Facebook / Best of the Bee Gees
Original Bee Gees drummer Colin “Smiley” Petersen has died. He was 78.
Petersen’s death was announced by the Best of the Bee Gees Facebook page on Monday.
“It is with a heavy heart we announce the passing of our dear friend Colin ‘Smiley’ Petersen,” the page wrote.
“He enriched our lives and bound our group with love, care and respect,” the message continued. “Not sure how we can go on without his glowing smile and deep friendship. We love you Col. Rest in Peace.”
A cause of death was not revealed.
Petersen was born on March 24, 1946 in Queensland, Australia.
He got his nickname from starring in the 1956 film “Smiley.”
At age 20, Petersen moved to London and joined brothers Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb to become a member of the Bee Gees. Vince Melouney also joined the group.
Petersen was the drummer for the Bee Gees from 1967 to 1969.
He performed on six of the group’s first seven albums, including “Spicks and Specks” (1966), “Bee Gees’ 1st” (1967), “Horizontal” (1968), “Idea” (1968), “Odessa” (1969) and “Cucumber Castle” (1970).
“Sometimes we’d spend hours in the studio, and nothing would come together, so we’d pack up and try again another day. But when inspiration hit, we could knock out three backing tracks in one night,” Petersen said about making music with the Bee Gees on The Strange Brew Podcast in 2022.
He added, “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. For me, it was always about serving the song.”
Petersen left the Bee Gees after a dispute with manager Robert Stigwood in 1970.
Despite their conflict, Stigwood once described Petersen as “very level-headed” and “a very sophisticated person” with “a good appreciation of good food and wines,” according to Sky News.
After leaving the Bee Gees, Petersen formed the band Humpy Bong with Irish singer-songwriter Jonathan Kelly and British rocker Tim Staffell. The group broke up after a short stint together.
Petersen started a management company with his wife Joanne Newfield, with whom he had two sons, Jaime (born in 1971) and Ben (born in 1976).
In 1974, Petersen and his family moved back to Australia and he became a painter.
Of the original Bee Gees member, Barry, 78, is now the only one still alive.
Robin died in 2012 at age 62. Maurice died in 2003 at age 53.