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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders both past and present.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are warned that this website contains images of deceased persons.

Grant (No. 3 of Robert, Lindy, Grant), 1981

Jenny Watson

oil on canvas board (support: 30.5cm x 22.7cm. frame: 32.5cm x 24.5cm)
Grant (No. 3 of Robert, Lindy, Grant), 1981

Grant McLennan and Robert Forster both sang and wrote songs for The Go-Betweens. McLennan wrote one of their greatest, 'Cattle and Cane', recalling the rural Queensland environment of his youth. The Go-Betweens met The Boys Next Door in Melbourne, and McLennan and Nick Cave shared a house in Fulham when both bands relocated to London in the early 1980s. McLennan released four solo albums, Watershed (1991), Fireboy (1993), Horsebreaker Star (1994) and In Your Bright Ray (1997). As Jack Frost, he also recorded two albums with Steve Kilbey of The Church. McLennan once said that he was never comfortable performing, but Cave has said that The Go-Betweens always exploited the notion of the sensitive artist - 'uncomfortable and awkward on stage, that's what The Go-Betweens were kinda about'. To the dismay of his many long-time fans, McLennan died unexpectedly in May 2006.

Collection: National Portrait Gallery Purchased 2002
© Jenny Watson

Related information

Robert, Lindy, Grant
Robert, Lindy, Grant
Robert, Lindy, Grant
Robert, Lindy, Grant

Face the music

Magazine article by Christine Clark, 2005

Drawn from the Gallery's collection, the exhibition Face the Music explores the remarkable talents and achievements of Australian musicians, composers, conductors and celebrities associated with the music industry.
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The National Portrait Gallery building front entrance
The National Portrait Gallery building front entrance
The National Portrait Gallery building front entrance

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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders past and present. We respectfully advise that this site includes works by, images of, names of, voices of and references to deceased people.

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