Sunday, May 21, 2006
Grant McClennan 1958-2006
(photo by Jeanne Snodgrass)It hasn't been a good start to 2006 for my seminal underground rock heroes...first Nikki Sudden (Swell Maps) on March 26 and now just finding out about Grant McClennan's (Go Betweens) very untimely passing May 6. I suppose as I pass mid 40's this kind of news becomes more and more likely, but it doesn't make it any less jarring. McClennan's work with the Go-Betweens has stuck with me throughout my life after my rock and roll "rebirth" in the late 70's, and I was overjoyed to see them live again last year (6/12/05) after the release of Oceans Apart. The small crowd at Cat's Cradle allowed me to absorb their poetry and grace more intimately than I had been able to previous times I had seen them. They delivered a set that was warm, funny, poetic, and absolutely without any pretense. They were unfazed by the small turnout and genuinely grateful to perform a long set of both new and old favorites, and it was a memorable concert that I am grateful to have had the chance to attend. I regret never having had the chance to play a show with them or meet them personally, but their music stirred emotion for me in ways that very few bands/artists have the capacity to do. Thank you Grant, and may you find peace in the afterlife of your choice...
