Colin “Smiley” Petersen, the first official drummer for the internationally renowned Bee Gees from the 1960s, passed away on November 18, 2024, at the age of 78. A fall was reported as the cause of his death, as confirmed by various sources.
Born in Kingaroy, Queensland, Australia, on March 24, 1946, Petersen was an acclaimed musician who was instrumental in shaping the initial sound of the Bee Gees from 1967 to 1969. He was featured on six of the band’s first seven albums.
Known by the nickname “Smiley,” a moniker he earned from his role in the 1956 film “Smiley,” Petersen had a diverse early career. He starred in several other films, including “A Cry from the Streets” (1958) and “Strange Affection” (1957).
Petersen moved to London at the age of 20 where he joined forces with Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb, along with guitarist Vince Melouney, to form the Bee Gees. His musical contributions can be traced through several of the band’s landmark albums, such as “Spicks and Specks” (1966), “Bee Gees’ 1st” (1967), “Horizontal” (1968), “Idea” (1968), “Odessa” (1969), and “Cucumber Castle” (1970).
During his time with the Bee Gees, Petersen provided the rhythmic backbone for a number of hit songs, including “New York Mining Disaster 1941,” “To Love Somebody,” “Holiday,” “I’ve Gotta Get a Message to You,” and “I Started a Joke.”
However, Petersen’s association with the Bee Gees ended in 1970 due to disagreements with the band’s manager, Robert Stigwood. Despite their differing views, Stigwood spoke highly of Petersen, describing him as “very level-headed” and “a very sophisticated person” with “a good appreciation of good food and wines.”
Following his departure from the Bee Gees, Petersen formed the band Humpy Bong and later established a management company with his wife, Joanne Newfield. The couple had two sons, Jaime and Ben. In 1974, they moved back to Australia, where Petersen transitioned to a career as a painter.
In his later life, Petersen remained connected to music by performing with the Best of the Bee Gees tribute band. His death came four days after the death of Dennis Bryon, another former Bee Gees drummer, who played during their disco era in the 1970s.
Bryon, who played drums for the “Saturday Night Fever” band from 1973 during the peak of its disco revival, passed away at the age of 76. Blue Weaver, the Bee Gees’ former keyboardist and Bryon’s bandmate in the Welsh rock band Amen Corner, announced his passing on Facebook. The announcement did not include details about the cause or the date of death.
Barry Gibb is now the only surviving member of the original Bee Gees lineup, following the passing of his brothers Maurice in 2003 and Robin in 2012. Their younger brother, Andy, died at the young age of 30 in 1988.