Robin at the post office

We went for a lovely walk this evening, which kept me away from the computer for most of it, starting from Union Mills.

For those that don't know, the Gibb family lived there for a time during their stay on the Island when the three famous brothers that formed the Bee Gees were born. Sadly Robin passed away this week.

I can't think of any remote connection with athletics but it won't stop a couple of yarns. I liked the early Bee Gees ballads but neither I nor my two elder brothers bought any of their records. It was a few years later when one of school friends, Neil Richmond who is well known his his golfing, at one time as a professional in Sweden but now in Peel,  sold me three Bee Gees singles belonging to his brother - whether he had their permission or not I don't know!

That was in the early 70s  but despite having the largest record collection at school or later at North Staffs Poly I didn't add to the Gibb's income until I bought the "This is Where I came in" album (and its good too) in 2000. I also bought a couple of copies of Ellan Vannin for presents.

And then I saw Robin Gibb perform a fairly poorly supported night at the Peel Bay Festival in 2006 when he put on a great show. We saw him being driven away afterwards, he had just bought a house nearby, and he waved back to Marie when she waved. I'm not sure if was ever "cool" for a man to like the Bee Gees so I didn't wave! We saw him a couple of years later when he performed for hospice at the Gaiety and again it was a great show when he played most of the classic Bee Gees songs and many of his other compositions.

One common feature at the two shows was that he finished by saying "I'll bring Barry too next time." He never did and now its too late.

There might have been large chunks of the Bee Gees music that went over my head but their success over a long period with styles that that varied as greatly as hammer throwing does to fell running makes me appreciate how good Robin Gibb was.