Go-Between's Grant McLennanDies

Mon 8th May, 2006 in Local News

The Go-Betweens singer-songwriter and charismatic frontman, Grant McLennan died in his
sleep at his Brisbane home over the weekend.
In a statement to nine msn The Go-betweens manager Bernard Galbally described
McLennan’s death as totally unexpected, saying: “We’re all quite devastated by the news”.

Born in Rockhampton on Feb 12 1958, McLennan attended Brisbane University in the 1970s
where he first met fellow musician Robert Forster. The duos shared passion for music soon
saw them joining forces to form a band -and one fo the most seminal bands of the 80s – the
Go-Betweens was born.

The band’s debut album Send me a Lullaby was released in 1982, immediately
securing them a legion of fans and critical acclaim. Over the course of the next five years
the Go-Betweens released several albums including Before Hollywood and
Tallulah. However unhappy with the band’s lack of international success, the Go-
Betweens disbanded in 1988 shortly after the release of the highly regarded album 16
Lovers Lane.

McLennan continued to pursue his musical efforts, collaborating with the likes of Steve
Kilbey (of The Church) in the band Jack Frost and releasing several solo albums such as
Watershed (1991) and the epic double album Horsebreaker Star.

In 2000 Forster and McLennan regrouped and decided to reform the Go-Betweens,
introducing a legion of new fans to the band’s gorgeous poetic power pop. With musical
group’s as diverse as Belle and Sebastian citing the band as inspirations, the Go-Betweens
finally began to receive the international attention they had always deserved, with
McLennan’s song writing reaching new heights and earning the group an ARIA award for the
2005 release Oceans Apart.

Speaking of MacLennan on the band’s website, Bernard MacMohan of Lomax records
described McLennan as: “An exceptionally charming and polite man who endeared himself
to everyone who met him and was one of the rare individuals who is worthy of the epithet
‘larger than life’.”

McLennan was survived by his mother, sister, brother and partner Emma. All who knew him;
whether personally or through his music, will sorely miss him.