Colin Petersen's Bee Gees confession and emotional admission prior to death aged 78

Two years anterior to his death, Colin Petersen explained the process down the Bee Gees' philharmonic occurrence arsenic helium opened up connected however they worked during their emergence to fame

Fans of the Bee Gees were near heartbroken aft quality of founder Colin Petersen's decease astatine the property of 78.

The drummer was portion of the archetypal lineup for the iconic set successful the 1960s. However, contempt helping the radical with the meteoric emergence to fame, including featuring connected tunes specified arsenic To Love Somebody and Words, Petersen was precise humble erstwhile talking astir his ability.

While Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb were the look of the band, Petersen was besides the antheral connected the drums and explained however the set followed a definite originative process during their success. Speaking successful 2022 during a chat with Jason Barnard connected The Strange Brew Podcast, Petersen said: "We'd often spell into the workplace without a song, which gave maine the accidental to experimentation with tempos and rhythms.

"Those tracks had a existent spontaneity due to the fact that we worked connected them arsenic a group. We ne'er recorded our parts separately—it was each done together, with the orchestra coming successful later."

Speaking of his drumming ability, helium added: "I wasn't the astir technically skilled drummer, but I deliberation that sometimes little is more. When you're limited, you person to get creative—just similar Chuck Berry, who made magic with conscionable a fewer chords. For me, it was ever astir serving the song."

The Best of Bee Gees announced the star's decease connected Monday, saying: "It is with a dense bosom we denote the passing of our beloved person Colin 'Smiley' Petersen. He enriched our lives and bound our radical with love, attraction and respect. Not definite however we tin spell connected without his glowing grin and heavy friendship. We emotion you Col. Rest successful Peace."

On Twitter/X, fans rapidly shared tributes of their own, with 1 idiosyncratic writing: "I hatred to beryllium the bearer of atrocious quality this morning, but it appears we person mislaid different subordinate of the Bee Gees family. Colin Petersen, the archetypal drummer from the 60’s, has passed away. This was taken from the GSI FB group. May his representation beryllium a blessing."

Another added: "You guys... I person nary words. We are losing our Bee Gees household close and left. #RIP Colin, you were specified a magical portion of the #BeeGees sound. Sending emotion & prayers to family, loved ones, & to Best of the Bee Gees musicians successful Australia. #ColinPetersen."

His decease comes days aft the passing of Dennis Bryon, who worked with the Bee Gees betwixt 1974 and 1980. His erstwhile bandmates Blue Weaver and Andy Fairweather Low confirmed the bittersweet news.

Petersen earned his nickname "Smiley" aft helium featured successful a movie of the aforesaid sanction arsenic a child.

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