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I Just Want To Be Your Everything - Andy Gibb
I Just Want To Be Your Everything - Andy Gibb
Andy Gibb (March 5, 1958 -- March 10, 1988) was an Anglo-Australian singer and teen idol, and the younger brother of Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb, also known as the Bee Gees. He was born Andrew Roy Gibb in Manchester, England, to Hugh and Barbara Gibb. His family emigrated to Australia within months of his birth, settling in Redcliffe, Queensland near Brisbane. Gibb began playing at tourist clubs around Spain's coastal Island of Ibiza, and later the Isle of Man, as a young teenager. The idea of his joining the Bee Gees was often mooted, but the age gap between him and his elder brothers (more than 11 years younger than Barry, slightly more than eight years younger than twins Robin and Maurice) made this difficult to achieve. Instead, he embarked on a successful solo career. After returning to Australia in 1975 to hone his craft as a singer and songwriter, Gibb began recording a series of his own compositions, one of which was released as a single on the ATA label, owned by veteran Australian performer, Col Joye. "Words and Music" would eventually reach Top Five on the Sydney music charts in 1976. This breakout would pave the way to an even greater milestone later that year — an invitation from Robert Stigwood (who, at the time, was also the Bee Gees' manager) to launch his international career signed to his label, RSO Records. Gibb soon moved to Miami Beach to begin working on songs with his brother Barry, and co-producers Albhy Galuten and Karl Richardson. Prior to leaving Australia, Gibb had married his girlfriend, Kim Reeder. They had one child, a daughter named Peta, before their marriage ended in 1978, his work and family commitments having come between them. Notwithstanding, Gibb's personal trials were soon overshadowed by fame and recognition. n the United States, Gibb became the first male solo artist to chart three consecutive Number One singles on the Billboard Hot 100. In July of 1977, he had his first major hit, "I Just Want to Be Your Everything", a song written by his brother Barry, just as his first album Flowing Rivers broke into the US Top 20, on its way to selling over a million copies. The album's second single "(Love Is) Thicker Than Water" broke in early 1978 amidst the commercial explosion caused by his brothers' contributions to the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack, replacing "Stayin' Alive" at the top of the US charts, and then submitting to "Night Fever" when it reached the summit in mid-March. Continuing the momentum of his first successes, Gibb began work with the Gibb-Galuten-Richardson production team on his second album Shadow Dancing. The title track, written by all four Gibb brothers, was released as a single in the US in April 1978, and in mid-June began a seven week run at Number One, achieving platinum status. Two further Top Ten singles, "An Everlasting Love" and "(Our Love) Don't Throw It All Away" were extracted from the album, which became another million seller. Despite his impressive accomplishments, the pressures and excesses of such rapid success began to consume Gibb, and eventually he would succumb to drug addiction and the reality of a career in decline. In 1979, Gibb, along with the Bee Gees, performed at the Music for UNICEF Concert at the United Nations General Assembly, broadcast worldwide. He returned to the studio to begin recording sessions for his final full studio album, After Dark. With drugs impeding his previous ability to write and even fully sing the tracks on his own record, Gibb was only able to forge his performance with nearly intrusive support from brother Barry. In March of 1980 the last of Gibb's Top Ten singles charted just ahead of the album's release. "Desire", was recorded for the Bee Gees' 1979 album Spirits Having Flown, and featured their original track with Gibb's lead vocal dubbed in. A second single, "I Can't Help It", a duet with family friend Olivia Newton-John, which they had performed at the UN, reached the Top Twenty; they donated the royalties to UNICEF. Later in the year, Andy Gibb's Greatest Hits was released as a finale to his contract with RSO Records, with two new songs: "Time Is Time" (number 15 in January 1981) and "Me (Without You)" (Gibb's last Top Forty chart entry) shipped as singles. [Info wikipedia.org]
Web Video | October 25, 2006
