Surviving Bee Gee Barry Gibb unveils bronze statue of the band… at the opening of commemorative walkway in Australia

They were three bothers – Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb – who set the charts alight with their tight harmonies and disco tunes.
And on Thursday the last surviving Bee Gees member Barry cut a lonely figure as he unveiled a tribute to the band in Redcliffe, Australia, where they first formed.
Posing alongside a bronze statue featuring the group barefoot between the ages of nine to twelve, the 66-year-old officially opened a commemorative walkway, known as Bee Gees Way.

 

Tribute: Barry Gibb unveiled a bronze statue of him and his brothers during their time in the Bee Gees

Speaking to a large crowd who had gathered to celebrate the band, he said: ‘The thing I like best about it is that we're barefoot. That's how we all lived.’

 

The Philip Piperides sculpture was inspired by a photo of the trio making music in their backyard circa 1959, shortly after they emigrated there from Manchester.
The walk way is a 50 metre lane linking Redcliffe Parade to Sutton Street and is filled with photographs from the bands 50 year history. 

 

Bee Gee Way: Barry opened a walkway in Redcliffe, Australia which celebrates the band

 

Survivor: Unfortunately Barry's brothers Robin and Maurice have passed away so he is the only member left

Speaking about why the area is so important to him, he said: ‘We wouldn't be here without Redcliffe. This was our environment, this was where the music was born.’
However he went on to reveal that the brothers could have ended up taking a very different path than the musical one they ended up taking.
‘I think we were crazy, but it was ok to be crazy in those days,’ Barry said. 

 

Support: Barry was joined at the special event by his wife Linda Gray, who looked pleased to share the experience with him

 

Taking it all in: Barry looked at all the images along the 50 meter lane which links Redcliffe Parade to Sutton Street

‘I took Robin and Maurice down to the pier - we'd already been in Woolworths and we had pen-knives in our pockets that we hadn't paid for.’
He admitted: ‘We made the decision to throw the pen-knives off the jetty - they're out there somewhere - and to make the decision that it was either going to be a life of crime or a life of music.’
The unveiling of the moving tribute falls as Barry launches his Mythology tour which will see him playing at various venues around Australia and New Zealand. 

 

Opening up: During the event Barry revealed that things could have turned out quite differently for the brothers because they were 'crazy' in their youth

 

Nice to meet you: Barry spent time greeting all the fans who attended the unveiling of the walkway

Maurice Gibb passed away unexpectedly in January 2003, which lead Barry and Robin to announce their retirement from the band.
In 2009 however they decided to reform and perform once again as a duo.
Robin lost his life in May 2012 after a prolonged struggle with cancer, leaving Barry as the only remaining member of the band. 

 

Excited: Hundreds of Barry's Australian fans took pictures and screamed with delight upon his arrival

 

Trying to catch a glimpse: Fans found inventive ways to see the Bee Gees member at the event