Sunday, September 7, 2008

Great Australian Albums The Go-Betweens - 16 Lovers Lane

The first Album in the 2nd series of Great Australian Albums
aired in Australia this weekend and I managed to record it.
I'm going to upload the hour long broadcast in 4 parts to
make it a manageable download from the blog and the 1st
part is up, with the rest as I find time this week.
So all you overseas fans who couldn't watch and those
here who missed the show heres your opportunity.

The 1st series had some fantastic albums but the Triffids Born sandy
devotional and the Saints I'm Stranded were the highlights for me
and I have recordings of those 2 shows if theres heaps of interest
cause this takes a bit of work.
The series has held exceptionally high standards, with its interviews
and insight and this was no exception. 16 Lovers has always been an
album close to my heart, I cut my wedding cake to" love is a sign",
and it was the cumulation of everything the Gobs had achieved, it
should have been their breakthrough album. It hasn't a weak song
on it and many exceptional songs.
The hour in which they delve into the making of the album and
the collapse of the original band is fascinating, the way they
operated, the relationships which were very convoluted and the
disappointments which came after, had me glued to the Tv.
All the band members talk with candor and humor, with Grants
input made with footage from old interviews done in such a way
that he was truly part of it.
I hope to hear many comments from you guys about things that
stuck you or touched you.
I've included a few screen shots from this wonderful document.






The Go-Between's started in the late 1970s when Robert Forster

persuaded his friend Grant McLennan to form a band.
They began writing songs and were soon in London where they
made their base for most of the 1980s.
Lindy joined around 1980 and she and Robert became lovers.
Shortly after they broke up, violinist Amanda Brown joined and
became involved with Grant.





Through it all were a series of brilliant and critically
acclaimed albums. In 1988, they returned to Australia without
longtime bass player Robert Vickers and was replaced by fellow
Brisbane expatriate John Willsteed.
It was this line-up of the Go-Betweens that recorded 16 Lovers
Lane, their most musically accomplished album.
The band then embarked on a year-long world tour.
Then, on the 29th of December at 6pm Robert met with Lindy
and Grant met with Amanda and sacked them.







Download
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

16 comments:

misha said...

I'm downloading it this moment, and I'm really looking forward for the rest of it.
Big BIG Thank You, Bob.
And if you're willing to post the triffids' episode sometime I'll be just as happy.

bob nebe said...

When I saw your plea on your blog I just had to do something, let me know what your think.
Part2 2 is up I split it at the ad breaks so its a just a while between breaks.
ciao bob

Anonymous said...

Great stuff. It really was compelling viewing - slightly mad at times.

I can't thank you enough for the Welcome Stranger post - thank you! thank you!

See below: one of my first attempts at uploading. I'm not sure if this is in wide circulation - It's the JJJ Go-Betweens J-File broadcast on 31.08.2000. It really is wonderful. It was a week before the release of Friends of Rachel Worth (or close to that). Grant and Robert sit in on the show and they talk through the new album and the history of the band - old JJJ interviews also cut through the show between old and new songs.

It's three hours long, so I've split it into 3 CD-length files.

It's great to hear them talk about their "come-back", knowing now how successful it was.

PART ONE:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=11NLPEQE

PART TWO: http://www.zshare.net/download/183726814d628e42/

PART THREE:
http://www.zshare.net/download/183746537574163d/

Thanks again for the brilliant posts.

Robert.

Anonymous said...

Hey thanks for posting this.Can't believe I missed the broadcast.It's a great program about a great record.
Saw Mr Forster play last week at the Opera House. He was brilliant as usual.

Anonymous said...

Oh my God. Thank you so much. I don't think german television will show these. I also would love to see the Saints episode.

Ume

Anonymous said...

wow, bob
fabulous,
fantastic,
how kind of you!

/M
and thanks robert (& bob)for the jjj-stuff

misha said...

I have finished watching all of it and I have been obviously moved by some parts, and I finally got to understand what "Dive for your memory" was about (and it was beautiful seeing Lindy explaining the fight and all).
I only wished there had been more actual live footage, and some interviews to someone influential in the australian music scene (and not ben lee),but hey, it's "16 lovers lane", obviously I could never have enough of it.
And thank you again, bob.
So, about one of the next posts in my blog: you'd prefer some bootleg of grant's or gbs' circa 1989 (I owe you one)?

bob nebe said...

misha, glad you enjoyed it.I agree Im not sure what Ben Lee had to do with it ether, maybe they wanted a youthful face.I would have love with they had chatted to Peter Walsh he has some very interesting insights into the gobs and is well placed to talk about this band.
Everyone forgets they were a 4 piece for a month in 1979.I'd love a grant boot I don't have anything other that the radio recordings and some audience recording of jack frost.
ciao bob

Anonymous said...

hey there Bob....thanks heaps for uploading this....I missed it the other night on the teev...so am very appreciative of your effort....thanks again...

Anonymous said...

hi bob, nothing to do with the gobs,
but seeing as you are a champion of aus music do you wish access to some ed kuepper productions to put on your groovy site-pray tv, sunday roast, rauol graf ?
albums ed did in the 90's.
if you are send a message via prince melon records
http://www.myspace.com/princemelonrecords and we shall upload and send you a link when we can

bob nebe said...

I seem to have lost this comment somehow

Anonymous said

Saw it on SBS - interesting, not as focused or sharp in execution as the british "classic albums" series where you get to hear a lot more about the album from the engineer, rather than someone completely irrelevant to the album (like Ben Lee - I wish he'd grow up). Great album though.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the Ed Kuepper link its great to read others are into him he is the REAL reason the Saints were sooo good! His own prolific album catldog is extensive!!

Any chance there is a problem with the links to the JJJ Go-Betweens interview session i find zShare in a continuous loop where it shows a link then goes back to the previous link. Or is this the zShare way of saying its not ere any longer...annoying

bob nebe said...

I think all zshare links have disappeared, I'll reupload this one for ya
ciao bob

Unknown said...

Thanks, that was excellent. If you could eve upload the born sandy devotional one, that would be even more excellent :)

decker154 said...

Hi...Is there any chance you could/would re-up this? Thanks!

bob nebe said...

No sorry i dont have it anymore