Robin left LA behind, moving to Boston in the late 70’s. In Boston’s environment of cultural and intellectual experimentation, Robin integrated punk and new wave influences, West Coast folk, and East Coast rock in her songs and her band — the legendary Robin Lane and The Chartbusters. The band included ex-Modern Lovers Asa Brebner and Leroy Radcliffe, who infected Lane’s songs and sensibilities even further with their garage rock sound.
Robin Lane and the Chartbusters recorded three albums for Warner Brothers Records: Robin Lane and the Chartbusters (1980), the live EP 5 Live, and Imitation Life (1981). Two singles from her first album, “When Things Go Wrong” and “Why Do You Tell Lies?” received extensive national airplay. The New Rolling Stone Record Guide gave the first album a prestigious four-star rating. “When Things Go Wrong” became the 11th music video played on MTV on its first broadcast day in 1981.
In late 2021, Robin signed with indie label Red on Red Records, a cool new imprint out of Boston featuring Americana, powerpop, punk, and alt-rock music, focused on supporting strong women creators. Label owner Justine Covault says, “Robin writes unflinchingly honest songs that reflect the light and the dark in the world. Her voice is distinctive and gorgeous. And she is absolutely riveting as a live performer — when she plays and sings, the audience is spellbound. I’m honored and thrilled that she is joining the Red on Red roster family.” Robin’s song All I’ll Ever Need has been released as a single and Hard Life from the new Dirt Road To Heaven album will be released as a single July 28, as well as the Dirt Road To Heaven album itself.
