Robin Lane
Encyclopedia
Robin Lane is an American rock singer and songwriter. Her band, Robin Lane & the Chartbusters, released three albums on Warner Bros. Records
in the early 1980s, and was known for its single "When Things Go Wrong".
Robin Lane grew up in Los Angeles. Her father was Ken Lane
, songwriter and pianist for Dean Martin
; her mother was a model. While in her teens, Robin began singing and performing in folk-rock clubs in southern California. From 1968 to 1970 she was married to future Police
lead guitarist Andy Summers
. In 1969, she sang backing vocals on the song "Round & Round" on Neil Young
's album Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
. In the 1970s, Lane moved to eastern Pennsylvania and then to Cambridge, Massachusetts
, where her musical interests turned from folk-rock to a harder sound influenced by the growing punk rock
and New Wave
genres.
In 1978, Lane formed the Chartbusters with Asa Brebner and Leroy Radcliffe (of The Modern Lovers
), Scott Baerenwald and Tim Jackson. She had signed with Private Stock Records
, which shortly afterward went out of business. After Jerry Wexler
saw a Chartbusters show, however, he signed the band to Warner Brothers
. Their first album, Robin Lane & the Chartbusters (1980) featured the singles "When Things Go Wrong" and "Why Do You Tell Lies?", earned favorable reviews, and received widespread airplay; the music video for "When Things Go Wrong" was the 11th song shown on MTV
's first American broadcast day
, August 1, 1981. The band had two more releases on Warner, the EP "5 Live" (1980) and "Imitation Life" (1981). The limited commercial success of these records, combined with business disputes and Lane's desire to have a child, led to the breakup of the Chartbusters in 1983.
Lane continued writing and recording music, and released the independent EP "Heart Connection" (1984), the self-produced cassette In Concert (1989), and the full-length Catbird Seat (1995). She co-wrote the song "Wishing On Telstar" for the 1991 Susanna Hoffs
album When You're a Boy
.
In 2001, Lane and several of the Chartbusters regrouped for two reunion concerts, and decided to continue recording and performing; they released "Piece of Mind" in 2003. Since then, Lane has moved to western Massachusetts, where she works with the Turners Falls, Massachusetts
Women's Resource Center, using music therapy
to aid victims of abuse.
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
in the early 1980s, and was known for its single "When Things Go Wrong".
Robin Lane grew up in Los Angeles. Her father was Ken Lane
Ken Lane
Kermit "Ken" Lane was an American musician from Brooklyn, New York. He was best known to audiences as Dean Martin's pianist on The Dean Martin Show in the late 1960s and early 1970s, but was already well known in the film community before that.With Irving Taylor, Lane co-wrote "Everybody Loves...
, songwriter and pianist for Dean Martin
Dean Martin
Dean Martin was an American singer, film actor, television star and comedian. Martin's hit singles included "Memories Are Made of This", "That's Amore", "Everybody Loves Somebody", "You're Nobody till Somebody Loves You", "Sway", "Volare" and "Ain't That a Kick in the Head?"...
; her mother was a model. While in her teens, Robin began singing and performing in folk-rock clubs in southern California. From 1968 to 1970 she was married to future Police
The Police
The Police were an English rock band formed in London in 1977. For the vast majority of their history, the band consisted of Sting , Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland...
lead guitarist Andy Summers
Andy Summers
Andy Summers is an English guitarist born in Poulton-le-Fylde, Lancashire, England. Best known as the guitarist for rock band The Police, he has also recorded twelve solo albums, collaborated with many other artists, toured extensively under his own name, published several books, and composed...
. In 1969, she sang backing vocals on the song "Round & Round" on Neil Young
Neil Young
Neil Percival Young, OC, OM is a Canadian singer-songwriter who is widely regarded as one of the most influential musicians of his generation...
's album Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere is the second studio album by Canadian musician Neil Young, released on Reprise Records catalogue RS 6349...
. In the 1970s, Lane moved to eastern Pennsylvania and then to Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent...
, where her musical interests turned from folk-rock to a harder sound influenced by the growing punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
and New Wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
genres.
In 1978, Lane formed the Chartbusters with Asa Brebner and Leroy Radcliffe (of The Modern Lovers
The Modern Lovers
The Modern Lovers were an American rock band led by Jonathan Richman in the 1970s and 1980s. The original band existed from 1970–74 but their recordings were not released until 1976 or later. It featured Richman and bassist Ernie Brooks with drummer David Robinson and keyboardist Jerry Harrison...
), Scott Baerenwald and Tim Jackson. She had signed with Private Stock Records
Private Stock Records
Private Stock Records was a record label which was started in 1974 by Larry Uttal after he was ousted from Bell Records. The label had hit records with singles by David Soul of Starsky and Hutch fame , Starbuck , Austin Roberts , Samantha Sang , Walter Murphy and the Big Apple Band , and Frankie...
, which shortly afterward went out of business. After Jerry Wexler
Jerry Wexler
Gerald "Jerry" Wexler was a music journalist turned music producer, and was regarded as one of the major record industry players behind music from the 1950s through the 1980s...
saw a Chartbusters show, however, he signed the band to Warner Brothers
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
. Their first album, Robin Lane & the Chartbusters (1980) featured the singles "When Things Go Wrong" and "Why Do You Tell Lies?", earned favorable reviews, and received widespread airplay; the music video for "When Things Go Wrong" was the 11th song shown on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
's first American broadcast day
First music videos aired on MTV
This is a list of the first music videos broadcast on MTV's first day, August 1, 1981. Video of the launch of MTV was uploaded onto YouTube in 2009.-List:#"Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles#"You Better Run" by Pat Benatar...
, August 1, 1981. The band had two more releases on Warner, the EP "5 Live" (1980) and "Imitation Life" (1981). The limited commercial success of these records, combined with business disputes and Lane's desire to have a child, led to the breakup of the Chartbusters in 1983.
Lane continued writing and recording music, and released the independent EP "Heart Connection" (1984), the self-produced cassette In Concert (1989), and the full-length Catbird Seat (1995). She co-wrote the song "Wishing On Telstar" for the 1991 Susanna Hoffs
Susanna Hoffs
Susanna Lee Hoffs is an American vocalist, guitarist and actress. She is best known as a member of the all-female pop band The Bangles.-Early life:...
album When You're a Boy
When You're a Boy
When You're a Boy is the debut solo album by Susanna Hoffs. It begins with the Billboard Top 40 single "My Side of the Bed", includes the track "Unconditional Love" , and ends with a cover of "Boys Keep Swinging", the 1979 song written by David Bowie and Brian Eno.The album peaked at #83 on the...
.
In 2001, Lane and several of the Chartbusters regrouped for two reunion concerts, and decided to continue recording and performing; they released "Piece of Mind" in 2003. Since then, Lane has moved to western Massachusetts, where she works with the Turners Falls, Massachusetts
Turners Falls, Massachusetts
Turners Falls is an unincorporated village and census-designated place in the town of Montague in Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 4,441 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area...
Women's Resource Center, using music therapy
Music therapy
Music therapy is an allied health profession and one of the expressive therapies, consisting of an interpersonal process in which a trained music therapist uses music and all of its facets—physical, emotional, mental, social, aesthetic, and spiritual—to help clients to improve or maintain their...
to aid victims of abuse.
With The Chartbusters
- Robin Lane & The Chartbusters (Warner Bros., 1980)
- 5 Live EP (Warner Bros., 1980)
- Imitation Life (Warner Bros., 1981)
- Piece of Mind (Windjam Records, 2003)
Robin Lane
- Heart Connection EP (Independently Released, 1984)
- In Concert (Independently Released, 1989)
- Catbird Seat (1995)
External links
- Official site (includes biography)
- Official site (includes biography)
- Liner notes by Richie UnterbergerRichie UnterbergerRichie Unterberger is a US author and journalist whose focus is popular music and travel writing.-Life and writing:Having worked as a DJ at WXPN in Philadelphia, he started reviewing records for Op magazine in 1983...
for 2003 rerelease of "Robin Lane & the Chartbusters" - Another profile of Robin Lane & the Chartbusters
- Ted Drozdowski, "Back to square one:Robin Lane returns to the Chartbusters, Boston PhoenixThe Phoenix (newspaper)The Phoenix is the name of several alternative weekly newspapers published in the United States by Phoenix Media/Communications Group of Boston, Massachusetts including the Boston Phoenix, the Providence Phoenix, the Portland Phoenix and the now-defunct Worcester Phoenix...
, Feb. 13, 2003 - Alan Lecker, "On the wings of a songbird - Robin Lane uses music to help victims of abuse", Many Hands magazine
- Interview of Robin Lane, 1995
- [ Allmusic.com entry]
- MTV Yearbook:1981 - "When Things Go Wrong" music video