There's a resurgence of interest in The Bee Gees thanks to a new critically acclaimed documentary. However, Barry Gibb, the last surviving member of the group, says it's unlikely he'll ever watch the whole film because it's too painful, he tells Anthony Mason in an interview for CBS SUNDAY MORNING to be broadcast Sunday, Jan. 3 (9:00 AM, ET) on the CBS Television Network.
"The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" on HBO Max has gotten wonderful feedback, reports Mason, co-host of CBS THIS MORNING. Gibb tells Mason the response has been staggering. He admits to having watched bits of it, but not all.
"'Cause I can't handle watching the rest of my family," Gibb says. "I just can't handle it. It's not, who would, you know? I think it's perfectly normal to not want to see how each brother was lost, you know? And I DON'T want to address it. I'm past it."
Gibb, with his brothers Maurice and Robin, created some of the most memorable hits of the past five decades including "Stayin' Alive" and "How Deep is Your Love." Their childhood, their career together and the deaths of Maurice and Robin are documented in the film.
Gibb admits it has been hard letting go of his brothers.
"Yes. Incredibly. Incredibly hard," Gibb says. "Because we'd never not been together, you know?" ... It was really tough. The first year after the last brother passed, Robin. That was the most difficult period for me. And people have said, 'he had a breakdown.' And, you know, I didn't have a breakdown, actually. I just didn't know where to go. I didn't know what to do ... and, I didn't know how to be perceived. I didn't know how to perceive other people's opinions. So, I basically, I've been in lockdown for years now."
Gibb talks with Mason about The Bee Gees, their biggest hits together and those they wrote for others, the process of songwriting, and his own musical career going forward. Gibb says he'd be honored to tour again after the pandemic subsides.
"It's lonely up there when you haven't got your brothers," he says. "But you still make it - you still make it fun. That's what counts."
Gibb also opens up about his new album "Greenfields," which features versions of The Bee Gee's hits performed with some of country music's top stars.
"I was bitten by Nashville, you know, because Nashville is about music," Gibb says. "It's about real songs."
CBS SUNDAY MORNING is broadcast Sundays (9:00-10:30 AM, ET) on the CBS Television Network. Rand Morrison is the executive producer.
Follow CBS SUNDAY MORNING on Twitter, Facebook,Instagram and CBSNews.com. Listen to CBS SUNDAY MORNING podcasts on all podcast platforms.
