As many of you know, my favorite band ever is the Go-Betweens. I was completely shocked and sick to my stomach to read that co-founder Grant McLennan died in his sleep on May 6th, my birthday. Judging by how I'm feeling right now, it's actually a good thing that I read this devastating news on my birthday, amidst distraction. I'm also thankful that my band was able to play one of his songs that night during our set, with no practice, and play it reasonably well.

To die at 48 with no known health problems is a hard thing to swallow. He was a brilliant songwriter and lyricist and a left a great big, warm, witty, shimmering, pristine mark on the lives of myself and countless other fans. There are so many songs of his that I will love for rest of my life.

The one positive thing that my thoughts keep gravitating towards is how glad I am for their show last summer. At the time I knew it was one of the best shows of my life, and now it's firmly entrenched in the number one spot. I can see David Byrne again. I can see Bruce Springsteen.

I'll never see Grant again.