Grant McLennan of the Go-Betweens dies at 48

geek the girl · 05-08-2006, 04:49 AM

Any other Go-Betweens fans here? I was devastated to learn this. 16 Lovers Lane and Liberty Belle and the Black Diamond Express are two true corner stones in my record collection. Songs like "Spring Rain", "Head Full of Steam" and "Lee Remick" are the purest and most satisfying forms of pop songs, and I adore the joyous yet wistfully bittersweet feel of Go-Betweens' overall body of work. Their music has been a huge inspiration to many contemporary bands, Belle and Sebastian being one of their most well-known fans and musical heirs. Amazingly, Robert Forster and Grant MacLennan still hadn't lost the ability to create mesmerizing pop gems: last year's Oceans Apart stands proud right next to their earlier works. It just breaks my heart knowing that Grant McLennan had so many great songs in him that will now never be. 48 is so young.

May he rest in peace. I will be listening to the Go-Betweens all day.

From the official web site, http://www.go-betweens.net/

On Saturday 6th May, legendary Australian singer songwriter Grant W McLennan died in his sleep at his home in Brisbane.

McLennan was one of Australia’s greatest songwriters who created an outstanding musical legacy as a founder member of The Go-Betweens and as a solo artist. He was enjoying enormous acclaim for the band’s most recent album Oceans Apart, which has received five star reviews around the world and won a prestigious ARIA award.

McLennan was born in Rockhampton, Queensland on 12th February 1958. While attending university in Brisbane he met fellow student Robert Forster and together they formed The Go-Betweens. After releasing a string of singles the band recorded their debut album, Send Me A Lullaby, in 1981. The Go-Betweens recorded a series of exceptional albums that achieved widespread critical acclaim and were fundamental in bringing Australian music to a global audience. He was an unparalleled lyricist and a prolific and meticulous composer. His auto-biographical masterpiece ‘Cattle and Cane’ was recently voted by the Australian Performing Rights Association as one of the ten greatest Australian songs of all time.

In 1989 The Go-Betweens took a ten year sabbatical and McLennan recorded four powerful solo albums including the vivacious debut Watershed and the epic Horsebreaker Star as well as forming satellite groups like Jack Frost with Steve Kilbey of The Church and The Far Out Corporation with Ian Haug of Powderfinger.

When Robert Forster and Grant McLennan reformed The Go-Betweens in 2000, the band was greeted with adulation by a new generation of musicians like Belle and Sebastian, for whom their songs had been an inspirational teenage soundtrack. The three albums the band subsequently released were universally acknowledged as containing some of McLennan’s greatest compositions.

McLennan was a passionate supporter of the arts, extremely well-read and maintained a keen interest in all contemporary music, cinema and visual art. He was an exceptionally charming and polite man who endeared himself to everyone who met him and was one of the rare individuals worthy of the epithet ‘larger than life’.

His singular contribution to music and his commitment to his craft simply cannot be overstated. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him. He is survived by his mother, sister, brother, girlfriend Emma, bandmates Adele Pickvance and Glenn Thompson and lifetime musical colleague and friend Robert Forster.

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Rattus · 05-09-2006, 02:24 PM

Oh, this is terrible. I am a fan (Liberty Belle is one of my favourite-for-life records) and Mr. Rattus is a huge fan - he owns every thing the Go-Betweens have ever done. We saw them playing at a small basement club a number of years ago (A-House was the opening band - not very good) and they were phenomenal. I have to go call Mr. Rattus now and let him know. He will be devastated.

St Bunt · 05-11-2006, 10:36 AM

Also been a fan for a long time. Saw them in Dublin a few years ago. Loads of energy and easy-going charm.Gave my brother his plectrum. Listen to Cattle And Cane.

05-08-2006, 04:49 AM	#1
geek the girl Culture slut Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Blessed geekdom Age: 28 Posts: 1,812	Grant McLennan of the Go-Betweens dies at 48 Any other Go-Betweens fans here? I was devastated to learn this. 16 Lovers Lane and Liberty Belle and the Black Diamond Express are two true corner stones in my record collection. Songs like "Spring Rain", "Head Full of Steam" and "Lee Remick" are the purest and most satisfying forms of pop songs, and I adore the joyous yet wistfully bittersweet feel of Go-Betweens' overall body of work. Their music has been a huge inspiration to many contemporary bands, Belle and Sebastian being one of their most well-known fans and musical heirs. Amazingly, Robert Forster and Grant MacLennan still hadn't lost the ability to create mesmerizing pop gems: last year's Oceans Apart stands proud right next to their earlier works. It just breaks my heart knowing that Grant McLennan had so many great songs in him that will now never be. 48 is so young. May he rest in peace. I will be listening to the Go-Betweens all day. From the official web site, http://www.go-betweens.net/ On Saturday 6th May, legendary Australian singer songwriter Grant W McLennan died in his sleep at his home in Brisbane. McLennan was one of Australia’s greatest songwriters who created an outstanding musical legacy as a founder member of The Go-Betweens and as a solo artist. He was enjoying enormous acclaim for the band’s most recent album Oceans Apart, which has received five star reviews around the world and won a prestigious ARIA award. McLennan was born in Rockhampton, Queensland on 12th February 1958. While attending university in Brisbane he met fellow student Robert Forster and together they formed The Go-Betweens. After releasing a string of singles the band recorded their debut album, Send Me A Lullaby, in 1981. The Go-Betweens recorded a series of exceptional albums that achieved widespread critical acclaim and were fundamental in bringing Australian music to a global audience. He was an unparalleled lyricist and a prolific and meticulous composer. His auto-biographical masterpiece ‘Cattle and Cane’ was recently voted by the Australian Performing Rights Association as one of the ten greatest Australian songs of all time. In 1989 The Go-Betweens took a ten year sabbatical and McLennan recorded four powerful solo albums including the vivacious debut Watershed and the epic Horsebreaker Star as well as forming satellite groups like Jack Frost with Steve Kilbey of The Church and The Far Out Corporation with Ian Haug of Powderfinger. When Robert Forster and Grant McLennan reformed The Go-Betweens in 2000, the band was greeted with adulation by a new generation of musicians like Belle and Sebastian, for whom their songs had been an inspirational teenage soundtrack. The three albums the band subsequently released were universally acknowledged as containing some of McLennan’s greatest compositions. McLennan was a passionate supporter of the arts, extremely well-read and maintained a keen interest in all contemporary music, cinema and visual art. He was an exceptionally charming and polite man who endeared himself to everyone who met him and was one of the rare individuals worthy of the epithet ‘larger than life’. His singular contribution to music and his commitment to his craft simply cannot be overstated. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him. He is survived by his mother, sister, brother, girlfriend Emma, bandmates Adele Pickvance and Glenn Thompson and lifetime musical colleague and friend Robert Forster. __________________ "There's more to life than books, you know, but not much more" (Morrissey) Last edited by geek the girl; 05-08-2006 at 05:10 AM.

05-09-2006, 02:24 PM	#2
Rattus Wild thang Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: In the trees Age: 48 Posts: 3,502	Oh, this is terrible. I am a fan (Liberty Belle is one of my favourite-for-life records) and Mr. Rattus is a huge fan - he owns every thing the Go-Betweens have ever done. We saw them playing at a small basement club a number of years ago (A-House was the opening band - not very good) and they were phenomenal. I have to go call Mr. Rattus now and let him know. He will be devastated. __________________ Adios to the contempt for intellectuals, artists, scientists and academics, and the celebration of mediocrity - candor .

05-11-2006, 10:36 AM	#3
St Bunt FORT Newbie Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 1	Also been a fan for a long time. Saw them in Dublin a few years ago. Loads of energy and easy-going charm.Gave my brother his plectrum. Listen to Cattle And Cane.