The Go-Betweens
The Go-Betweens were an Australian indie rock band formed in Brisbane, Queensland, in 1977. The band was co-founded and led by singer-songwriters and guitarists Robert Forster and Grant McLennan, who were its only constant members throughout its existence. Drummer Lindy Morrison joined the band in 1980, and its lineup would later expand to include bass guitarist Robert Vickers and multi-instrumentalist Amanda Brown. Vickers was replaced by John Willsteed in 1987, and the quintet lineup remained in place until the band split two years later. Forster and McLennan reformed the band in 2000 with a new lineup that did not include any previous personnel aside from them. McLennan died on 6 May 2006 of a heart attack and the Go-Betweens disbanded again. In 2010, a toll bridge in their native Brisbane was renamed the Go Between Bridge after them.
Not to be confused with The Go-Between.
The Go-Betweens
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
1977–1989, 2000–2006
Able, Missing Link, Rough Trade, True Tone, Beggars Banquet, Postcard, Capitol (US), LO-MAX
In 1988, "Streets of Your Town", the first single from 16 Lovers Lane, entered the Top 100 on both the Kent Music Report chart in Australia and the UK Singles Chart in the United Kingdom. The follow-up single "Was There Anything I Could Do?" was a No. 16 hit on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart in the United States. In May 2001, "Cattle and Cane", from 1983's Before Hollywood, was selected by Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) as one of the Top 30 Australian songs of all time. In 2008, 16 Lovers Lane was highlighted on Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) TV's The Great Australian Albums series.
Career[edit]
1977–1982: early years[edit]
Robert Forster and Grant McLennan met at the University of Queensland where both were taking a theatre arts course.[2] Forster on vocals, song writing, and guitar, and McLennan on vocals, song writing, and bass guitar formed The Go-Betweens in December 1977 in Brisbane, Queensland. The name of the band reflects L.P. Hartley's classic novel The Go-Between.[2] The band made its first public appearance as the support for The Numbers at Baroona Hall in Brisbane in early April 1978.[2]
2000–2006: reformation[edit]
Forster and McLennan pursued solo careers throughout the 1990s, and McLennan also collaborated with Steve Kilbey of The Church in the studio project band Jack Frost.
Forster and McLennan were inspired to work together again after they were invited by fans at French music magazine Les Inrockuptibles to perform at the magazine's 10th anniversary on 23 May 1996 in Paris.[19] For this performance the band comprised Forster, McLennan, Adele Pickvance on bass guitar and Glenn Thompson on drums.[20]
In 2000, Forster, McLennan and Pickvance went to Jackpot! studio in Portland, Oregon with members of Sleater-Kinney, and recorded the album The Friends of Rachel Worth (the first album to ignore their "double L" titling tradition).
The 2001 Thompson rejoined the band for the Australian Big Day Out Festival. This line up of Forster, McLennan, Pickvance and Thompson went on to record Bright Yellow Bright Orange and in October 2005, The Go-Betweens finally achieved mainstream recognition, with the album Oceans Apart (produced by Mark Wallis and Dave Ruffy) winning an ARIA award for 'Best Adult Contemporary Album'. Grant McLennan died on 6 May 2006 of a heart attack, and Robert Forster subsequently announced that The Go-Betweens were no more.[21] Forster has continued to perform and records as a solo artist and has also written well-received music criticism.
The Go-Betweens discography
9
3
7
3
24
Awards and nominations[edit]
ARIA Music Awards[edit]
The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of Australian music. They commenced in 1987. The Go-Betweens won one award.