|
|
Andy Gibb: Teen Idol TragedyJul 18 '01 (Updated Sep 04 '01) Write an essay on this topic.
Popular Products in Music
The Bottom Line There has never been anyone else in music quite like Andy Gibb; nor demons quite as ugly as the ones that took him away.
Imagine being nineteen years old and being the cat's meow...of the whole music world! You have been signed to a major record label, where the premier artists are your own brothers. One of those brothers is your primary co-writer and producer. Your first three singles skyrocket to the top of the Billboard charts, which is a first in the rock era. You are movie-star handsome, with a mane of silky, golden hair, green eyes, a deep tan, a slim build, and a sexy British accent. Girls of all ages, from all walks of life, all over the world, adore you and can't get enough of you... Life is good. Can it be TOO good?? Andrew Roy Gibb was born in England in 1958, Hugh and Barbara's fifth child and fourth son. Andy's three older brothers, Barry, Robin and Maurice, were already making music at the time of Andy's birth. Surrounded by music as he grew up, in England, Spain and Australia, Andy saw his brothers, known as the Bee Gees, emerge from gigs in clubs and bars, to signing a record deal, to becoming successful, then becoming international superstars. During this time, Andy was becoming interested in music as well. Barry gave Andy a guitar for a 13th birthday gift, and Andy found he had a natural talent for both singing and playing the guitar. He sang old Paul Simon songs, as well as his brothers' hits of the day, and took gigs that paid him next to nothing. But to Andy, the money (or lack of it) was not an issue. He was happy to be performing, and his drive and enthusiasm paid off. In Australia, Andy became almost as well known as his brothers in the mid-'70s. The time had come for Andy to come to America and try for major chart success. By 1976, the Bee Gees had three chart-toppers ("How Can You Mend A Broken Heart", "You Should Be Dancing", "Jive Talkin'"), and were signed to RSO Records. Andy was soon signed to the label as well, and he and Barry set to work in Bermuda writing songs for Andy's debut album, Flowing Rivers. It was Barry who came up with "I Just Want To Be Your Everything", which I count as one of my favorite '70s songs: part ballad, part rock, part disco, with a memorable organ and string instrumentation. Andy's gentle natural tenor and falsetto on the chorus make for a real treat. It hit #1 after debuting on the Hot 100 14 weeks earlier. The rest was history! "(Love Is) Thicker Than Water" and "Shadow Dancing" hit #1 as well, making Andy the first artist in the rock era to see his first three singles all reach the top. Andy never seems to be remembered for his songwriting gifts. He co-wrote the hits mentioned above. Much of the material found on the albums Flowing Rivers and Shadow Dancing was written by Andy himself. My personal favorites include "Too Many Looks In Your Eyes", "Let It Be Me", "Dance To The Light of the Morning", "In The End" (from Flowing Rivers); "Waiting For You" (from Shadow Dancing); "Me (Without You)" from Greatest Hits. He had a knack for coming up with heartfelt, poetic lyrics, and catchy melodies. Andy kept rolling on: his subsequent singles did not make #1, but several of them made the Top 10 or Top 20. Plus, he had new agendas on his plate, he delved into musical theater (Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Pirates of Penzance) and became the co-host of the TV music series Solid Gold in 1981. But with fame, wealth, a loving family, and adoring fans, came a price. Andy embarked on a teenage marriage to his girlfriend Kim Reeder. In fact, his marriage and his ticket to superstardom happened at the same time. Andy was called away from his honeymoon to record some extra demos. He went back to Kim when he finished the recordings, but that was already the beginning of the end. The union barely lasted two years, the last straw being when Andy missed the birth of their daughter Peta (Andy's only child). Andy and Kim divorced in early 1978, shortly after Peta was born, and mother and baby returned to Australia. Andy, heartbroken, turned his attention to his music and took comfort in performing, songwriting and the incredible love and support of his family. Andy still believed in marriage, and like many of us, wanted to meet his soulmate. He wanted to meet the woman of his dreams. His sentiments are wonderfully and sweetly expressed in one particular song. Andy wrote the incredible "Waiting For You", which is the closing track on the Shadow Dancing album (1978). I urge any romantic, especially one nursing a broken heart, to listen to this particular song. It makes me cry and gives me chills at the same time. Of course, there were stacks upon stacks of fan mail to be answered and numerous tours to go on, as well as the rigors of recording and interviews. Not to mention rehearsals, costume fittings, dance steps to learn, and so on. That took its toll on Andy as well. It was not uncommon for him to start his day at 6 AM and not being able to go to sleep until 2 AM! Andy fell asleep while on the air during a radio interview, and collapsed on stage at a concert soon after. He was later treated for exhaustion. Andy met stardom in his late teens, and entered into marriage and fatherhood while still a teen as well. I don't think he was mature and grown up enough to handle it all. The critics dismissed him as a no-talent riding on the immense success of his brothers, the Bee Gees. There were constant comparisons to Andy and the Bee Gees. As much as Andy loved, admired and respected his brothers, he hated all the comparisons and wanted to be known for his own work and accomplishments. As his chart hits began to dry up, Andy sank into a deep depression as all the aforementioned trials began to take its toll on him. So it's no surprise at all that he ended up with a major addiction to cocaine and alcohol. Nonetheless, Andy pressed on. He joined the cast of stage productions such as Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Pirates of Penzance. He and Marilyn McCoo became co-hosts of the TV music series Solid Gold. However, as Andy's demons and drug addictions began to overtake him, he began to become unreliable. He missed rehearsals of his theater roles and began missing tapings of Solid Gold. He was fired from SG and replaced with Rex Smith. Likewise, his theater roles came to an end. Andy's life became a tabloid goldmine, detailing all the aspects of his downward spiral: from his addictions, to his crumbling career, to his romance with Dallas TV star Victoria Principal. Andy and Victoria met on a talk show in 1981. He would say later that he only watched Dallas because of his crush on the actress. Victoria greeted Andy with a big kiss on his neck. He blushed deep red, stuttered, didn't know what to do! Despite a thirteen year age difference, the two were smitten and began to date right after the talk show appearance. Despite the romance, Andy's inner demons continued to ruin his life. After a year, the relationship soured and Victoria wanted out. She couldn't put up with his using anymore. Andy was desperate not to lose her (he would constantly call her, drop in at her place unannounced, to the point where she felt smothered by him), and their tempers rose to the point of physical violence. Victoria kicked him out, and Andy was alone. He couldn't believe she'd dumped him, but she'd had enough of his drug use and erratic behavior. Rumors circulated that right after the fact, Andy attempted suicide. Andy loved Victoria so much, and his heart was completely broken. Friends reported that he never really got over her. It was only in 1985 that Barry, Robin and Maurice finally persuaded Andy to enter the Betty Ford Center and begin rehab. For over two years Andy balanced the tightrope of an addict, and he often slipped off. He fell deeply into debt, over a million dollars in hock, and had to file for bankruptcy. In early 1988, Andy seemed to have cleaned up and was even beginning work on a new album. He was living in his brother Robin's guest house while attempting to get back on his feet. Andy spent much time in solitude, writing songs for the new project and taking long walks with his dog Sam. He had another reason to be happy: after the album was finished, he was going to travel to Australia to visit his ten-year-old daughter Peta, whom he hadn't seen for eight years. Meanwhile, Andy celebrated his 30th birthday on March 5th quietly; he and his mother ate a nice dinner out. Fate took a sad turn for Andy Gibb and his family on March 10, only five days later. Rushed to the hospital with severe abdominal pains, Andy passed away of a heart inflammatory virus. Even though it has never been confirmed, there has been speculation that it was his years of substance abuse that gradually weakened his heart and eventually damaged it. His album was never finished. About three or four cuts from the project exist, one of them is the excellent and tough "Man on Fire", which is available on the 1991 self-titled greatest hits compilation. It is interesting to observe "teen idols" of today and compare them to "teen idols" of the past. There has never been a "teen idol" quite as big (or tragic) as Andy Gibb. A.J. McLean of the Backstreet Boys is now going through issues that recall Andy Gibb's own turbulent situations. But to my knowledge, no one has quite equaled the height of Andy's amazing musical success, or fell quite as low and met such a horrible end as Andy did. Andy was a shy, soft-spoken, loving, gentle person who had terrible, ugly demons controlling him. There has never been anyone in music, before or since, quite like Andy Gibb. He was much more than the time period he became famous in...disco, mirror balls, glitter, etc. Even before he hit age twenty, he had enough baggage for three lifetimes. It's no wonder he had a wisdom well beyond his years. He never has been forgotten...  |
| Read all comments (2)|Write your own comment |
|
Ads by Google
|
by kiwifella
by George_Chabot
![Jersey Boys [Original Broadway Cast Recording] by Original Broadway Cast Reviews](http://di2.shopping.com/images/pi/95/a4/8a/2006752046-100x100-0-0.jpg?p=p5.9cde35f00abf4bc04382&a=2&c=1&l=8071320&t=120602225125&r=1)
