BEING ROBIN GIBB (Fame Academy 2, BBC, August 21, 2003)
Shortly before he headed into the music room to do the Masterclass with four of the students, we caught up with legendary Bee Gee and Fame Academy Judge, Robin Gibb.
Hi Robin. First the personal questions: married, kids, home?
Hi. Yes, married, three children, two have flown the nest, one's still at home. Home is Thame in Oxfordshire and also Miami.
Do you have a favourite Bee Gees track?
I've got quite a few, How Deep is Your Love, Too Much Heaven, Tragedy, and You Win Again, and there are tracks I've written for other people, Falling in Love by Barbara Streisand, Chain reaction by Diana Ross and Heartbreaker for Dionne Warwick.
Which of the tracks you've been working with the students on best captures the spirit of the song?
I think my favourite on the compilation is Alex doing Words, I think she caught the spirit that I put in the song. Plus I like the way she's treated it and she's got her own style.
In your opinion, which of the students shine?
At the moment Alex is definitely one of them and Paris is another, in terms of having star quality and identity.
What's the most valuable piece of advice you've ever been given?
To believe in yourself and others will believe in you, never take 'no' for an answer and just keep on going.
And what advice would you give to the students to help them on their journey to a successful music career?
Not to collapse at the first hurdle, whatever happens, keep on going.
A couple of the students have been suffering from a crisis of confidence today, what would you say to them to help them move forward?
At the end of the day this is a competition. In a sense, the music business is a giant competition because there are always going to be winners and losers. This show is a great launching pad, but it's a big, tough business out there and even for the winner, it's still going to be tough for them. They've got a head start but they've still got to get out there and make their careers. This is a business where you make your own luck to a great extent.
What would you be doing if you weren't a Bee Gee?
Tough question because I've always been in the Bee Gees, and I am a producer and songwriter so, in many respects, I'm doing what I would've been doing. But I guess if I wasn't a musician I'd have wanted to be an archaeologist!
Have you got many projects on the go at the moment?
I've got a solo album coming out in October, then Barry and I are going to get together and start recording an album which comes out in the new year.
Thanks Robin.
