Go-Betweens Special

..."In 2003, the two Brisbane, Australia, natives are back with the Go-Betweens eighth album, "Bright Yellow, Bright Orange". This production is in keeping with the intimate tone of the last one, with a superior sonic achievement.

Our interview with the incredibly nice Grant and Robert took place at their Paris label's office, Chronowax. There, our first impression was that their twenty-five years in the record industry didn't seem to have diminished their musical passion.

Why did the band reform three years ago?

Grant McLennan: We had several opportunities to reform during the 90's, but Robert and I were then busy with our respective solo careers. Robert lived in Germany and I in Australia. In 1999 our English record company, Beggars Banquet, released a Go-Betweens compilation. We thought it would be a good idea to do a few acoustic gigs in support of the record. After a couple of concerts, we started writing some new songs. They didn't sound different from what we did in the early days of the band. And neither Robert or I had any restricting thoughts, such as, what are people going to think if we record a new album? We just did what we felt like doing.

The band has been in existence for 25 years. What is your comment about this rather uncommonly long life for a rock band?

Grant McLennan: I find it fantastic that the band did not become a musical cliche. It is an important fact. Our celebrity status is not similar to the Rolling Stones' or even Lou Reed's. I think that people who like our music understand it.They expect from The Go-Betweens something different every time. It is a great privilege that our fans offer us. Our responsibility and answer to them is that we have to give them quality music.

Concerning what we recorded in the past, I don't often listen to our old repertoire, all this, to me, belongs to the past. I still listen to many kinds of music. I like a lot the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Strokes or Sigur Ros. Let me tell you a story: When we were doing some promotion in Germany at the end of November, a journalist told us that the Nada Surf played in concert a song from our new album. To me, this is the best compliment.

Since the band reformed, the sound seems more spontaneous and is reminiscent of the early Go-Betweens' demos, released four years ago.

Grant McLennan: Absolutely! I can see the connections between these demos and our new repertoire. These are songs played in a very straightforward way. We did not stay in the studio very long for "Bright Yellow, Bright Orange". We recorded in an ideal way, and it clearly shows when you listen to the CD. Before anything else was decided, we already knew that we would write the songs in Brisbane and record them in Melbourne.

You made this recording with two new band members, the drummer Glen Thompson, and Adele Pickvance on bass.Tell us about them.

Robert Forster: We met Glenn and Adele in Brisbane, our hometown. I worked with them during my solo career. I met Glenn after finishing the recording of my CD, "Calling From A Country Phone" (1993). He was part of a musicians community that I hung out with. Three years later, when I formed a new band, I naturally thought of him. We still needed a bass player. A friend told us about Adele. For the new Go-Betweens album, I naturally suggested their names to Grant.

Since your musical beginnings, did you change anything to the way you compose songs together?

Robert Forster: I don't think so. Our way did not change much. Grant and I meet in a room, then play the guitars and keyboards. That's it.

Grant McLennan: It is important for our music that melodies not get into one's system right away, but grow little by little. Things are revealed all along the album listen. I want to insist on the fact that this album is truly a group effort. We did not tell the new band members to play in a certain way. It was more like: "Here are the songs,what are your reactions?" When we play a song with a band, we know immediately if it will work or not.

There always was a special connection between The Go-Betweens and France. How do you explain it?

Grant McLennan: I always liked French films. I already liked them when I was little. I became very interested in Truffaut, Godard... These people's work brought a quality distinct from what one could usually see. In college I got interested in your country's history. I also like Francoise Hardy, and the image she projected in the mid-60's. To the Australian that I am, living down under, France is something exotic and fascinating. And we mostly have a good time here in France.

You both have the experiences of solo careers, and collaboration with other musicians, Grant with Steve Kilbey (from The Church) in the Jack Frost band, Robert with Mick Harvey, Nick Cave's guitarist. What do you have to say about these other duo experiences?

Robert Forster: Mick worked with me on one of my solo album productions. Things are clear and spontaneous when he is around. He has the abilityto create a relaxed mood for the people who work with him. We got into a large studio, set up the mikes on our equipment and did the recording in the simplest way. That's typical of Mick. He thinks that this is the best way to go about recording.

Grant McLennan: I add to this that he spent one day with us at the studio when we were recording the new album. My work with Steve Kilbey taught me that you can go to the recording studio with nothing at all prepared in advance. It was a sort of challenge, but I think we had enough guts and the necessary know how, in some way, that allowed us to achieve it. Most of the time, we did not know where we were heading to, but it always was an interesting experiment.

What do you think of each other's solo career?

Robert Forster: There are good things on both sides.I think that both of us did the best we could. Every time you release a new album, you think of ways to do better and accomplish more progress. But I never look back. Right now, I really focus on the present. It is kind of painful to speak about the past, the 90's as well as the other decades. I am a man of the present time.

Grant McLennan: Of course I have a lot of respect for Robert as a songwriter. Occasionally, when I listen to some of his solo songs, I tell myself: "Let's see, I would have put a guitar riff here, or maybe some vocals." It is certain that most of our solo songs could have been on a Go-Betweens album.

The press often considered you as a band "doomed" to failure, so to speak, because of your rather small album sales and in spite of a constant critical acclaim. What do you think about it?

Robert Forster: I don't think that we are a doomed to failure group. Our public is steadily increasing. People think that if you don't have an international contract with a major label, and don't have arena size concerts, or don't have very costly music videos, then you are a doomed to failure group! This doesn't surprise me. Our new record is distributed in different countries by different labels, and things go very smoothly with them. We are promoting the album around Europe, and get to sleep in beautiful hotels near the Place Vendome. It is true that we sell less albums than some other artists. But we are not a doomed to failure band.

What do you think of this other Australian band, The Vines? Do you draw satisfaction from the great current popularity of this new group?

Grant LcLennan: I saw The Vines in concert last September. Obviously, this is a young formation that did not do many concerts yet. They were good. They released their first record and nothing else yet. So I am waiting for what they will put out next. I do think that they will release good albums. I like the fact that they want to be a rock group and they get good media coverage. I am happy that an Australian band get so much attention. You would not believe the buzz around this group in Australia!

If you could "relive" your 80's years, what would you do?

Grant McLennan: I think I might let my lawyer know about this question! I think it is a dangerous question. I am not going to pretend that I am rewriting my past. Some persons that we know would perhaps encourage us to do so. Some things were artistically more satisfying, and some others were less. But you make decisions at a certain time in your life because of what is going on at that time. Whatever was done, was done without the benefit of hindsight, and now we have to use our past experiences"...