RIP Grant McLennan

Was there a band that had a classier, better second act than The Go-Betweens? As much as I like their '80s output (which is pretty much great), I think they actually got  better since  reforming in 1999, with 2000's comeback The Friends of Rachel Worth being the best thing they ever did. I liked all of McLennan and Forster's solo records, but there was magic when they played together. Maybe because they weren't trying to write songs aimed at the 20-something market, they wrote about what they wanted to, they were able to remain vital. Last year's Ocean's Apart was a great album. I am very sad to think there won't be another.

The Go-Betweens - Going Blind

Comments

[Kirstie]

I recently revisited The Friends of Rachel Worth as Matt had praised it so frequently. It has some really amazing songs on it I think-particularly "The Clock" but I still tend to gravitate to Bright Yellow Bright Orange more so for some reason. I agree that they seemed to be continuously evolving and it's really such a sad thing...

You know, I always think about the collective consciousness made up of all the creative output in the world and how when someone like Grant dies, it feels like something is really missing even if you didn't know him. And it *is* missing.

[Matt Berlyant]

I know that you've probably seen this Bill, and I definitely know that you have Kirstie, but for those of you who haven't, here's a similar memorial/tribute that I wrote recently:
http://www.bigtakeover.com/news/unfinished-business-rip-grant-mclennan

I would debate the finer points of their '00s catalog vs. their '80s one, but I just don't think it's appropriate here, at least not right now. I will say that though I love Oceans Apart and The Friends of Rachel Worth, the '80s records are closer to my heart aside from a few songs on OA.

Either way, I'm especially sad because there won't be any more Go-Betweens albums when it seemed like Grant had so much left to say.