ROBIN LANE AND THE CHARTBUSTERS
This introduction is from an NPR radio introduction on the occasion of a CD we released a few years ago as a kind of reunion. What cracks me up is that it parallels the tone of the “parody review” that I wrote for Robin in jest. It even uses the phrase “poignant simplicity’ for describing the rhythm section! But we always appreciate the press….The audio is no longer in their archive.

Robin Lane and The Chartbusters became the epitome of new wave roots when they hit the musical map. They had their start in the late 70’s of Cambridge, Massachusetts, the hotbed of cultural and intellectual experimentation. It was in this environment that ex-Modern Lovers Asa Brebner and Leroy Radcliffe infected, as they say, Lane’s crafty songs and Los Angeles sensibilities, with Boston’s dirty water. Hometown meets hometown. That cachet was caught by Warner Bros. and brought them the hit “When Things Go Wrong.”

Drummer Tim Jackson and Bassist Scott Baeranwald supplied the necessary poignant simplicity for the perfect rock band to be elevated into the halls of rock and roll legend. Except, real life became the priority for all members of the band, and in the early 80’s after major label productions zapped the soul out of their music, they disbanded, but remained close and dear friends.

“Piece of Mind” is their silver anniversary gift to each other for twenty-five years of healthy reality. Produced as a labor of love by Robin Lane and Asa Brebner, engineered by David Minehan of The Neighborhoods. Guitarist Pat Wallace is the inspirational guru who brought the beautiful texture of the project together. “In the lightening quick realm of rock time doesn’t march on, it runs.

Rocker Robin Lane and her band The Chartbusters had a new wave hit single two decades ago “When Things Go Wrong.” It doesn’t sound a bit dated to many tens of thousands of other wildly loyal fans.

While The Chartbusters toured with The Cars, Hall and Oates, XTC and The Kinks, and lead singer Robin Lane drew comparisons to Blondie’s Deborah Harry and Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders, Lane and the rest of the band eventually drifted out of the pop spotlight. Now they’re back, nineteen years now since their last major label recording, with a terrific new release, ‘Piece of Mind.’ The minute you hear those jangling opening chords of ‘All Fall Down’ on the new release, the record just really pulls you in.”
-Bill Delaney