... is what I think of when Barry Gibb is interviewed for this documentary in present day. Obviously missing his brothers badly, probably never anticipating being the last one standing since he is the oldest, but don't think this rockumentary is a downer because it is not.
Before this I had only cursory knowledge of the Bee Gees. I remembered their ballads from the 60s and early 70s when I was a kid and their disco music from when I was in college and the fact that they all seemed to suddenly disappear, and of course I remembered the tragedy of Andy Gibb, but the story is much more complex than that. And they never actually "disappeared" from music at all.
This documentary follows their rise to fame in the 60s, even before the Beatles hit the scene ("That's what WE are trying to be!" says one of the brothers) through a short breakup to a return to recording when they think that maybe their time is past in the early 70s, then a relocation to Miami in 1975 and the origins of the "Miami sound" and everything that came after.
I particularly loved that much of the documentary was about the Bee Gees' creative process, both with writing and recording. It really helps with the central thesis that the Bee Gees saw themselves first as song writers and as performers second. At the end, Barry Gibb says that he thinks he and his brothers accomplished what they set out to do, and that he hopes that their music lives on.
If you are looking for some personal gossipy tell all piece, this is not that. If you want to know about the music of the Bee Gees and as much about their lives as is necessary to discuss that, then I think you will enjoy this documentary. And, yes, you do get quite a few scenes of their live performances from throughout their careers that you get a real feeling for the excitement of their fan base. Highly recommended.
