Andy's Biography
 

Page Three

Andy and Kim in America:

Once in America, Andy and Kim traveled to the sunny beaches of
Miami, where they stayed at the oceanfront Key Biscayne Hotel.

Andy went into the studio to begin work with Barry, Albhy Galuten and Karl
Richardson to lay down the tracks for his first album. With his experience in the
Miami music scene, Albhy Galuten put a band together for the sessions. Harold
Cowart on bass and Ron "Tubby" Ziegler on drums were from Louisiana.   George
Terry, guitar, and Joey Murcia, guitar.

The song selected to be Andy's first single outside Australia was
"I Just Want To Be Your Everything".

Andy burst onto the scene with a good collection of songs written mostly by
himself. His youthful good looks made him a popular teen idol. Innate musical
talent may have been no more than an added bonus to some people, but talent there was.

With the recording finished, Andy and Kim moved to Los Angeles, renting a
small apartment in West Hollywood in late 1976. Kim hoped moving away
from his family, Andy would revert to the devoted, protective young man she
knew in Australia. Unfortunately, he would change even more. Although it would
take more than 10 years, Barry believes that in many ways, moving to Los Angeles
was the beginning of Andy's undoing.

The "hangers-on", began invading the couple's lives. They are like piranhas
in the rock industry. They would offer stars drugs as a way of making friendships.  
The stars would become dependent on them for drugs.  Cocaine seemed to be
omnipresent, and for a young man who was trying to convince the
world -- himself -- that he was confident and self-assured, it proved
a powerful anodyne.

When Kim found out she was pregnant, Andy was thrilled and excited.
But dope and cocaine took priority over everything else.

When Kim was two months pregnant she left Andy and flew
back to Australia. Andy called and promised Kim he would return to
Australia for the birth. Unfortunately, it was a promise he wouldn't keep.

On January 6, 1981, on the John Davidson Show, Andy was a guest. As
as surprise to Andy they brought out Victoria Principal to meet him. Andy had
eagerly admitted his infatuation  with her. That meeting was the start of a love
affair shared by both stars.  On March, 1982, the relationship came to an end.  

The Illness:

In 1985, Andy checked into the Betty Ford Treatment Clinic for six weeks.
At first, the Betty Ford Clinic appeared to have worked. Andy returned
to the road in May, performing in Jackson, New Jersey. Soon, he slipped
back into addiction.

Andy would complain of unbearable pain, and insisted his mother take him
to the hospital. His cardiologist, Dr. William Shell, said Andy's pains were not
only very real, but also very serious. They were like heart attacks that destroyed
small amounts of heart muscle.

In the spring of 1987, Andy checked into another drug rehabilitation center and
became of member of Alcoholics Anonymous. Andy returned to Miami and
wanted to get back to the studio and start working again.

For two years before his death, Andy was drug free.  He was energetic and
appeared healthy.  But Andy never admitted to his family he had been treated
for heart inflammation on several occasions even though now clean, years
of substance abuse had taken their toll.

Andy fulfilled a long-time dream of taking flying lessons and soon gained
his pilot's license and flew solo around Florida several times.

In 1988, Andy left for England. He settled into the Chancery, a cottage
at Robin's Oxfordshire home. The future was shiny brightly for him. He
wanted to write more songs for his comeback album.

But Andrew Roy Gibb, the person, seemed to have disappeared in the
struggle to recapture Andy Gibb, the star. He lost his sense of self. He was
afraid of failing to make a comeback in the music business, yet terrified
that he couldn't do anything else.

Days after celebrating his thirtieth birthday on March 5, 1988, Andy checked into
John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, complaining of stomach and chest pains.

On March 10th, Andy's doctor told him he needed more tests. Andy agreed,
then slumped into unconsciousness. Moments later, at 8:45a.m., he
was pronounced dead.

A memorial service for Andy was held in a private chapel on Robin's estate
but Andy's funeral was held on March 21 in his adopted home city of Los Angeles.
He was laid to rest at Forest Lawn Cemetery, with the simple epitaph provided by one
of his hit singles, 'An Everlasting Love'.

During the service, Barry read a poem written by Andy in Las Vegas three years earlier.

'Andy's Song'

Am I all that I appear
when the spotlight dims and dies
or only a reflection
of the glitter etched lies

Been far from home for much too long
not sure what I should feel
and even if I feel it
could I be sure it's real

So dim the lights and set the stage
they want to see the show
all the time and effort
Lord, I hope they know

'Cause with every song a part of me
is what I give to you
and when the show is over
may the memory shine through

It's hard to form relationships
when you're on the road a lot
I've yet to find a lady
who'll forgive the things I'm not

There's a side of me that's worked so hard
for all I've come to know
a dream achieved throughout the years
I just can't let it go

So dim the lights and set the stage
they want to see the show
all the time and effort
Lord, I hope they know

'Cause with every song a part of me
is what I give to you
and when the show is over
may the memory shine through.
Copyright Andy Gibb 1985

The excerpts of the biography were taken from
The Ultimate Biography of The Bees Gees,
Tales of The Brothers Gibb.
Written by Melinda Bilyeu, Hector Cook
and Andrew Môn Hughes.
Tales of The Brothers Gibb

Page two 
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