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You Should Be Dancing
From behind the drumkit to the top of the charts: the backstage story of the Bee Gees
With worldwide sales of over 220 million records, the Bee Gees are the sixth bestselling music artists in history. Dennis Bryon’s story of how he became the Bee Gees’ drummer during their peak period offers many never-before-told tales about such infectious hits as “Stayin’ Alive,” “How Deep Is Your Love,” and “Night Fever.” From Dennis’s beginnings in a Welsh band to his crucial role in the superstar group, You Should Be Dancing reveals unforgettable stories of his encounters with many famous musicians, including the Bee Gees themselves, Andy Gibb, Michael Jackson, Jimi Hendrix, and Olivia Newton-John. Along with Bee Gees photographs and ephemera, Bryon’s memoir takes Bee Gees fans and music enthusiasts alike on one of the wildest rides in pop history.
With worldwide sales of over 220 million records, the Bee Gees are the sixth bestselling music artists in history. Dennis Bryon’s story of how he became the Bee Gees’ drummer during their peak period offers many never-before-told tales about such infectious hits as “Stayin’ Alive,” “How Deep Is Your Love,” and “Night Fever.” From Dennis’s beginnings in a Welsh band to his crucial role in the superstar group, You Should Be Dancing reveals unforgettable stories of his encounters with many famous musicians, including the Bee Gees themselves, Andy Gibb, Michael Jackson, Jimi Hendrix, and Olivia Newton-John. Along with Bee Gees photographs and ephemera, Bryon’s memoir takes Bee Gees fans and music enthusiasts alike on one of the wildest rides in pop history.
266 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 1, 2015
14 people are currently reading
358 people want to read
About the author
Dennis Bryon
1 book4 followersDennis Ronald Bryon was a Welsh rock drummer from Cardiff, best known for his work with the Bee Gees from 1974 to 1980. Bryon was the only drummer in history (other than Ringo Starr) to have five songs in the top ten Billboard chart simultaneously.
Bryon wrote, recorded or performed with Barbra Streisand, Kenny Rogers, Jimi Hendrix, Andy Gibb, Jan Pulsford, June Pointer, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Nigel Pulsford, Jerry Lee Merritt, Tony Joe White, Michael Snow, David Schnaufer, The Italian Bee Gees, Brian McDade, Jo Anne Kelly, Robin Gibb, Melanie Safka, Barry Gibb, Cathryn Creig, Laura Taylor, Maurice Gibb, Kayte Strong, Brian Willoughby, Chris Pelcer, Dave Edmunds, Rhodes Charmers and Rhodes, Jimmy Ruffin, Ish Ledesma, Andy Fairweather Low, Yvonne Elliman, Richard Wold, Bill Lloyd, and Steve Marriott.
Bryon wrote, recorded or performed with Barbra Streisand, Kenny Rogers, Jimi Hendrix, Andy Gibb, Jan Pulsford, June Pointer, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Nigel Pulsford, Jerry Lee Merritt, Tony Joe White, Michael Snow, David Schnaufer, The Italian Bee Gees, Brian McDade, Jo Anne Kelly, Robin Gibb, Melanie Safka, Barry Gibb, Cathryn Creig, Laura Taylor, Maurice Gibb, Kayte Strong, Brian Willoughby, Chris Pelcer, Dave Edmunds, Rhodes Charmers and Rhodes, Jimmy Ruffin, Ish Ledesma, Andy Fairweather Low, Yvonne Elliman, Richard Wold, Bill Lloyd, and Steve Marriott.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
July 27, 2015
More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/
You Should Be Dancing is perhaps misleadingly subtitled, "My Life With The Bee Gees" since we learn very little about that them or that time. Instead, what have have is a memoir of a decent guy who didn't do drugs or much alcohol, only had one affair (and ended up marrying that woman after the death of his ex wife), came from a grounded/loving/supportive family, and is far too much of a nice and boring guy to give insight and depth about the Bee Gees, the times, or any other musicians he worked with/met. He worked with the Bee Gees closely during their peak years but we learn very little other than this: (and you have to read between the lines to get this much) Robin was touchy, Maurice was a comedian, and big brother Barry the controlling one.The book is told chronologically and in a very straight-forward (and benign) fashion. e.g., "I was born on x date in x place to x parents." Because he had such supporting parents, there wasn't a lot of conflict other than giving up the electrician career in order to pursue the more nebulous work as a drummer. But there were a lot of lucky breaks that meant his skill as a drummer wouldn't be overlooked. Most of the first half of the book is building his reputation in bands that were a hit in the UK - Amen Corner especially.
The Bee Gees aspect doesn't come into play until nearly 3/4 of the way through this autobiography. Mostly, we get some reminiscences on how a couple of songs were formed but very little on the background/personalities/life with the Bee Gees. Indeed, he even lived in the same house with them and still we only get safe topics such as the different people involved in making the records, Barry's wife's friendly Scottish family, and a lot of "We went on tour."
The Saturday Night Fever soundtrack recording gets around 10 pages but mostly we are talking about getting new houses and Bryon's family's health issues that were occurring back in Wales (cancer with the father and alzheimer's with the mother). Oddly, Bryon gets specific about streets he drove down in LA, Wales, and Miami but everything else in the book amounts to topics lightly touched upon. Things happen - but they aren't very interesting or informative, honestly. Even Andy Gibb's tumultuous life (and Bryon worked with him quite a bit) only merits a few pages and amounts to pretty much saying, "He dealt with the pressures of stardom poorly but I never saw him doing drugs or alcohol."
So although Bryon was with the Bee Gees for some six years, the book is really not about that time. It's about Bryon's life as a musician, issues with his family/wife, and the contributions he made to various bands/people. In other words, it's a lot of "gee whiz, I jammed with Hendrix! and I talked with Michael Jackson" and they were both nice guys!" without offering any insight, thoughts, or speculation based upon his experiences with those people. This book has virtually no opinions whatsoever - so what's the point?
Certainly, no one mentioned (including the author himself) needs to worry about any salacious gossip from this book. It is squeaky clean and makes a nice, if not very diverting, read. And while I despise gossip rags and celebrity iconification, what I do look for in a book like this is insight from someone who is there - who actually knows these people. But there was none of that to be found - only platitudes and superficial memories. Even the forwards were banal plaudits best left at the back of the book. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.
May 8, 2015
3.5 stars rounded up.
I'd had this one Bee Gees biography on my radar for a while, but after seeing a number of negative reviews, including one detailing a mile-long list of factual errors, I mentally shelved it. Dennis Bryon's You Should Be Dancing: My Life With the Bee Gees came up for review and caught my eye. I hadn't seen the group's 1979 Spirits Having Flown show, but my husband (14 at the time) had, and still points to it as one of the best live shows he's ever seen. Bryon toured as drummer then, and his book provides detailed insider information when the Bee Gees peaked in sales and popularity.
When I think of the Bee Gees, I tend to focus on the songwriting and vocal harmonies. A non-musician fan like me might forget that for five years they were supported by a solid band on stage and in the studio, so a book like this helps me appreciate the people who contribute to great music.
Before the Gibbs, Bryon grew up in Wales and dreamed of a life which didn't chain him to work as an electrician. After taking up the drums, he enjoyed success with the Amen Corner, a Wales-based rock/blues group better known in their native country. They rode high for about three years, then poof. Done. Bryon doesn't dwell much on the band's demise, hinting perhaps at a restlessness among some musicians and a desire to try new things. The band's split leaves him scraping for any work in the music industry, and he comes close to taking a tour manager position before a former band mate steers him toward the Gibbs.
The heart of Dancing, of course, chronicles his tenure in the Bee Gees' band with Alan Kendall and Blue Weaver, arguably at the pinnacle of their career. Bryon's memory appears photographic at some points - there are passages where he describes the layout of a studio right down to the screws in the door hinges. He's kind to all the Gibbs and extended family, assigning personalities we probably would have guessed for each: Barry the devoted family man, Robin the quiet one, Maurice the joker. Every occurrence in this five-year period happens in Bryon's recall as though everybody involved wrote and rewrote music history with the greatest of ease. Of course, it's not entirely untrue given the success of Saturday Night Fever in this time.
Post-Bee Gees anecdotes are equally interesting, particularly his work with the doomed younger brother Andy. The aforementioned Bee Gees biography weathered criticism over a perceived vitriolic portrayal of Andy, but I found Bryon's memory sympathetic without being sugar-coated. Had Andy survived his addictions, who's to say Bryon's drumming career wouldn't have lasted several more years.
Overall, Bryon's narrative throughout Dancing comes off so positive, when you read about his unceremonious firing (via a phone call from a non-Gibb - a rather cowardly act if you think about it), he doesn't seem angry enough. When you read about a guy going from six-figure advances for an album to zip you'd expect some anger to singe your fingers as you turn pages. You get the impression Bryon, though frank about money and marriage troubles later in life, takes a zen approach to things. He could hug Barry after putting time between the wounds, but while Bryon ends his story touching on the whereabouts of a few close friends there's no mention at all of the deaths of Maurice and Robin. Even with the great attention to detail of touring and recording, you still have some questions.
I'd had this one Bee Gees biography on my radar for a while, but after seeing a number of negative reviews, including one detailing a mile-long list of factual errors, I mentally shelved it. Dennis Bryon's You Should Be Dancing: My Life With the Bee Gees came up for review and caught my eye. I hadn't seen the group's 1979 Spirits Having Flown show, but my husband (14 at the time) had, and still points to it as one of the best live shows he's ever seen. Bryon toured as drummer then, and his book provides detailed insider information when the Bee Gees peaked in sales and popularity.
When I think of the Bee Gees, I tend to focus on the songwriting and vocal harmonies. A non-musician fan like me might forget that for five years they were supported by a solid band on stage and in the studio, so a book like this helps me appreciate the people who contribute to great music.
Before the Gibbs, Bryon grew up in Wales and dreamed of a life which didn't chain him to work as an electrician. After taking up the drums, he enjoyed success with the Amen Corner, a Wales-based rock/blues group better known in their native country. They rode high for about three years, then poof. Done. Bryon doesn't dwell much on the band's demise, hinting perhaps at a restlessness among some musicians and a desire to try new things. The band's split leaves him scraping for any work in the music industry, and he comes close to taking a tour manager position before a former band mate steers him toward the Gibbs.
The heart of Dancing, of course, chronicles his tenure in the Bee Gees' band with Alan Kendall and Blue Weaver, arguably at the pinnacle of their career. Bryon's memory appears photographic at some points - there are passages where he describes the layout of a studio right down to the screws in the door hinges. He's kind to all the Gibbs and extended family, assigning personalities we probably would have guessed for each: Barry the devoted family man, Robin the quiet one, Maurice the joker. Every occurrence in this five-year period happens in Bryon's recall as though everybody involved wrote and rewrote music history with the greatest of ease. Of course, it's not entirely untrue given the success of Saturday Night Fever in this time.
Post-Bee Gees anecdotes are equally interesting, particularly his work with the doomed younger brother Andy. The aforementioned Bee Gees biography weathered criticism over a perceived vitriolic portrayal of Andy, but I found Bryon's memory sympathetic without being sugar-coated. Had Andy survived his addictions, who's to say Bryon's drumming career wouldn't have lasted several more years.
Overall, Bryon's narrative throughout Dancing comes off so positive, when you read about his unceremonious firing (via a phone call from a non-Gibb - a rather cowardly act if you think about it), he doesn't seem angry enough. When you read about a guy going from six-figure advances for an album to zip you'd expect some anger to singe your fingers as you turn pages. You get the impression Bryon, though frank about money and marriage troubles later in life, takes a zen approach to things. He could hug Barry after putting time between the wounds, but while Bryon ends his story touching on the whereabouts of a few close friends there's no mention at all of the deaths of Maurice and Robin. Even with the great attention to detail of touring and recording, you still have some questions.
February 6, 2022
This book was perfect in every way. Great writing and fascinating details about his own musical life as well as the whirlwind that was the Bee Gees in the 70s.
So far this my favorite rock memoir ever, and I've read quite a few.
The first third of the book recounts his childhood and his introduction to music. The story of the man who motivated him to play the drums was beautiful and inspiring. Dennis' life in music before joining the Bee Gees was just as riveting as the wild years that followed.
It's apparent that Denis held back on many details of the Brothers, but that's to be expected. There's plenty in here to satisfy both Bee Gee fans and anyone else interested in the industry.
So far this my favorite rock memoir ever, and I've read quite a few.
The first third of the book recounts his childhood and his introduction to music. The story of the man who motivated him to play the drums was beautiful and inspiring. Dennis' life in music before joining the Bee Gees was just as riveting as the wild years that followed.
It's apparent that Denis held back on many details of the Brothers, but that's to be expected. There's plenty in here to satisfy both Bee Gee fans and anyone else interested in the industry.
March 4, 2019
Boring...couldn't convince myself to finish this...
July 3, 2015
This book is the life story of Dennis Bryon from teenage years until he stopped being a drummer in 2010. He was the drummer for a group called Amen Corner for a few years before joining the BeeGees during their peak musical years.
I was a teenager during the time the BeeGees recorded some of their biggest hits. I still listen to their music weekly so I was interested in reading about the author's interactions with the brothers. This book was a quick and easy read.
I received this book from a giveaway at Goodreads First Reads. My opinion is my own and not influenced by anyone.
I was a teenager during the time the BeeGees recorded some of their biggest hits. I still listen to their music weekly so I was interested in reading about the author's interactions with the brothers. This book was a quick and easy read.
I received this book from a giveaway at Goodreads First Reads. My opinion is my own and not influenced by anyone.
October 9, 2015
I received this through the Goodreads giveaway. The Bee Gees aren't mentioned until almost halfway through the book. The title of this should be... "My life by Dennis Byron, FORMER drummer for the Bee Gees". Dennis is a very nice guy. The book is nice. It is also simply written. If you want to read about the life of a musician, go for it. If you want dirt on the Bee Gees find another book...
January 7, 2017
I loved the first half of this book understanding the journey from an ordinary boy to success. He demonstrated what passion, dedication and at times lateral thinking can do despite having challenges.
In the second half of the book it was interesting to learn about the relationships and bonds but I was disappointed that it sort of finished where it started or somewhere in between. What a shame that Dennis didn't find the courage to play drums again.
In the second half of the book it was interesting to learn about the relationships and bonds but I was disappointed that it sort of finished where it started or somewhere in between. What a shame that Dennis didn't find the courage to play drums again.
May 9, 2015
Very dry. If this is the stuff of stars then I am glad I am a nobody. Does this really deserve a book? Not badly written, but horribly boring.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews