News (2002)

November 22, 2002
The CD Release Party for the new Robin Lane and The Chartbusters album will be February 15, 2003 at The Middle East Restaurant (downstairs) in Cambridge, MA. Also on the bill are Willie Alexander and Red Chord.

On November 21, Robin Lane and The Chartbusters played a surprise set at The Abbey Lounge in Somerville, MA, as part of Asa Brebner's Birthday Bash. It was a surprise for Asa, too.

October 8, 2002
The new CD by Robin Lane and The Chartbusters has been mastered, and the artwork is being completed. The title and track listing will be announced in the near future. The CD is expected to be released in December or January.

September 23, 2002
Robin Lane and The Chartbusters, the debut album by the band, has been released on Collectors' Choice Music. You can order it from them through this link.

September 4, 2002
The new CD by Robin Lane and The Chartbusters is almost done. The final mixing was completed this past weekend, and all that needs to be done now is mastering, manufacturing, completion of artwork, and distribution. A final decision on the song sequence and title has yet to be made.

According to Collectors' Choice Music's web site the date for the CD release of Robin Lane and The Chartbusters, the first album by the band, is September 23.

July 2, 2002
We have received word that Robin Lane and The Chartbusters, the first album by the band, will be reissued on CD this fall by Collectors' Choice. More information on this will be given as we get near the release date.

Robin Lane completed a run of her program "Giving Youth a Voice" this past June, culminating with the production of the CD Giving Youth a Voice -- Music from The Hot Spot. As previously mentioned here, in the program Robin teaches songwriting to teens (and then they record the songs). The students write the words, Robin helps with writing the music on most songs, and the students and Robin play instruments to record the songs. The students sing the songs, with Robin often on backup vocals (and lead vocals on one song on the CD).

This CD consists of 10 songs, and includes guest artists Ray Mason and Alan Marcus on some cuts. More information on the programd and the CD, including purchase information, may be found on this page.

May 29, 2002
The Robin Lane and The Chartbusters show May 3 at the Lizard Lounge was outstanding, as anyone who was there can attest. It was one of those "stealth" shows, and was billed as "Robin Lane" with no mention of the Chartbusters. Robin and band were not the headliners (it was the CD release for David Johnston), but they did play a full set of an even dozen songs. And it rocked. Robin was sporting a new red Fender acoustic guitar that she bought earlier that day, and it sounded great.

March 30, 2002
In case you haven't already heard, the big news is that Robin Lane & The Chartbusters have reunited. It was initially going to be for one show (June 22, 2001 at Lilli's in Somerville, MA, supporting a CD release show for Asa Brebner), but they were very well received and enjoyed it, so they decided to strike out on a new adventure together again. They did two shows since then (a benefit September 29, 2001 at the Lizard Lounge in Cambridge, MA and a show March 22, 2002 at the Sit 'n' Bull in Maynard, MA). There are plans for more shows, but they will be a few select dates in a few select places. The band includes 4 out of the 5 original members -- Scott Baerenwald, Asa Brebner, Tim Jackson and, of course, Robin Lane -- and additionally includes Pat Wallace on guitar.

They are also planning to release a new CD (technically their only CD, since the previous albums were LP's and not released on CD, and Catbird Seat was not with the Chartbusters). They have been busy rehearsing and recording at David Minehan's (of "The Neighborhoods" fame) studio Woolly Mammoth Sound, with David as engineer. The results so far have been really good. The CD will include a few previously released songs redone the way they want them, Chartbusters songs that were performed live but not released, and some new songs. When the CD is finished and available, I will be sure to let you all know. There will be shows in select cities at that time, which I will also tell you about.

In addition to the Chartbusters shows and recording, Robin has been busy with a number of other things as well. She is working on a book about her "kooky crazy peripatetic life in the music world and other planets" (Robin's words) that should prove to be very good. What I have read of it is certainly interesting. I expect that there will be material in this book that will surprise just about everyone on this list.

Robin has also been busy teaching kids. She is currently to teaching her seminar "Giving Youth A Voice" at The Brick House in Western MA. The "at-risk teens" will write their own songs and record a CD in a professional studio. The entire project is to be documented in film and Robin aims to use it as a prototype for more of these seminars in the future. (If anyone reading this knows of a good source of funding for this, or would like to make independent or personal contributions, as it is a non-profit, please let me know.)

And every now and then Robin will pop up at a show to do a few songs, such as at Asa Brebner's November 24, 2001 show at the Abbey Lounge in Somerville, MA. (Hint: Robin's surprise appearances are often at Asa's shows, which are generally worth going to even if Robin isn't there.)