Bee Gees 'overwhelmed' by honorary degrees

Two of the Bee Gees accepted honorary degrees today and said it had been a “difficult time” since their brother Maurice died.

Robin and Barry Gibb were at the University of Manchester to accept degrees making them doctors of music.

The pair accepted a posthumous honorary degree from the university chancellor Anna Ford on behalf of their brother who died in January 2003.

Barry said: “The ceremony was completely overwhelming and wonderful.

“Maurice would be very proud. He was applauding as well. He’s looking down on us and I bet he wishes he was here.”

Barry, 56, said it had been a “difficult time” since Maurice died but he and Robin, 54, were opening a recording studio at a Manchester school later today in his honour.

Wearing red and yellow gowns and soft black velvet caps, the pair posed for photographers and signed autographs for fans.

Born on the Isle of Man, all three of the brothers moved to Manchester in the 1950s.

Barry said: “We started here and we’ve come back full circle via the long way.

“People here have not changed, that’s for sure. People are still very open and friendly. It’s incredible.”

The brothers said they used to perform in the Beaumont Cinema in the city before it became a funeral home, and had lived in Chorlton-cum-Hardy.

Barry said their awards were not based on academic ability.

He added: “This is certainly not because of our education. This is based on our recording and our music and what this means to people.

“It’s not academic, I can promise you that.

“It’s tremendous. People who do what we do certainly don’t expect something like this.

“It means a lot to us. There are lots of people here today who are very deserving.”

Barry pledged that he and Robin would continue recording.

Joking with reporters, he said: “Dr Gibb. I can write prescriptions now.”

The Bee Gees set the 1970s disco scene alight with hits such as Stayin’ Alive and Night Fever.

They performed from an early age, impressing audiences in the north west before emigrating to Australia in 1958, when Barry was 12.

They went on to become the fifth biggest-selling pop group of all time, shifting more than 110 million copies of 28 albums.

As pop heavyweights, the trio released records for more than four decades.

Maurice died in a Miami hospital aged 53. He suffered a heart attack during emergency surgery for an intestinal blockage.

Twin brother Robin was at his bedside after flying in from London just an hour before.