Book Review: The Story of the Bee Gees

People tend to have their favorite era of the Bee Gees's career, but many listeners are also conscious that there is more to uncover about the band. This book will provide the perfect solution, by pulling together every fascinating strand to tell the story of a group with the imagination of the Beatles, the pop craft of ABBA, the drama of Fleetwood Mac, and the emotional heft of the Beach Boys.

Uniquely, the Bee Gees's tale spans the entire modern pop era—they are the only group to have scored British top-ten singles in the '60s, '70s, '80s, and ‘90s—and includes world-conquering disco successes like 'Stayin' Alive' and 'More Than a Woman', both from the soundtrack of the hit film Saturday Night Fever.

But the Bee Gees's extraordinary career was one of highs and lows. From a vicious but temporary split in 1969 to several unreleased albums, disastrous TV and film appearances, and a demoralising cabaret season, the group weren't always revelling in the glow of million-selling albums, private jets, and UNICEF concerts. Yet, even in the Gibbs' darkest times, their music was rarely out of the charts, as sung by the likes of Al Green, Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton, and Destiny's Child.

The Story of the Bee Gees by Bob Stanley was published February 6, 2024, by Pegasus Books Ltd.

I have been a Bee Gees fan for most of my life. I even had the pleasure to experience them in concert on September 14, 1979, for the Buffalo, New York, stop on the Spirits Having Flown tour. I know so much of their music and their story, but I wanted to see if this book could offer any more stories I did not know.

Starting out in their teens (Barry 15, twins Robin and Maurice 13), they were very much one of the O.G. boy bands. But their popularity was always more subdued, less flash despite deep musical substance. Stanley's goal with his book is to correct some of that - to give the brothers their due.

I learned a lot, especially about their younger lives before they made their mark in music. Finding out that they were wild as kids (setting things afire, swiping things for fun) really helped to humanize them. They were just like the rest of us in our adolescence. I also enjoyed finding out more about Robert Stigwood's early influences as well as their break-up period as the 60's came to a close, even when they were all still at such a young age.

As a lover of the music, I like how the narrative very much moves through the brothers' careers song by song, album by album. At the same time, Stanley also provides context for other music on the charts at similar times, allowing the reader to fit everything into a wider musical context. He makes sure to cover every aspect of their careers, even if he does look down upon their work on the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band movie which is one of my many guilty pleasures.