Grant McLennan

Grantley William McLennan ( born February 12, 1958 in Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia; † 6 May 2006 Brisbane, Australia) was an Australian guitarist, bassist, singer and songwriter. He is best known as a member of the Go- Betweens.

The Go- Betweens

McLennan was born in Rockhampton / Queensland. After his father's death, the family moved to a ranch in Northern Queensland. McLennan attended boarding school in Brisbane. In 1976 he began studying at the University of Queensland.

In 1977 he met Robert Forster, McLennan inspired to learn to play bass and establish with him a band. After a few months of trial, the duo recorded his first single. Published in 1982, the Go- Betweens released their first album, Send me a Lullaby. With the entry of bassist Robert Vickers McLennan switched from bass to guitar. Wrote in the initial phase Forster the majority of the songs, McLennan with time developed a signature style, often inspired by melancholy childhood memories ( Cattle & Cane, Bye Bye Pride ). McLennan and Forster wrote their songs never together, but arranged finished songs with the band.

From the critically- praised, the band never achieved the major breakthrough. After essentially acoustic album 16 Lovers Lane (1989 ) initiated McLennan Forster and the Go-Betweens mutual agreement on, however, to have without first drummer Lindy Morrison and multi-instrumentalist Amanda Brown consulted.

Solo albums

The debut Watershed and the successor Fireboy close stylistically to at McLennan Go- Betweens songs and are characterized by sophisticated acoustic guitar arrangements and simply structured songs. The third album, Horse Breaker Star was recorded in the U.S. and Country influences combined with McLennan's songwriting. His last solo album, In Your Bright Ray, is in the line of psychedelic guitar pop.

Meanwhile McLennan worked with Steve Kilbey of The Church under the name " Jack Frost" together. They first recorded a debut album that united the different working methods of McLennan (classic songwriting ) and Kilbey (studio experiments). Three years later, they took with drummer Tim Powles on the second album Snow Job, which struck a harder line. Snow Job was in 1996, four years after the recording, released.

These guested McLennan at different artists, such as the Canadian songwriter Mae Moore.

The Go- Betweens II

Forster and McLennan 2000 resuscitated the Go- Betweens and jointly published a further three albums that were commercially successful than the recordings from the 80s. Peak of success presented the award with the Australian ARIA award for Best Rock Album ( Oceans Apart) dar.

Grant McLennan died on 6 May 2006 at the age of 48 at his home in Brisbane in his sleep, probably of a heart attack. Robert Forster announced a short time after the end of the Go- Betweens.

Solo Discography

• Watershed (1991 )
• Fireboy (1994 )
• Horse Breaker Star (1995 )
• In Your Bright Ray (1997)

Discography with the Go- Betweens see there.