Colin Petersen, the original drummer for Bee Gees, has died aged 78.
Petersen joined the band in 1966 alongside brothers Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb. He performed on their second studio album Spicks and Specks, released that same year, and played on early hits such as To Love Somebody, I’ve Gotta Get a Message to You and I Started a Joke.
Born in Kingaroy, Queensland in 1946, Petersen found early fame as a child actor starring in the title role of the 1956 Australian film Smiley. He drummed with Bee Gees until 1969, when disagreements with the band’s manager Robert Stigwood led him to leave and form the short-lived band Humpy Bong with singer-songwriter Jonathan Kelly and Tim Staffell.
Petersen was later replaced by Geoff Bridgford, although the band soon decided to employ touring drummers instead of full-time members, settling on Dennis Bryon, who would drum during the band’s imperial phase from 1973 until 1980.
In a strange twist of fate, Bryon is also reported to have died within four days of Petersen. Despite not being listed as an official member of the band, he contributed percussion to their recordings including the smash hit Saturday Night Fever soundtrack and hits such as How Deep Is Your Love and More Than a Woman.
Born in Cardiff, Wales, Bryon began playing drums at the age of 14. In 2015 he published the memoir You Should Be Dancing: My Life With the Bee Gees which captured the band’s ubiquity during their peak – one time, while flipping through radio stations during a drive to his Miami home, Bryon claims to have landed on five that were playing songs from Saturday Night Fever album.
Both Bryon and Petersen would play with Bee Gees tribute bands in later life. The former with the Italian Bee Gees, formed by three Italian brothers, and the latter with the Best of the Bee Gees tribute show. Petersen was reportedly playing live as recently as last week.
Barry Gibb is the last surviving Gibb brother. Maurice died in 2003, and Robin died in 2012.
