Colin Petersen

Frederick Colin Petersen began his acting career at the age of seven. When he was still nine years old in late 1955, he starred in the film Smiley (released in 1956), with Ralph Richardson, but by the time he was twelve in 1958 he was forced to cease acting as his mother felt it was interfering with his education. Other film credits included The Scamp (1957), A Cry from the Streets (1958) and, much later, Barney (1976). In 1958, before his mother took him back to Australia, he was screen tested for the part of the young hero in Tiger Bay, but the part eventually went to the then 12 years old Hayley Mills instead, the part being rewritten for a girl. He attended the Humpybong State School at the same time that Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb did (they went to Scarborough State School first, and then later went to Humpybong). Petersen was in Barry's class, though they seldom crossed paths in any significant way. While at school he developed an interest in music, starting out on piano but switching to drums. After leaving school he played with several bands including Steve and the Board, and became acquainted with Maurice Gibb, who invited him to sit in on one of the trio's sessions in Sydney. He ended up becoming friends with the family and ultimately played on as many as a dozen of the Bee Gees' early Australian sides.

Petersen was required to register for National Service and was called up on 11 March 1966, but he was found medically unfit to serve in the army. [National Archives of Australia – Series J1687]

On 1 June 1968, Petersen married Joanne Newfield in Nassau, Bahamas, with fellow Bee Gees member Vince Melouney as the best man. Joanne had worked as a personal assistant to Brian Epstein up until his death, and then for Robert Stigwood. After the couple's wedding Petersen and Newfield went on honeymoon in Majorca, which was spoiled somewhat when Joanne fell ill with German measles. In 1969, Petersen and his wife began a management company.

As Petersen learned about the music industry, he raised questions about Stigwood's conflict of interest as the Bee Gees' manager, since Stigwood owned their recordings and publishing and was in effect their employer. According to Petersen this led to him being fired in August 1969, while the group were making a television film of Cucumber Castle. Petersen had already recorded the songs used in the film, which make up part of the album, but he is not credited on the sleeve. Pentangle Drummer Terry Cox was brought in to complete the remainder of the drum tracks, but it is not really clear which tracks have Petersen or Cox on drums.

Petersen managed Jonathan Kelly as a solo Artist during the early 1970s, subsequent to Humpy Bong disbanding. He returned to Australia in 1974 where, having lost his rights to royalties after his court case against the Bee Gees, eventually became a Painter residing in Sydney. He remained close to Melouney, but became bitter towards his other ex-bandmates about his lost royalties.

As a partner in the group, however, he could not be summarily fired as though he were an employee. The result was a series of lawsuits in which, at one point – as a ploy to get a quicker settlement from Stigwood – he attempted to block the Bee Gees from using that name, since it was jointly owned by the partners, and he alleged that he had been illegally deprived of his share in the partnership. Petersen remained on good terms with the brothers, especially Robin Gibb, after his initial exit.