The London-born, Miami Beach-reared Gibb left home at 16 he says, to play in various rock bands. Along the way, Barry and Linda Gibb's first-born picked up the nickname, "Smutty."
That's something my closer friends call me," Gibb, 23, says sheepishly, "It's kind of embarrassing... I have a slight interest in tasteless things. I'm a sheep in wolf's clothing," he quickly adds. "I did enjoy the seedier side of life-- I've since reformed but the name sticks."
Gibb worked as a professional body piercer in South Beach and merited a liner note in the Bee Gees 1976 lp, Children of the World, thanking him for "many hours of mischief and magic."
He erupts in laughter when reminded of that long-forgotten note. "I have to give my father credit because he didn't raise me the way people would like to think he did," he says.
"When I said I wanted to get into music it wasn't something that was encouraged -- or discouraged. I never took it seriously until I saw a Van Halen show as a kid. Around that time I wanted to learn guitar. So I was told to buy a guitar and learn. My dad wasn't going to hand it to me on a plate. I didn't understand it then, but in retrospect I think that is great. He had no one hand him anything and he figured I better do it on my own as well."
"From what my mom and dad tell me I was sort of a real happy character of a kid. As you can see, I've turned into quite a character."
Copyright©1997 Miami Herald
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