Forster/McLennan: no Go-Betweens reunion

Terry Ericsson – Sound Affects, #14 Dec.91/Jan.92

Where's Vickers? That question was asked in SA #3 almost exactly three years ago. I interviewed Go-Betweens this glowing pop smoke, and they revealed that ex-bassist Robert Vickers had become a mystic. It had gone so far that he didn't even write letters to his Mum...

Now he's back in the spotlight again. As a member of Lloyd Cole's band! But more important is his contribution in re-uniting the two main persons from Go-Betweens, Robert Forster and Grant McLennan. These two gentlemen of pop, with more pop hits in their pockets than you and I have coins, are support acts to Lloyd during his world tour, a pop journey which will reach its final destination in New York on December 21st.

Well, the word gentlemen can be questioned - how could you be so bloody stupid as to disband Go-Betweens? What was it that really happened?

"Well, you know, 12 years is a long time together and most marriages only last 7 years, so... I am actually surprised that we stayed together as long as we did, considering the chemistry between the members", Grant says.

In other words, it basically means that he himself is a lovesick prankster and Robert a philosopher with some schizophrenic assets.

"The group had become like a big old house, the air wasn't fresh and it felt right to leave the castle."

"Yes, we couldn't reach any further", Robert adds. "We had done six albums (five brilliant and "Send Me A Lullaby"), Velvet Underground did four - I think that's a good comparison. I loved the group and the work, but the feeling arose that we should quit."

An idea which turned into reality. Robert and Grant parted ways, multiinstrumentalist Amanda Brown, very talented, mythologically beautiful, as well as loyal drummer Lindy Morrison disappeared into an archtic coldness. The warmth from Forster/McLennan's love songs no longer present. Another dumped bassist to archive away. A bitter ending.

Robert and Grant's respective solo albums, "Danger In The Past" and "Watershed", didn't manage to reach the same lyrical pop heights as Go-Betweens did for more than a decade. Same goes for the moniker Jack Frost, McLennan and Steve Kilbey (of The Church) in disguise. They were so good at disguising themselves that the talent that they had previously displayed on their own were completely covered by a complex mess. Nor does it make you any happier when Grant points out that this shall not be seen as a Go-Betweens reunion.

"It's just two old friends playing together."

"Yes, since we have laid low with touring we now get the chance to perform all these fantastic songs that we've written", Robert comments. "People should see it more as if Johnny Cash and Kris Kristofferson toured together. Or John Fogerty and Lou Reed. Two brilliant songwriters."

"Joan Baez and Joni Mitchell", Grant adds.

The artistic integrity is pointed out. Neither of the gentlemen want to be limited by a group. As always, the SONGS are the central things. Nothing is more important. The change of style is marginal. Grant is content to work with guitar, bass, drums, violin, cembalo, trumpet and accordion (he forgot vibraphone and saxophone).

"I won't start doing dance music or heavy metal - I write songs, it's as simple as that".

Which Go-Betweens album do you think is the best one? Robert?

"Before Hollywood".

Grant?

"My favourite album is the one we never recorded in 1979. Robert had all these excellent songs and we were supposed to do an album, but instead we went to England. It would have been a LP filled with songs like 'People Say' - it was Robert's pop phase"

Where are the rest? Well, apart from Vickers I am told that Amanda and Lindy have written songs together, which are described as "modern pop". In early '92 the first record will be released. Tim Mustafa (early drummer...) works as a pharmaceut and has also got a major part in a sun lotion movie. According to just as reliable sources the last bassist John Willsteed will be in ET 2.

"Do you believe in reincarnation?", Grant asks suddenly.

No, I answer coldly. What do you hope to get out of that imagination?

"Well, I have a wish to return as myself. But in a woman's body..."

The day before this chat Forster/McLennan did a slightly too long acoustic set at Daily's. It didn't help matters that they performed the best solo songs and a few Go-Betweens classics, among them "People Say". It didn't take off until a certain Lloyd Cole join them for "Rock'n'roll Friend". Completely spontaneous of course and it's that kind of surprises that make an ordinary live performance better. Lloyd then brings his own band on stage and without Robert/Grant we get to hear "Perfect Skin" and "Weeping Wine".

It's even more entertaining when the evening's headliners, Traste Lindens Kvintett, featuring Sweden's 2nd biggest Go-Betweens fan Peter Axman as ringmaster, finish their tour at the venue. But now to Cirkus.

In spite of very clear sound both Forster/McLennan and Lloyd Cole became a half-yawn and a more unenergetic bassist than Robert Vickers must be hard to find. I've seen statues who have been more loose.

Quick guide to Go-Betweens: Buy "Liberty Belle And The Black Diamond Express" and "Tallulah".