“I recall a bigger brighter world
a world of books
and silent times in thought”

(Cattle and Cane, Go-Betweens)

Grant McLennan, Go-Betweens frontman, 48, died Saturday. Karen is on the library songs list. I saw the Go-Betweens about 4 or 5 times in the past few years and will miss this band dearly.

Update: Australia’s blogging senator, Andrew Bartlett remembered McLennan in the Senate yesterday [PDF, p. 46] -

Senator Bartlett to move on Thursday, 11 May
2006:
That the Senate—
(a) notes:
(i) the loss suffered by the Australian music community
and music lovers with the death on 6 May
2006, of Queensland born and bred songwriter and
musician, Mr Grant McLennan,
(ii) the contribution made to music by Mr McLennan
as a songwriter and performer over nearly three
decades, which is highly respected and widely
recognised as very influential,
(iii) that the song ‘Cattle and Cane’, written by Mr
McLennan and performed by the Go-Betweens
was named by the Australian Performing Rights
Association as one of the ten greatest Australian
songs, and
(iv) the significant inspiration that Mr McLennan and
the Go-Betweens provided to musicians from
Brisbane over many years; and
(b) conveys its sympathies to his mother, immediate family
and past and present band members.

Saturday night I saw Dave Chappelle’s Block Party. Apart from some wonderful performances and much hilarity, there was a great scene where former Fugee Wyclef Jean implores kids to visit their library. Library Journal readers would have seen the quote already.

“I went to the library…. They got libraries in the ’hood. And if they don’t got libraries, tell your mayor, your governor, whoever in your county, put some more f***in’ libraries in the ’hood.” (Wyclef Jean)

More on the Fuse #8 blog.