Robin-John Gibb, known as RJ, spent much of his childhood traveling the world with his famous father, Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees. RJ would often stand at the side of the stage, watching his father and his uncles Barry and Maurice prepare to perform for thousands of fans. As the music began, he would rush to his front-row seat to wave at his dad, who would always wave back. “It was an extraordinary experience for one so young,” RJ recalls. “I saw the adoration, I saw how much joy he was bringing people.”
Now, as an accomplished singer-songwriter in his own right, RJ is preparing to tour the UK, performing his own music as well as reviving many of the Bee Gees’ iconic hits. His rehearsals are taking place at The Prebendal, a magnificent 13th-century mansion in Oxfordshire, where RJ lives with his wife, Megan Golub, and their three children, along with his mother, Dwina, a playwright and children’s book illustrator. The house, once a monastery visited by Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, holds a deep historical significance.
RJ’s bond with his father was exceptional. As a child, Robin-John often wrote and played music with his dad, and their close relationship was marked by a shared sense of humor. “He was my best friend,” RJ says, his voice soft and filled with emotion. “We were colleagues and had the same sense of humor. I think about him every day. I miss him dearly. And I am so proud of him.”
Robin Gibb passed away in May 2012, aged just 62, after a long battle with cancer. RJ was with him in his final moments, holding his father’s head and right hand as his mother held his left hand. They told him they loved him as they watched him pass. The loss of his father left a profound impact on RJ, but his father’s legacy lives on through his music, which continues to be celebrated around the world.
Robin’s voice, forever etched in the hearts of millions, is something RJ welcomes, not as a source of pain but as a connection to the past. “It doesn’t hurt me to hear his voice. I welcome it and always listen,” says RJ. He plays his father’s music for his children, ensuring that they know about their grandfather, even though they never had the chance to meet him.
Despite the enormous shadow cast by his father’s legendary career, RJ remains determined to make his own mark in the music industry. “I don’t think there’s ever a time when I’ve thought I’m living in the shadow of my father. If anything, I would say, what better shadow to live in?” he reflects. He hopes that people will give him the chance to be heard and appreciated for his own work.
Before Robin’s death, he and RJ co-wrote Titanic Requiem, a classical piece to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Titanic’s sinking. Although Robin was too ill to attend the premiere, RJ played an excerpt for him, and Robin, who was in a coma at the time, miraculously woke up and listened to the music. “We were able to tell him about how successful the night had been,” RJ says. “I know how proud he was when he saw the performance on the screen. It brought a smile to his face.”
RJ’s journey is far from easy, and he knows that as the son of a Bee Gee, he will face scrutiny from both the industry and fans. However, he feels ready for the challenge and is determined to honor his father’s legacy while making his own path. “I take comfort that you are always only a song away,” he said at his father’s funeral.
RJ’s commitment to his career is not only driven by his love for music but also by the wisdom his father imparted to him. “Never give up,” Robin advised him. “Don’t accept failure; learn from it and use it to build on.” RJ has taken these words to heart and is now taking the stage, hoping to make his late father proud while carving out his own place in the music world.