast that he had disorders with the band’s supervisor, Robert Stigwood. He accused him of “taking an even bigger portion of the pie than he became as soon as entitled to” and declined to advise extra.
Colin Petersen moved to England to pursue music, where he met up with the Gibb brothers. (Keystone)
After cutting ties with the Bee Gees, Petersen formed a band known as Humpy Bong with singer Jonathan Kelly. The band became as soon as immediate-lived, and after it disbanded, he managed Kelly’s solo occupation for a time.
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In 1974, Petersen returned to his fatherland of Australia with associate Joanne Newfield. They raised their two sons, Jaime and Ben, in Sydney. He labored in manufacturing and administration within the music industry for several years before he became as soon as approached by the Most productive of the Bee Gees band five years ago.
Australian musician Colin Petersen, the drummer for the Bee Gees, alongside with his associate Joanne Newfield at their dwelling in London, circa 1968. (Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Photos)
In 2022, he admitted in an interview with the Fassifern Guardian that he became as soon as “pretty bit reluctant first of all” to salvage eager with the tribute band.
“I went to ogle the advise,” he explained. “It could most likely seemingly well had been about the third tune in, and I belief to myself, bloody hell, this band is de facto mountainous, and the voices were so conclude, and it became as soon as smartly offered they in most cases all appear in actuality pleased on stage and playing it, which is de facto important.”
When they requested him to play with them, he became as soon as anxious since it had been so long since he played the drums – as a self-proclaimed perfectionist, he became as soon as agency no longer to create any mistakes.
Pop community the Bee Gees posed on a boulevard in London in 1967. Participants of the band are, from left to loyal, Colin Petersen, Maurice Gibb, Barry Gibb, Vince Melouney and Robin Gibb. (Ivan Keeman/Redferns)
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The band sent him a drum equipment, and he began working in the direction of, pushing himself to salvage through the songs with none errors. He acknowledged, “After six weeks of this, I build my hand up, and I like it. It’s in actuality mountainous.”
With Petersen’s demise, Barry Gibb is the leisure residing long-established member of the Bee Gees.
Tracy Wright is an entertainment reporter for Fox Data Digital. Send fable tricks to Tracy.Wright@fox.com.