Verified source report

Songwriters on the Run by Robert Forster review – Go-Betweens frontman hits a dud note

There’s little melody or rhythm in Forster’s prose, while the dialogue is plodding and full of exposition Robert Forster, frontman of the Go-Betweens, knows how to write music and how to write about it. Beyond his contribution to one of Brisbane’s greatest cultural exports, he also penned Grant & I, a moving memoir of his decades-long songwriting partnership with Grant McLennan, and plenty of excellent music criticism for the Monthly. It’s disappointing then, and a bit surprising, that his foray into fiction at the age of 68, a caper about musicians, music and music-making, hits such a dud note. Songwriters on the Run, set in 1991 in central Queensland, follows Mick Woods and Drew Lovelock, two long-maned “rock-star-wrecked handsome” men in their 30s. After some international tours and two albums – “a kind of seventies folk-rock sound” – they’ve found some critical acclaim. Their hop

Vinita Duniphin Culture Source report

What happened

According to The Guardian’s source item, Songwriters on the Run by Robert Forster review – Go-Betweens frontman hits a dud note, There’s little melody or rhythm in Forster’s prose, while the dialogue is plodding and full of exposition Robert Forster, frontman of the Go-Betweens, knows how to write music and how to write about it. Beyond his contribution to one of Brisbane’s greatest cultural exports, he also penned Grant & I, a moving memoir of his decades-long songwriting partnership with Grant McLennan, and plenty of excellent music criticism for the Monthly. It’s disappointing then, and a bit surprising, that his foray into fiction at the age of 68, a caper about musicians, music and music-making, hits such a dud note. Songwriters on the Run, set in 1991 in central Queensland, follows Mick Woods and Drew Lovelock, two long-maned “rock-star-wrecked handsome” men in their 30s. After some international tours and two albums – “a kind of seventies folk-rock sound” – they’ve found some critical acclaim. Their hop

Context

The development sits in VINI’s Culture file for readers following arts, entertainment, fashion, film, music, celebrity, and the business of culture. The original report is linked so readers can check the source account, follow later updates, and compare new coverage against the first published record. The source item is dated 2026-05-14T20:00:16+00:00.

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Open questions include whether primary sources issue follow-up statements, whether local or market impacts become clearer, and whether additional reporting changes the timeline or adds material context.

Source

Primary source: Songwriters on the Run by Robert Forster review – Go-Betweens frontman hits a dud note via The Guardian. VINI cites and links the source; it does not reproduce the publisher’s full article text without rights clearance.

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Songwriters on the Run by Robert Forster review – Go-Betweens frontman hits a dud noteThe Guardian - 2026-05-14T20:00:16+00:00

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