The Go-Betweens

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The Go-Betweens
The Go-Betweens during recording of Oceans Apart: l-r Robert Forster and Grant McLennan
The Go-Betweens during recording of Oceans Apart: l-r Robert Forster and Grant McLennan
Background information
Origin Brisbane, Australia
Genre(s) Indie rock
Years active 1977–1989,
2000–2006
Label(s) LO-MAX Records
Website Official website
Former members
Robert Forster
Grant McLennan
Lissa Ross (1978)
Tim Mustapha (1978–1979)
Lindy Morrison (1980–1989)
Robert Vickers (1983–1987)
Amanda Brown (1986–1989)
John Willsteed (1987–1989)
Glenn Thompson (2002–2006)
Adele Pickvance (2002–2006)

The Go-Betweens were an internationally influential indie rock band from Australia, formed by guitarists Robert Forster and Grant McLennan in Brisbane in 1977. Early on they were joined by Lissa Ross (drums 1978) and Tim Mustapha (drums 1978–1979) then, during their "classic" period by Lindy Morrison (drums 1980–1989), Robert Vickers (bass 1983–1987), Amanda Brown (violin, oboe, guitar, backing vocals 1986–1989) and John Willsteed (bass 1987–1989) and, in their reformation, by Glenn Thompson (drums 2002–2006), and Adele Pickvance (bass 2000–2006).

The Go-Betweens were famously summarised by Village Voice critic Robert Christgau thus: "Robert Forster and Grant McLennan are the greatest songwriting partnership working today." The Go-Betweens toured overseas numerous times and produced such indie hits as "Cattle and Cane" (1983) and "Streets of Your Town" (1988). Their albums Spring Hill Fair (1984) and Liberty Belle and the Black Diamond Express (1986) received particularly strong reviews in NME and are considered classics of 1980's indie rock. After recording six albums, Forster and McLennan disbanded The Go-Betweens in December 1989.

Forster and McLennan pursued solo careers throughout the '90s but were inspired to work together after they were invited by fans at French music magazine Les Inrockuptibles to perform at the magazine's 10th anniversary.

In 2000, Forster and McLennan reformed The Go-Betweens, assisted by all three members of Sleater-Kinney, and recorded the album The Friends of Rachel Worth. The most recent line-up (2005) included Forster, McLennan, Adele Pickvance (bass) and Glenn Thompson (drums).

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.

With the death of Grant McLennan on May 6, 2006, Robert Forster announced that The Go-Betweens were no more.

Contents

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

[edit] Compilations

  • Metal and Shells (1985)
  • The Able Label Singles (1986)
  • 1978-1990 (1990)
  • Bellavista Terrace: Best of the Go-Betweens (1999)
  • 78 'til 79 the Lost Album (1999)

[edit] Singles

Year Title Chart positions Album
US Hot 100 US Modern Rock US Mainstream Rock UK
1988 "Was There Anything I Could Do?" - #16 - - 16 Lovers Lane

[edit] 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/Postcard, 1980)

[edit] Further reading

[edit] External links

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