The Bee Gees’ Fall Was Predicted By A T-shirt
In June 1979, the Bee Gees were the biggest group in the world, riding high on a disco sound that had launched with their several contributions to Saturday Night Fever, the disco blockbuster with one of the soundtracks of the most successful movie ever. The three brothers seemed bulletproof as they donned their white getups and prepared to wow the appreciative crowds. Maurice Gibb had an odd artifact he pulled out backstage for a laugh — it was a t-shirt he’d found that said: “Shoot the Bee Gees.” It was inconceivable that anyone would bear ill will toward a group of such unbridled success. But in the streets, a vicious backlash against disco had been percolating, and when it struck, the Bee Gees were indeed the primary target. In the space of six months, the group went from being a Beatlesesque phenomenon, dominating the airwaves, to pariahs who were effectively banned from radio.