The Go-Betweens

The Go- Betweens was one of the internationally most influential in the Australian independent music pop bands. It was founded in 1977 in Brisbane by Robert Forster ( guitar, vocals) and Grant McLennan (guitar, vocals). After the death of McLennan in 2006, the band broke up.

• 3.1 Non- Album Singles
• 3.2 albums

Music

The Go- Betweens combine the aesthetics of punk and new wave influenced pop music with folk. Her lyrics are poetic reflections of everyday life and interpersonal relationships, which are often autobiographical character, or references to movies and books. Forster revered for example, the poet Paul Bowles and set to music for the Bavarian Radio a radio play about Jack Kerouac's novel On the Road ( Heading ). The songs are the team of authors Forster / McLennan attributed to each of the two writes her own songs, which are treated equally on the albums and on stage.

Biography

The beginning

The then 20 -year-old Forster learned McLennan at the University of Queensland know. They discovered a common interest for movies, books, as well as American and British punk and new-wave bands. Forster played tolerably guitar and encouraged McLennan on to learn to play bass. You joined soon added Lindy Morrison ( drums). Later, Amanda Brown ( violin ) and Robert Vickers ( bass) completed the band.

The musicians described in interviews the climate in Brisbane, which in Australia had then the reputation of the province, as politically right - conservative. Forster and McLennan were outsiders because they had different values ​​. They also provided the traditional concept of masculinity into question by gentleness, sensitivity and emotionality with heterosexuality combined (see Straight Queer Masculinities ). Forster maintains to this day a dandy image and plays with gender stereotypes. On a U.S. tour in the late 1980s he was wearing, also from anger at the lack of understanding of his record label for the concept of the band at a show even a dress. The audience, which consisted primarily of PR people, which found little amusing.

1978 took the Go- Betweens on the small Able Label the first single from Lee Remick / Karen on. After another single the small British label Postcard Records became aware of it, which published her single I Need Two Heads. In 1981 their debut album Send me a Lullaby on the Australian label Missing Link. Then they got a contract with the prestigious British independent label Rough Trade Records, which the band caused them to go to England. Since then, they often shuttled between Europe, especially Britain, and his native Australia.

The 1980 - Underground - Stars

Despite the quality and pop catchiness of their songs with the Smiths and REM were compared, they were always the only potential candidate for a chart hit - the commercial success did not come. This was due in part to the fact that the band had bad luck with the choice of their record labels. The European branch of the label Beserkley, which offered them their first contract outside Australia, went bankrupt before the signing and with him disappeared the master tapes of the first songs. Their first major label Sire held the album Spring Hill Fair (1984 ) for not worthy of publication for the North American market. The European branch of the Major Epic, for which the band produced their subsequent album, broke up during the recording. Other record companies they represented, was missing after Forster's assessment often an interest in their music and an understanding of what the band wants.

Thus, the Go-Betweens were critics favorites and developed over the years among the fans a cult status. The band toured frequently in Australia, North America and Europe. The British radio DJ John Peel played their music in his shows, and took several of his famous sessions with them. The band were able to record small hits like Cattle and Cane (1983 ), The House That Jack Kerouac Built ( 1987) and Streets of Your Town (1988 ), of which, however, was only the latter even in the top 100. Retrospectively Karen, the B- side of their first single, a small cult hit. Even if the LPs Spring Hill Fair, and Liberty Belle And The Black Diamond Express ( 1986) are regarded as their best releases among fans, the album 16 Lovers Lane (1988 ) was their most successful. Nevertheless, Forster and McLennan solved the Go- Betweens in December 1989 without prior consultation with the other musicians. Vickers had left the band in 1987 and was replaced by John Willsteed. Lindy Morrison played among others live in the band of Nikki Sudden, because he " enjoys working with Australians ".

The 1990 - Solo paths

Forster, who lived from 1990 for several years with his current wife Karin Baeumler -Forster at Regensburg in Bavaria, and McLennan released solo albums, but remained on friendly terms. Their respective solo careers were found to be not very successful. Again and again they played together, but not under the name Go- Betweens. Only in 1997 they went on tour together after the French music magazine Les Inrockuptibles had voted " best band of all time ". Their popularity in indie circles was further enhanced by a re-release their albums in 1996 on the label Beggars Banquet. Also Lindy Morrison and Amanda Brown published as Cleopatra Wong in the early 1990s, two EPs. The early 2000s, Morrison ran (unsuccessfully) for the Australian Democrats.

The 2000 - Reunion and end

In 2000, Forster and McLennan reformed the band officially began recording new material. Morrison and Brown were due to the circumstances of the resolution disgruntled and refused a renewed cooperation. Instead, jumped in his comeback album The Friends of Rachel Worth, which was in just 14 days in Portland, Oregon ( USA) was added, the members of the band Sleater - Kinney one. It appeared in Europe (except England ) clear spot on the basis of the EFA- bankruptcy defunct label and in the U.S. on the jet-set label their now living in New York former bassist Robert Vickers. The last album Oceans Apart appeared in Europe (except England) in tuition, a newly formed initially for the new release of the Go-Betweens label of Schott Music & Media in Mainz. The idea of ​​the label name came from Grant McLennan. The last line of the Go- Betweens (2005 ) consisted of Forster, McLennan, Adele Pick Vance (bass) and Glenn Thompson ( drums).

Grant McLennan was found on May 6, 2006 at the age of 48 years died at his home in Brisbane. He probably died of a heart attack. A few days later, Robert Forster declared the band to be dissolved.

Discography

Non- Album Singles

• Lee Remick / Karen ( Able Label, 1978)
• People Say / Don 't Let Him Come Back ( Able Label, 1979)
• I Need Two Heads / Stop before You say It ( Missing Link / Post Card, 1980)

Albums

• Send Me A Lullaby (1981 )
• Before Hollywood ( 1983)
• Spring Hill Fair (1984 )
• Metal And Shells (1985 )
• Liberty Belle And The Black Diamond Express ( 1986)
• Tallulah (1987 )
• 16 Lovers Lane (1988 )
• 1978 to 1990 ( 1990)
• Bellavista Terrace: Best of The Go- Betweens (1999)
• Live On SNAP with Deirdre O'Donaghue (1999)
• The Friends of Rachel Worth ( 2000)
• Bright Yellow Bright Orange ( 2003)
• Oceans Apart (2005)
• Live In London (2005)
• That Striped Sunlight Sound (2006)

Curiosities

In the fourth season of the American television series 24, a company " McLennan -Forster " is. The producer and writer of the series, Evan Katz wanted to bring his attachment to the Go- Betweens expressed by these Attribution.

In Brisbane, the Go Between Bridge was opened on the Brisbane River on July 5, 2010. Was preceded by a public competition, could be voted on at the site at a total of eleven proposals for naming the bridge. An unofficial bridge baptism took place on June 25, 2010 by a benefit concert, in which Robert Forster occurred.