4 days Ago By Hannah Furnell
Bee Gees' original drummer Colin 'Smiley' Petersen has died at 78. Petersen - who played an important role during the early success of the famous '70s group - passed away on November 18. He contributed to their hits such as Massachusetts , To Love Somebody, and Words.
Golden Bachelorette fans slam show as they claim its 'going too fast' Golden Bachelorette star Mark Anderson breaks silence as he hints what's next Petersen's drumming was a key element on Bee Gees' first album. He is survived by his ex-wife Joanne and their sons Jaime and Ben. Before Petersen started his music career, he was a child actor, starring in the classic Australian film Smiley, a role that earned him his nickname.
He then transitioned from screen to stage, cementing his reputation as a versatile talent. Petersen recently reconnected with fans through his involvement in The Best of the Bee Gees tribute show. In a 2022 interview with Jason Barnard on The Strange Brew Podcast, he reflected on his time with the band, sharing rare insights into their creative process.
Petersen described the collaborative energy in Bee Gees' recording sessions: "We'd often go into the studio without a song, which gave me the chance to experiment with tempos and rhythms. "Those tracks had a real spontaneity because we worked on them as a group. We never recorded our parts separately—it was all done together, with the orchestra coming in later.
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Petersen also opened up about his approach to drumming. He explained: "I wasn't the most technically skilled drummer, but I think that sometimes less is more. When you're limited, you have to get creative—just like Chuck Berry, who made magic with just a few chords.
For me, it was always about serving the song.".
