Sad Day

Grant McLennan died last week.

It’s okay if you don’t know who he was. Most people didn’t.

He was one of the founders of The Go-Betweens, a revered Australian pop group.

I never actually liked the Go-Betweens, even though I have promised myself to give those records another listen.

I first heard Grant (then known as “G.W. McLennan”) while driving a cargo van in the Hudson Valley with my wife. We were returning a sound mixer’s gear to his country house somewhere in Ulster County that I can’t remember when we stumbled upon this great radio station, WDST, out of Woodstock. (WDST is still on the air, and while it isn’t as great as it used to be it is better than any commercial rock station in New York City.)

“Easy Come Easy Go”, even played through those shitty rental van speakers sounded fantastic. Simple 2 part harmonies, luscious guitar hooks, and clever songwriting. I was an instant fan.

Over the intervening years, I only saw him perform once, but I bought every record and was always pleased. He was one of those performers who no matter what, I always bought his new record when it came out.

This is one of those times I wish I had something big to say. I don’t. I just enjoyed his work and am sad that he was taken before he finished making music.