The music world is in shock after the death of Bee Gees legend Colin Petersen.
The Best of Bee Gees broke the sad news, saying: “It is with a heavy heart we announce the passing of our dear friend Colin ‘Smiley’ Petersen. He enriched our lives and bound our group with love, care and respect. Not sure how we can go on without his glowing smile and deep friendship. We love you Col. Rest in Peace.”
The original drummer for the iconic band, Petersen was pivotal to their early hits like To Love Somebody and Words, and played on the revolutionary album ‘Bee Gees’ 1st’.
Starting as a child actor in the Aussie flick ‘Smiley’, he earned his lifelong nickname. In a heartfelt 2022 chat on The Strange Brew Podcast with Jason Barnard, Petersen dished on the Bee Gees’ vibe, revealing: “We’d often go into the studio without a song, which gave me the chance to experiment with tempos and rhythms.”
He added: “Those tracks had a real spontaneity because we worked on them as a group. We never recorded our parts separately-it was all done together, with the orchestra coming in later.”
Remembering the beats that shaped an era, the original drummer of the Bee Gees, Colin Petersen has drummed his last. Nonchalantly discussing his own skills, he once revealed: “I wasn’t the most technically skilled drummer, but I think that sometimes less is more. When you’re limited, you have to get creative-just like Chuck Berry, who made magic with just a few chords. For me, it was always about serving the song.”
The music world is paying its respects as fans react to the gutting news.
(Image: Popperfoto/Getty Images)
On Facebook, there’s been a stream of sentiments with one fan page sharing: “More sad news. Colin Petersen, the Bee Gees’ first drummer in the 1960s, has passed away this morning. He played and recorded songs like New York Mining Disaster 1941, To Love Somebody, Massachussetts, Words and many more. R.I.P. Colin.”
Meanwhile, Twitter saw a user express their sorrow: “I hate to be the bearer of bad news this morning, but it appears we have lost another member of the Bee Gees family. Colin Petersen, the original drummer from the 60’s, has passed away. This was taken from the GSI FB group. May his memory be a blessing.”
Another tweet reminisced: “RIP Colin Petersen, 60s Bee Gees drummer, child actor, nice man,” and yet another heartbroken tweet read: “You guys… I have no words. We are losing our Bee Gees family right and left. #RIP Colin, you were such a magical part of the #BeeGees sound. Sending love and prayers to family, loved ones, and to Best of the Bee Gees musicians in Australia. #ColinPetersen.”
Survived by his ex-wife Joanne, and sons Jaime and Ben, Petersen’s rhythm will live on through the tracks of time.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
