remembering grant mclennan
For years, my standard line on the Go-Betweens was, “The Go-Betweens are where you go when you’ve run out of Smiths records.” This was a convenient shorthand, but it’s also a massive understatement. With no disrespect to Morrissey, where the Smiths seemed to prize a kind of cartoonish affection for high drama, the Go-Betweens trucked in nuance and implication. They never chose a six-syllable word where a one syllable word would do just fine, and they knew that plain speak about the agony of heartbreak was more affecting than a twelve-ton metaphor ever could be. If I had to sum up their catalog in a single word, that word would be “grace.”
Grant McLennan, who was one half of the Go-Betweens, would have been 50 today. He’s been gone for almost three years now, and yet I still get bummed out by the knowledge that there will be no new Go-Betweens albums, no new McLennan songs to savor.
I’ve gone on record multiple times citing 16 Lovers Lane as my favorite record of all time. It is, I mean this, a perfect pop record, perfectly capturing both sides of a love affair. McLennan’s contributions to it are deeply stirring, particularly “Quiet Heart” and “The Devil’s Eye.”
If you get a few spare moments and have some downloads to burn, take a listen to both “Black Mule” and “The Dark Side of Town” from the McLennan solo years compilation, both of them songwriting master classes.
For a few years Robert Forster has been writing essay-length music reviews for a magazine here in Australia, “The Monthly.” Here is his Remembering Grant McLennan piece and some of his other ones are on the website too.
http://www.themonthly.com.au/tm/node/246
Wow, thanks for this, Amanda!
Wow – has it really been three years? I’ll take at look at those solo recordings. I’ve only listened to the Go-Betweens albums and the latest Robert Forster effort.
I just saw Forester live in concert. Odd but still relate-able and moving, none the less.
Amanda, thanks for finding that link again for me. I remember reading with sadness and a good amount of joy, Robert’s obituary and it was such a well crafted story and tale of their friendship full of all our human emotions.
I too can’t believe it to be 3 years and I regret not taking my chance to see them when it presented itself. I came late to The Go-Betweens, their reformation album Friends of Rachel Worth is an absolutely cracker and from there on I was hooked. Their live album, Live at The Tivoli (or Sunlight Stripped Bare) has an immense version of Black Mule. Highly recommended.
Joe, surprised no mention has been made of the passing of Lux Interior of The Cramps. Weirdly, I had been listening to their Bad Music for Bad People on high rotation last week without knowledge of his death. Spooooky.
“You ain’t no punk, you punk”
I was going to put this comment under New Releases, but there are three dozen comments there. Havila, the new album from the Drones, just arrived on eMusic. I honestly think that one day Gareth Liddiard of the Drones will be on the short list of great Australian rock songwriters, alongside Grant McLennan, Robert Forster, Nick Cave, and David McComb of the Triffids.
The Drones also have an incredible guitarist in Rui Pereira. Imagine Neil Young and Crazy Horse attempting a cover version of the Birthday Party’s “Release the Bats”. Be careful, because eMusic makes no distinction between the 1977 Drones (a Manchester punk band) and the Drones of whom I speak. Try “Shark Fin Blues” for starters.
Thanks for the tip, jonder. I actually didn’t know anything about the Drones — I’m a bit out of touch with my demographic — but I got Havilah and am really loving it. Must get more.
I’m not sure what my demographic is anymore, but I’m glad you’re enjoying Havilah!
The Drones’ last album (Gala Mill) was very stark and brooding, with only one uptempo rocker (I Don’t Ever Want to Change), and a great ballad sung by their (female) bassist (Work for Me). Gareth calls the album “pretty fcking depressing”.
The previous album (Wait Long by the River…) is really great, and the live Spaceland set is fantastic. I haven’t heard the first album (Here Come the Lies) yet, and eMusic doesn’t have the third LP (The Miller’s Daughter). The “Custom Made” EP and the “Minotaur Retrospective” sets contain songs from other albums. “Sorted” and “Further Temptations” are by the UK Drones (different band).
You can also listen to the Drones on their website http://www.thedrones.com.au/sounds.php. Their live version of “Manic Depression” is tremendous.
For all you Go-Betweens fans out there, my wife and I released a tribute to Grant McLennan about 18 months ago. The bands that contributed did an outstanding job – their sincerity and passion really shine. We also included a nice booklet with never published photos of Grant and the rest of the band in various incarnations, and stellar liner notes by the talented wordsmith Jack Rabid.
We’ve only got a few copies left. They are available at the myspace address above.
Nobody who has heard this collection has been disappointed. In fact, the most common sentiment is wonder. We think Grant would be proud.
Dave & Sherri
Excellent articles. I sometimes find it hard coming up with articles for my website but you did a great job here.