Introduction
Robin Gibb’s son RJ cradled his father’s head during his final hours.
The son of the late Bee Gees legend — who died aged 62 after losing his battle with cancer in 2012 — has opened up on how the family spent his father’s last moments as they watched him go .
He told the Daily Mail newspaper: ‘I cradled his head and held his right hand. My mother held his left hand. I gave him a kiss and we told him we loved him as we watched him go.
Robin-John — who is known as RJ and collaborated with his dad on the song ‘Instant Love’ — described his dad as his best friend .
He added: ‘He was my best friend. We were colleagues and had the same sense of humour. I think about him every day. I miss him dearly. And I am so proud of him.
RJ is now a performer in his own right and plans to tour the hits of the Bee Gees next year, but he isn’t afraid of the stigma of living in his father’s shadow.
He admitted: 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? I just hope people will give me the time to listen to my work.
When it comes to his decision to follow in his father’s footsteps, RJ was quick to note that he was never pushed, but rather took the opportunities made available to him.
Shortly before his dad’s death, the father and son duo composed a classical piece to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic.
Although Robin was too ill to attend the premiere at the Royal Albert Hall, RJ made his dad smile by playing him an excerpt of the composition.
He said: We were able to tell him about how successful the night had been and show him clips from the performance. I know how proud he was of the reception it got when he watched it on the screen. It brought a smile to his face.
RJ — who is a dad himself and has Max, eight, Teddy, six, and Oliver, three months, with partner Megan Golub — noted his dad never pushed him into a career in music.
He explained: ‘My father encouraged me but he never pushed me. It’s because he just exposed me to it and gave me the opportunity to go on tours and into the studio with him that I became hooked. Eventually, we started working together.’
And he is keen to make sure that his children are aware of his grandfather and revealed that he continues to play the music, noting that it ‘doesn’t hurt’ to hear his father’s voice.
He added: It doesn’t hurt me to hear his voice. I welcome it and always listen. I know wherever I go, I’ll always hear his voice. He recorded some audio tapes of his life, anecdotes and things I sometimes replay them not just for myself, but to my boys [he has three] as well as my step-daughter.
Because they sadly never got to meet their grandfather. Dad loved children and would have been so thrilled at having grandchildren.