Maurice Gibb facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Maurice Gibb CBE
Gibb performing in 1973
Born	Maurice Ernest Gibb (1949-12-22)22 December 1949 Douglas, Isle of Man
Died	12 January 2003(2003-01-12) (aged 53) Miami Beach, Florida, US
Occupation	Musician singer songwriter record producer
Years active	1955–2003
Spouse(s)	Lulu ​ ​ (m. 1969; div. 1973)​ Yvonne Spenceley ​ (m. 1975)​
Children	2
Parent(s)	Hugh Gibb (father)
Relatives	Barry Gibb (brother) Robin Gibb (brother) Andy Gibb (brother) Steve Gibb (nephew)
Musical career
Origin	Manchester, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom
Genres	Rock pop disco
Instruments	Bass guitar keyboards vocals
Labels	Polydor
Signature

Maurice Ernest Gibb (born 22 December 1949 – died 12 January 2003) was a British musician. He became famous as a member of the pop group Bee Gees. His older brother Barry Gibb and twin brother Robin Gibb were the main lead singers. However, Maurice sang lead on some songs, like "Lay It on Me" and "Country Woman". The Bee Gees became one of the most successful pop-rock groups ever.

Maurice started his music journey in 1955 in Manchester, England. He was only six years old when he joined a group called the Rattlesnakes. This group later became the Bee Gees in 1958 after the family moved to Australia. They returned to England and became famous worldwide. In 2002, the Bee Gees received a special award called CBE for their amazing music. After Maurice's death in 2003, his son accepted the award for him.

Maurice Gibb was inspired by groups like the Everly Brothers and the Beatles. During a time when the Bee Gees took a break (1969–1970), Maurice released his first solo song, "Railroad". He also recorded a solo album called The Loner, but it was never officially released.

Early Life and First Band

Maurice Ernest Gibb was born in Douglas, Isle of Man, on 22 December 1949. His father, Hugh Gibb, was a drummer. Maurice was the fraternal twin of Robin Gibb, born 35 minutes after him. He also had an older sister, Lesley, and an older brother, Barry. Another brother, Andy, was born later in 1958.

In 1955, the Gibb family moved back to Manchester, England. Around this time, Maurice and his brothers started singing harmonies together. Maurice began his music career in 1955. He joined a group called the Rattlesnakes with his brothers and two friends. Their first big performance was on 28 December 1957. They sang at a local cinema where kids were invited to perform. They had planned to sing along to a record, but Maurice accidentally broke it. So, they sang live, and the audience loved it!

The Bee Gees Years

Forming the Bee Gees

When Maurice was eight, his family moved to Redcliffe, Australia. Soon after, he and his brothers formed the Bee Gees. Their first song was "The Battle of the Blue and the Grey". In 1964, Maurice first played instruments on a song called "Claustrophobia".

By 1966, the three Gibb brothers wrote their first song together, "The Storm". Maurice started playing guitar and bass for the band. He also recorded his first solo song, "All by Myself". Their second album, Spicks and Specks (1966), included "Where Are You". This was the first song Maurice wrote by himself that was released.

Worldwide Fame

In 1967, Colin Petersen and Vince Melouney joined the Bee Gees. Their album Bee Gees' 1st was released in mid-1967. Critics praised the album, comparing it to the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. The band's first number one song in the UK, "Massachusetts", came out in September 1967.

In early 1968, the album Horizontal was released. Later that year, their album Idea featured "Kitty Can", with Maurice singing high harmony. In early 1969, they released Odessa. This album included Maurice's solo vocals on "Suddenly".

Solo Work and Reunion

In 1969, Robin Gibb decided to work on solo music for a while. During this time, Maurice and Barry continued as the Bee Gees. They released the album Cucumber Castle. They had hits like "Don't Forget to Remember".

On 1 December 1969, Maurice and Barry announced that the Bee Gees were taking a break. In April 1970, Maurice released his first solo song, "Railroad". He also recorded a solo album, The Loner, but it was never officially released.

The Bee Gees reunited on 21 August 1970. Maurice began singing lead on more Bee Gees songs in the 1970s. These included "Lay It on Me", "Country Woman", and "On Time".

Later Years

In 1981, Maurice recorded instrumental songs for an album called Strings and Things, which was never released. In 1982, he performed "Wildflower" at the San Remo Festival. In 1984, he worked on music for the film A Breed Apart.

In September 1986, the Bee Gees started working on their album ESP. Maurice sang lead on the song "Overnight". He also composed "The Supernaturals" for a film of the same name in 1985. Maurice even made a small appearance in the movie.

On 24 April 2001, the Bee Gees released their last studio album, This Is Where I Came In. This album included Maurice's songs "Walking on Air" and "Man in the Middle".

Death

Maurice Gibb passed away suddenly at age 53 on 12 January 2003. He died at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach, Florida. The cause was complications from a twisted intestine, which led to a heart attack. His wife, children, and brothers were with him.

A private funeral was held for about 200 family and friends. After the service, his body was cremated. His brother Robin Gibb later said, "We were kids together, and teenagers. We spent the whole of our lives with each other because of our music. I can't accept that he's dead. I just imagine he's alive somewhere else." After Maurice's death, Barry and Robin stopped performing as the Bee Gees for a while. They later decided to perform occasionally. Robin Gibb passed away in 2012.

Musical Influences

Maurice Gibb was influenced by many artists. These included the Beatles, the Everly Brothers, Cliff Richard, Paul Anka, and the Mills Brothers. Maurice said he listened to the Beatles' early records when he was a child. He was especially influenced by Paul McCartney's bass guitar playing.

Maurice once said, "I could play every bass lick he [McCartney] played." He particularly liked the bass-line in the song "Michelle", calling it "really tasteful stuff, and way ahead of his time."

Maurice's Musical Talents

Recognition

Maurice Gibb playing bass on Dutch television in 1968

DJ Paul Gambaccini described Maurice as a "talented multi-instrumentalist." He played keyboards, guitar, bass, and percussion.

When the Bee Gees reunited in 1987, Maurice became the expert on recording technology. He helped coordinate musicians and engineers to create the band's unique sound.

Instruments He Played

Maurice played both lead and rhythm guitars and Hammond organ on the first Bee Gees album in 1965. He started playing bass on their next album, Spicks and Specks (1966). After guitarist Vince Melouney joined in 1967, Maurice focused on bass and keyboards.

He sometimes played lead guitar on songs like "Country Woman" (1971). For keyboards, he played piano in both live shows and the studio. Songs like "Words" (1968) often featured his piano playing. He also played harpsichord, Mellotron, and Moog synthesizer in the studio.

From 1966 to 1974, his main instrument was the bass. From 1975 to 1979, he played bass and guitar, creating the strong bass lines for the band's disco sound. From 1987 onwards, he mostly played keyboards or synthesizers. Maurice also played drums once for the Bee Gees on the song "My Thing" (1969).

He even used a guitar given to him by John Lennon on the song "She Keeps On Coming" (2001).

His Vocals

Maurice usually sang lead on one or two songs on each Bee Gees album. He was the lead singer on tracks like "On Time" and "Lay It It on Me". His last lead vocal was on "Man in the Middle".

During live concerts, Maurice often showed his funny personality. He would sometimes playfully tease Robin or pretend to be bored during certain songs.

Songwriting

As a songwriter, Maurice mostly helped with the melodies. His brothers would then write the lyrics. It can be hard to tell his exact contributions because the songs were shaped by the singer. However, his brothers continued to work with him on their solo projects, showing how much they valued his musical ideas. Maurice was sometimes called "the quiet one" because his contributions were not always obvious. But in private, he loved telling stories and talking with fans. He was known for being a calm and steady influence among his two very ambitious brothers.

Studio Work with Other Artists

Maurice also worked as a session musician for other artists. In 1970, he played piano on George Harrison's song "Isn't It a Pity". He met many famous musicians in the studio, including Phil Collins and Ringo Starr.

In 1971, he produced Lulu's song "Everybody Clap". Maurice played guitar on this song, and Led Zeppelin's John Bonham played drums. Maurice also produced albums for other artists like Jimmy Stevens. He even helped his younger brother, Andy Gibb, with his first recording session in 1973.

Maurice worked with Robin on his solo albums in the 1980s. He also co-wrote "Shine, Shine" with his brother Barry. One of Maurice's last recordings was a demo for the song "I Cannot Give You My Love," which was for Cliff Richard.

Personal Life

Maurice Gibb met Scottish pop singer Lulu through a friend. Lulu said she thought Maurice was cute. They started dating and married on 18 February 1969. They divorced in 1973.

Maurice married his second wife, Yvonne Spenceley Gibb, on 17 October 1975. They had two children, Adam (born 1976) and Samantha (born 1980). Their marriage lasted until Maurice's death.

Legacy

Maurice Gibb was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997 as a member of The Bee Gees.

Artists like Wyclef Jean and Sheryl Crow recorded Bee Gees songs as a tribute to him. A book called Souls Stick Around: A Tale of the Black Hills and Maurice Gibb was published in his honor in 2012.

A recording studio at Chorlton High School, where the Gibb brothers went to school, is named after Maurice. His brother Barry Gibb said, "Maurice was very good on different instruments, you know. Good lead guitarist, good bass player, good keyboard player. He was versatile. He loved playing bass more than anything else."

Discography

Unreleased albums

Singles

Filmography

Images for kids

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  Maurice Gibb's signature

See also

In Spanish: Maurice Gibb para niños