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Colin ‘Smiley’ Petersen passed away at the age of 78. As the original drummer for the Bee Gees, Petersen was instrumental in the group’s early success. He died on November 18.
He helped create classic singles including Words, To Love Somebody, and Massachusetts. His drumming was a key component of several of their albums,
Notably the pioneering Bee Gees’ first, which contributed to the group’s rise to fame around the world. His sons Jaime and Ben, as well as his ex-wife Joanne, survive him.
Petersen made waves as a child actor before pursuing a career in music. He starred in the iconic Australian movie Smiley, which gave him his enduring nickname.
His reputation as a versatile artist in two challenging sectors was solidified by his move from movie to stage.
Petersen’s participation in The Best of the Bee Gees tribute event more recently allowed him to reestablish a connection with fans.
He commented on his time with the band in a 2022 interview with Jason Barnard on The Strange Brew Podcast, offering unique insights into his drumming approach and the band’s creative process.
Petersen explained in the interview the spirit of cooperation that characterized the Bee Gees’ recording sessions: We would frequently enter the studio without a song, which allowed me to play around with rhythms and tempos.
Because we collaborated on those tracks, they had a genuine spontaneity. We never recorded our individual parts; instead, we recorded everything together, with the orchestra added later.
Petersen also discussed how he approaches drumming, viewing it as a continuation of the music rather than a demonstration of technical mastery.
Although I wasn’t the most technically proficient drummer, I believe that sometimes simplicity is more effective.
You have to be inventive when you’re constrained, like Chuck Berry, who used only a few chords to create magic. Serving the song was always the main goal for me.