Gibb's last performance with the group was on The Tom Jones Show and Top of the Pops before leaving the group. The Bee Gees' last recording session with Robin was in February 1969. Meanwhile, there were rumours during this period that he was dealing with drug problems, allegedly leading his parents to threaten legal action to make him a ward of court (the UK age of majority at that time being 21, while Gibb was only 19). However, the rivalry with Barry eventually prompted Robin to leave the group and begin a solo career (three months after guitarist Vince Melouney left the band) after his song " Lamplight" was relegated to the B-side of Barry's song " First of May". In January 1969, Gibb co-wrote another Marbles single, " The Walls Fell Down," and co-produced the sessions that same month. In August, the band started to record Odessa. Gibb claimed that the melody of the song was inspired by the sounds he heard in a jet engine. The Bee Gees' single " I Started a Joke," on which Robin sang lead, was not released as a single in the UK but was the group's first US Top 10 hit. The Marbles were a British rock duo consisting of Graham Bonnet and Trevor Gordon. Gibb co-wrote " Only One Woman", The Marbles' debut single, which was a hit in several countries, especially in Europe and New Zealand. The group, about to embark on its first US tour, cancelled four dates after Gibb had a relapse and flew back to England for additional rest. He was later admitted to a London nursing home suffering from nervous exhaustion, and was moved to a facility in Sussex on 31 July to continue his recuperation. On 27 July 1968, Gibb collapsed and fell unconscious. Of these, one – "Indian Gin and Whisky Dry" – later appeared on Idea. The tape listed Robin alone as artist and songwriter. On 13 June 1968, Gibb recorded demos for seven songs, accompanying himself on guitar. 1 was " Massachusetts" which features Gibb on lead vocal. They toured Europe in 19 as well as the US in August 1968. The group's first period of British success in the late 1960s started with " New York Mining Disaster 1941" and the band added drummer Colin Petersen and guitarist Vince Melouney to their line up. We may be twins, but I'm not a bit like him." So he gets tense and tired, with the result that he collapsed last week. Yet, instead of sitting back after his songs have been recorded, he immediately turns to new writing.
But in both places, while Barry went sightseeing, Robin just stayed in his room writing songs. He also went with Barry to Rome and Nairobi. We have just come back from holiday but he never moved out of his hotel room. "Robin is such a highly strung person, he was bound to snap eventually. Īs an instrumentalist, Gibb primarily played a variety of keyboards, notably piano, organ and Mellotron on the Bee Gees album Odessa (1969) he also played acoustic guitar and organ on his debut solo album Robin's Reign (1970). On, Gibb died at the age of 62 from liver and kidney failure brought on by colorectal cancer.
After a career spanning six decades, Gibb last performed onstage in February 2012 supporting injured British servicemen at a charity concert at the London Palladium. From 2008 to 2011, Gibb was President of the U.K.-based Heritage Foundation, which honours figures in British culture. Music historian Paul Gambaccini described Gibb as "one of the major figures in the history of British music" and "one of the best white soul voices ever" owing to his distinctive vibrato-laden soulful voice. With record sales estimated in excess of 200 million, the Bee Gees became one of the most successful pop groups of all time. However, investiture at Buckingham Palace was delayed until 2004. In 2002, the Bee Gees were appointed as CBEs for their "contribution to music". When the group found their first success, they returned to England, where they achieved worldwide fame. Gibb began his career as part of the family trio (Barry-Maurice-Robin). Gibb was born in Douglas on the Isle of Man to English parents, Hugh and Barbara Gibb the family later moved to Manchester (where Andy was born) before settling in Redcliffe, just north of Brisbane, Australia. Their youngest brother Andy was also a singer. Robin Gibb also had his own successful solo career. Robin Hugh Gibb CBE (22 December 1949 – ), was a British singer, songwriter and record producer, who gained worldwide fame as a member of the pop group the Bee Gees with older brother Barry and fraternal twin brother Maurice.