Barry Gibb On The Passing Of Col Joye: 'He Opened Up The World To Us'

Bee Gees’ legend Barry Gibb has issued a statement following the passing of the group’s early champion Col Joye.

• Australian Music Legend Col Joye Passes Away, Aged 89

“I’m deeply distressed to hear of the passing of Col,” Barry said.

“He will long be remembered as the pioneer of rock and roll in Australia. It was he who opened up the world to us.

“He was full of happiness from the very start, kind and generous to everyone around him.”

Col – who died this week, aged 89 – discovered the Bee Gees on the Gold Coast in 1961, convincing the brothers they had to move to “the Big Smoke”.

“We went to Sydney, which was like going to London,” Robin Gibb later said. “It was the biggest break we ever had.”

Col was the group’s most vocal champion, claiming in the early ’60s they were “the only Aussie group good enough to make it overseas”.

“They had this magic sound and there was something between them,” Col later explained. “They knew when the melody went to the harmony, and they all did it together, just naturally.”

Col got the Bee Gees a recording contract with Festival Records, and he produced their debut single, 1963’s The Battle of the Blue and the Grey, with the group backed by Col’s band, the Joy Boys.

“You knew when he was at his best by the twinkle in his eye,” Barry’s statement continues. “He was always laughing like he knew something nobody else knew.

“Nobody will forget Col Joye and nobody will forget his ukulele.”

Col introduced the Bee Gees to the Bandstand audience, getting them a regular gig on the Channel Nine show, hosted by Brian Henderson.

Col and his brother Kevin Jacobsen convinced Lee Gordon to put the Bee Gees on one of the promoter’s “Big Shows” – the 1963 Australian tour by America’s “King of the Twist” Chubby Checker. Local star Johnny O’Keefe was also on the bill.

Barry was worried that the crowd wouldn’t dig the group’s sweet harmonies. But the Women’s Weekly review declared, “Three Brisbane brothers took a risk when they recently toured with Chubby and JO’K and came out of it with their name – the Bee Gees – made.”

The Battle of the Blue and the Grey, and the group’s early singles, weren’t big hits, but Barry was undeterred, saying: “At least if they’re flops, they’re our flops.”

“I didn’t have the expertise to get their sounds on a record,” Col admitted. “But I did make a few records with them.”

Col also showed the world that Barry Gibb was a serious songwriter, recording one of his early compositions, (Underneath The) Starlight Of Love. The Gibb brothers provided the backing vocals.

Col also produced the debut single for the youngest Gibb brother, Andy. Words and Music was released in 1975.

Remembering how much Col had done for them, the Gibbs sent Andy back to Australia in 1974 to start his solo career under the guidance of Col and his brother Kevin.

They got Andy a support slot on Australian tours by The Sweet and Bay City Rollers. “Australia’s a great training ground,” Andy said. “You can be the biggest name in Australia, and without outside help, you will not get heard outside of Australia. You can make a lot of mistakes there, and there are also very tough audiences.”

Andy Gibb would go on to have three number-one singles in the US.

“I think if you can work in Australia and be successful, you can do it anywhere in the world,” Col believed. “I’m convinced of that.”

Channel Nine’s showbiz reporter Richard Wilkins read the statement from Barry on the Today show.

It concluded: “On behalf of my family to Col’s family, we are sending you all our love and in spirit we are all with you.

“Every now and again, I hear that ukulele, and I can’t pick up a guitar without singing Bye Bye Baby. You are missed.”