Two Icons from Different Worlds — Yet Strangely Connected
For over half a century, Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees and Paul McCartney of the Beatles have stood among the greatest songwriters of all time.
Both conquered charts, sold hundreds of millions of records, and helped define the sound of modern music — yet they rarely spoke publicly about each other.
That silence led to endless speculation: Were they friends? Rivals? Indifferent to one another?
Now, at 78 years old, Barry Gibb has finally broken the mystery.
“We Weren’t in Competition — Not Really”
In a new interview, Barry dismissed the idea of a hostile rivalry between the Bee Gees and the Beatles.
“People always assumed there was some competition. There wasn’t,” Barry said. “You can’t compete with Paul McCartney — you just admire him from a distance.”
He admitted that while the Beatles had already changed the music world by the time the Bee Gees rose to fame, their influence was felt in every note the Gibb brothers wrote.
“We learned from them — not to copy, but to be brave enough to do our own thing.”
A Private Meeting That Left an Impression
Barry also revealed the first time he met Paul in person — a brief backstage encounter in the mid-1970s.
“He was exactly how you’d hope he’d be. Warm, curious, a little cheeky. He even sang a line from ‘How Deep Is Your Love’ just to make me laugh.”
Barry said that moment stayed with him, not because Paul was a Beatle, but because he treated him as an equal.
Respect Across Generations
Over the years, Barry and Paul crossed paths at award shows and charity events. Though they never collaborated officially, they often spoke highly of one another in interviews.
Barry confessed that seeing Paul still performing into his 80s has inspired him personally.
“He’s proof that you don’t have to stop creating just because the calendar says so. That’s something I hold onto.”
Why He’s Speaking Now
When asked why he decided to talk about Paul publicly after decades of keeping it private, Barry’s answer was simple:
“Because we’re both in the final chapters now. You realize you should tell people what they mean to you — before you can’t.”
It was a rare, unguarded moment from a man who has spent much of his career carefully avoiding personal revelations.
