Ronnie Lane

Last updated

Ronnie Lane
Ronnie Lane.jpg
Lane performing with Slim Chance, 1975
Background information
Birth nameRonald Frederick Lane
Also known as
  • Plonk
  • Three-Piece
Born(1946-04-01)1 April 1946
Plaistow, Essex, England
Died4 June 1997(1997-06-04) (aged 51)
Trinidad, Colorado, US
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Musician
  • songwriter
  • record producer
Instrument(s)
  • Bass
  • vocals
  • guitar
Years active1964–1992
Labels
Formerly of Small Faces, Faces

Ronald Frederick Lane (1 April 1946 – 4 June 1997) [1] was an English musician and songwriter who was the bassist and co-founder of the rock bands Small Faces (1965–69) and Faces (1969–73).

Contents

Lane formed Small Faces in 1965 after meeting Steve Marriott, with whom he subsequently wrote many of their hit singles including "All or Nothing", "Itchycoo Park" and "Lazy Sunday". After Marriott left Small Faces in 1968, band members Lane, Ian McLagan and Kenny Jones were joined by Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood to form Faces. Like Small Faces, the band achieved critical and commercial success. Lane quit the Faces in 1973 and subsequently collaborated with other musicians, leading his own bands and pursuing a solo career. In 1977, he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. He was supported by charity projects and financial contributions from friends, former bandmates and fans. After living with the disease for 21 years, he died in June 1997, aged 51. [1]

For his work in both Small Faces and Faces, Lane was inducted posthumously into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012.

He had two children, and two stepchildren who took his name.

Early life

Lane was born in Plaistow Maternity Hospital, Plaistow, then a working-class area in East London, to Elsie Lane and Stanley Lane, a lorry driver. Lane later described his father as a "saint" who would work a long workday and then return home to nurse his wife and two sons, all of whom were diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) at different points in their lives. Doctors assured Lane as a child that the destructive disease was not necessarily inherited, although he found out later in his life that he had indeed inherited it. [2]

After leaving school at the age of 16, Lane met Kenney Jones at a local pub, and they formed a group they named The Outcasts. Initially playing lead guitar, Lane quickly switched to bass. When shopping for a Harmony bass guitar, Lane visited the J60 Music Bar in Manor Park, London, where he met employee Steve Marriott. Lane bought his bass, and went to Marriott's house after work, where Marriott introduced him to his Motown and Stax record collection. Lane and Marriott set out to form a band, recruiting friends Jimmy Winston, who switched from guitar to organ, and Jones. Marriott was chosen to be the frontman and singer.

Career

Small Faces

The Small Faces consisted of Lane on bass guitar, Marriott as guitarist and lead vocalist, Jones as drummer, and Winston on keyboards. (The name "Small" was chosen as they were each no taller than 5' 6" in height.) They made their debut in 1965, with Ian McLagan replacing Winston in November 1965. They had a successful chart career; Lane and Marriott wrote hit singles consistently, including "Itchycoo Park" and "All or Nothing". He co-wrote all but one of the tracks on their 1968 concept album Ogdens' Nut Gone Flake . The album stayed at number one on the UK Albums Chart for six weeks. [3] When Marriott left the group in 1969, they disbanded; they reformed in the late 1970s, but without Lane.

Faces

Lane formed Faces with McLagan, Jones, Ronnie Wood and Rod Stewart in 1969. He shared composing or co-composing duties with Stewart, Wood, and McLagan. By 1972, with the band's frontman Stewart focusing on his own solo career, Lane took a central role during the recording of their fourth and final album, Ooh La La . Unhappy due to poor reviews of the album and Stewart's lack of commitment, Lane quit [4] in 1973, making his last appearance on 4 June at the Sundown Theatre in Edmonton, London. He was replaced by Tetsu Yamauchi but tellingly the group made no further studio albums following Lane's departure, and split in 1975. According to McLagan, Lane would later regret leaving Faces. [5] "Debris" was one of his more famous vocalist songs.

Move to Wales

In 1973, Lane moved to Fishpool Farm in the village of Hyssington, Montgomeryshire, Wales, just over the border from England. In the late 1970s, already beginning to feel the effects of MS, he moved back to London. [6]

Slim Chance and later career

After leaving the Faces, Lane formed his own band, Slim Chance, who recorded the singles "How Come" (UK No. 11) and "The Poacher" (UK No. 36) and the album Anymore for Anymore , showcasing a blend of British rock, folk and country music. The original line-up of this band included Scottish singer-songwriters Benny Gallagher and Graham Lyle, who provided harmony vocals and played a variety of instruments including keyboards, accordion, acoustic guitar, mandolin, banjo and harmonica. They left in May 1974 to continue their career as a duo, though they would appear on 1977's Rough Mix as guests.

After initial success he toured the UK with "The Passing Show", a circus-type carnival complete with tents and barkers. Viv Stanshall, from the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band, served briefly as ringmaster (of sorts). Gallagher & Lyle were replaced with Scottish duo Lucas & McCulloch who provided accordion, mandolin, guitars and banjo. They also acted as support act along with fiddle player Kenny Slaven who multi tracked all the string parts on "The Poacher". Lane moved to Island Records and issued Ronnie Lane's Slim Chance and One for the Road . In late 1976 he joined a short-lived reformation of Small Faces but quit after two rehearsals, to be replaced by Rick Wills (who later played alongside former Small Faces drummer Kenney Jones in the Jones Gang). However, Lane had signed a contract with Atlantic Records as part of the Small Faces and was informed that he owed the company an album. His ensuing album with Pete Townshend, Rough Mix , produced by Glyn Johns, which was released in 1977, was lauded as contender for best album of the year by many critics, but the label did not promote it and sales were lacklustre.

During the recording of Rough Mix, Lane's multiple sclerosis was diagnosed. Nonetheless, he toured, wrote and recorded (with Eric Clapton among others) and in 1979 released another album, See Me , which features several songs written by Lane and Clapton. Around this time Lane travelled the highways and byways of England and lived a 'passing show' modern nomadic life in full Gypsy traveller costume and accommodation.

In 1983, his girlfriend Boo Oldfield contacted Glyn Johns with a view to organising a concert to help fund Action for Research into Multiple Sclerosis. Johns was already arranging Clapton's Command Performance[ clarification needed ] for Prince Charles so they decided to book the Royal Albert Hall for a further two nights and host a benefit concert. [1] The resulting ARMS Charity Concerts. featured Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, Bill Wyman, Charlie Watts, Ronnie Wood, Kenney Jones, Andy Fairweather Low, Steve Winwood, Ray Cooper, James Hooker, Fernando Saunders, Chris Stainton, Tony Hymas, Simon Phillips and others. With the addition of Joe Cocker and Paul Rodgers they toured the US.

Later life and death

Lane emigrated to Texas in 1984 first to Houston and then Austin, where the climate was more beneficial to his health, where he continued playing, writing, and recording. He formed an American version of Slim Chance, which continued to be a loose-knit conglomeration of available musicians. For much of the time Alejandro Escovedo was a constant member. For close to a decade Lane enjoyed rock royalty status in the Austin area. He toured Japan but his health continued to decline. His last performance was in 1992 with Ronnie Wood gig and also alongside Ian McLagan.

In 1994 Lane and his wife Susan moved to the small town of Trinidad, Colorado. Jimmy Page, Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood funded his medical care as no royalties from the Small Faces work were forthcoming. Lane died from pneumonia during the final stages of multiple sclerosis. On 4 June 1997 he was buried in the Masonic Cemetery in Trinidad, Colorado. [7] An album of live BBC recordings to raise money for his care was unreleased on his death.

Tributes

"Ronnie Lane", the street in Manor Park, Newham named after him Ronnie Lane, Manor Park, London E12 (1).jpg
"Ronnie Lane", the street in Manor Park, Newham named after him

Ride recorded "A Trip Down Ronnie Lane" as a B-side to their single "Black Nite Crash" in 1996. The Ocean Colour Scene song "Travellers Tune" on their 1997 studio album Marchin' Already was inspired by and written in the memory of Lane, a strong influence on the group, which appeared at the tribute concert for Ronnie Lane. Likewise Lane had been such a source of inspiration to the members of Poi Dog Pondering that they created a tribute page for him and in 1995 band member Susan Voelz covered Lane's song, "Glad and Sorry" on her 1995 album, Summer Crashing, "out of her respect and affection for Ronnie Lane". [8]

In 2000, Paul Weller recorded "He's the Keeper", a song dedicated to Lane's memory. [9] An album of live and in-studio recordings from Lane's Austin days was later culled, and released as Live in Austin.

A street was named after him, "Ronnie Lane", in Manor Park in 2001. In January 2006 BBC Four broadcast an extensive documentary about Lane, The Passing Show that had been in preparation since 2000 and included footage of vintage concerts by the Faces and Slim Chance. In October 2006 the documentary was also shown on BBC Two. In 2012, former Small Faces bandmate Ian MacLagan interpreted some of Lane's best-known songs in a record entitled Spiritual Boy: In Appreciation of Ronnie Lane. McLagan died in 2014.

Longtime collaborator Charlie Hart compiled a six-CD set of Lane's composed, after his death, that included many unreleased songs. [10]

Discography

Solo

Studio albums

Live albums

Compilations

Other appearances

Single

Various artist albums

Participation

with Small Faces

Studio albums

with Faces

Studio albums

Related Research Articles

Faces are an English rock band formed in 1969 by members of Small Faces after lead singer and guitarist Steve Marriott left to form Humble Pie. The remaining Small Faces—Ian McLagan (keyboards), Ronnie Lane, and Kenney Jones —were joined by guitarist Ronnie Wood and singer Rod Stewart, both from the Jeff Beck Group, and the new line-up was renamed Faces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Small Faces</span> English rock band

The Small Faces were an English rock band from London, founded in 1965. The group originally consisted of Steve Marriott, Ronnie Lane, Kenney Jones and Jimmy Winston, with Ian McLagan replacing Winston as the band's keyboardist in 1966. The band were one of the most acclaimed and influential mod groups of the 1960s, recording hit songs such as "Itchycoo Park", "Lazy Sunday", "All or Nothing" and "Tin Soldier", as well as their concept album Ogdens' Nut Gone Flake. They evolved into one of the UK's most successful psychedelic bands until 1969.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ronnie Wood</span> British rock musician in the Rolling Stones, born. 1947

Ronald David Wood is an English rock musician, best known as an official member of the Rolling Stones since 1975, as well as a member of Faces and the Jeff Beck Group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Marriott</span> English guitarist and singer (1947–1991)

Stephen Peter Marriott was an English guitarist, singer and songwriter. He co-founded and played in the rock bands Small Faces and Humble Pie, in a career spanning over two decades. Marriott was inducted posthumously into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012 as a member of Small Faces.

<i>Ooh La La</i> (Faces album) 1973 studio album by Faces

Ooh La La is the fourth and final studio album by the English rock band Faces, released in March 1973. It reached number one in the UK Albums Chart in the week of 28 April 1973. The album was most recently reissued on CD in a remastered and expanded form on 28 August 2015, including early rehearsal takes of three of its tracks, as part of the 1970–1975: You Can Make Me Dance, Sing Or Anything... box set. The box set's vinyl counterpart did not contain any bonus tracks, but it did replicate the original LP artwork and 'animated' cover.

<i>Small Faces</i> (1967 album) 1967 studio album by Small Faces

Small Faces is the second studio album by Small Faces, released through Immediate Records on 23 June 1967. Although this was their first album for new manager Andrew Loog Oldham's Immediate label, recording actually commenced during their tenure with Decca Records, whom they left in January 1967 after severing professional ties with original manager Don Arden. As a result of the switch of label and management, Decca and Arden released an outtakes compilation album, From the Beginning in early June 1967 in order to sabotage the chart success of the Immediate Small Faces release - something that it managed to do to some extent when From the Beginning reached number 17 in the UK charts. The Immediate album shares its name with their 1966 Decca debut album, which has led to some confusion regarding the titles. As a result of this, it has been unofficially dubbed The First Immediate Album by several fans.

<i>First Step</i> (Faces album) 1970 studio album by Faces

First Step is the debut studio album by the English rock band Faces, released on 27 March 1970 by Warner Bros. Records. The album was released only a few months after the Faces had formed from the ashes of the Small Faces and The Jeff Beck Group. The album is credited to the Small Faces on all North American issues and reissues, while record labels for initial vinyl printings give the title as The First Step.

<i>Snakes and Ladders / The Best of Faces</i> 1976 compilation album by Faces

Snakes and Ladders / The Best of Faces was an October 1976 best-of album by British rock group Faces. While the first released Faces compilation was a repackaging of the group's first two LPs as a double album, this US-only release presented the first attempt to compile the popular songs from the group after they had disbanded in 1975. Featuring photography by Tom Wright and unique cover art by guitarist Ronnie Wood, it was only eventually superseded in the US market by the CD compilation Good Boys... When They're Asleep in 1999.

<i>Five Guys Walk into a Bar...</i> 2004 box set by Faces

Five Guys Walk into a Bar... is a comprehensive four-disc retrospective of the British rock group Faces released in 2004, collecting sixty-seven tracks from among the group's four studio albums, assorted rare single A and B-sides, BBC sessions, rehearsal tapes and one track from a promotional flexi-disc, "Dishevelment Blues" - a deliberately-sloppy studio romp, captured during the sessions for their Ooh La La album, which was never actually intended for official release.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ian McLagan</span> English keyboardist (1945–2014)

Ian Patrick McLagan was an English keyboardist, best known as a member of the rock bands Small Faces and Faces. He also collaborated with the Rolling Stones and led his own band from the late 1970s. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012.

<i>Anymore for Anymore</i> 1974 studio album by Ronnie Lane

Anymore for Anymore is the debut solo album by Ronnie Lane, one of the founding members of Small Faces and Faces. The recording sessions, using Ronnie Lane's Mobile Studio, started in 1973 at his 100-acre (40 ha) farm in Wales with his new band Slim Chance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">All or Nothing (Small Faces song)</span>

"All or Nothing" is a song written by Steve Marriott and Ronnie Lane of the British rock band Small Faces and released as a single in 1966.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hey Girl (Small Faces song)</span> 1966 single by Small Faces

"Hey Girl" was the fourth song release by popular British R&B group Small Faces. The song reached number ten on the UK Singles Charts in 1966.

<i>Spiritual Boy</i> 2006 studio album by Ian "Mac" McLagan and the Bump Band

Spiritual Boy is the seventh album by former Small Faces and Faces keyboardist Ian McLagan. The album was intended as a tribute to his bandmate in both groups, singer-songwriter Ronnie Lane, released on what would have been Lane's sixtieth birthday, 1 April 2006, on McLagan's own Maniac Records. Featuring ten tracks either written or co-written by Lane throughout the span of his career as a musician and one written by McLagan for Lane, it was recorded in February and March 2006 at McLagan's Manor, Texas studio, The Doghouse, with his backing group, the Bump Band in tow alongside such guests as famed Austin, Texas disc jockey Jody Denberg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ooh La La (Faces song)</span> 1973 song by Faces

"Ooh La La" is a 1973 song by the band Faces, written by Ronnie Lane and Ronnie Wood. It is the title song of the band's last studio album, Ooh La La.

<i>Playmates</i> (album) 1977 studio album by Small Faces

Playmates is the fourth studio album, and the first during their reunion, by English rock band the Small Faces. The album was created by Steve Marriott, Ian McLagan, Kenney Jones and Rick Wills when they reformed in the late 1970s and recorded it along with the album 78 in the Shade. Ronnie Lane left before the album was recorded.

"Cindy Incidentally" is a song by the British group Faces, written by group members Rod Stewart, Ronnie Wood and Ian McLagan. It was produced by Glyn Johns. It was included on the band's 1973 album Ooh La La, and in the same year was released by Warner Bros. Records as the first single from that album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">My Way of Giving</span> Song written by Steve Marriott and Ronnie Lane

"My Way of Giving" is a song written by Steve Marriott and Ronnie Lane. Initially demoed by their band Small Faces in 1966, it was given to British singer Chris Farlowe, who released his version as a single in early 1967. It was Farlowe's first single not written by Jagger–Richards since 1965's "The Fool". The Small Faces themselves decided to go on and record a version which was released on two different albums on two different record labels.

<i>The Definitive Rock Collection</i> (Faces album) 2007 compilation album by Faces

The Definitive Rock Collection is a two-disc retrospective of the British rock group Faces released in 2007, collecting thirty tracks from among the group's four studio albums, various single A and B-sides, and an outtake from the sessions for a proposed but ultimately abandoned 1975 album.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Faces' Ronnie Lane Dead at 51". Rolling Stone magazine. 5 June 1997. Retrieved 24 December 2010.
  2. ↑ Loder, Kurt (5 August 1982). "Ronnie Lane's lonely battle: Former Face fights multiple sclerosis". Rolling Stone Magazine. Retrieved 25 April 2011.
  3. ↑ "The Official UK Charts Company". The Official UK Charts Company 2007. 2007. Archived from the original on 14 August 2007. Retrieved 26 December 2010.
  4. ↑ "Ronnie Lane | Rock's Backpages Writers' Blogs". Rocksbackpagesblogs.com. Archived from the original on 15 July 2011. Retrieved 15 July 2011.
  5. ↑ McLagan, Ian (2000). All the Rage: A Riotous Romp Through Rock and Roll History. Crown Publishing Group. ISBN   978-0-8230-7842-4.
  6. ↑ "Rock star Ronnie's old home for sale". Shropshire Star. 1 September 2016. p. 10.Report by Lucy Todman.
  7. ↑ Denberg, Jody (1997). "A Short Movie – Ronnie Lane Remembered". The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved 2 March 2012.
  8. ↑ "Platetectonic Music: home of Poi dog pondering Ronnie Lane". Poi Dog Pondering. Archived from the original on 7 March 2011. Retrieved 2 January 2011.
  9. ↑ "Paul Weller – House of Blues :: Concerts :: Reviews :: Paste". Pastemagazine.com. 29 October 2003. Retrieved 15 July 2011.
  10. ↑ Matt Mead (22 May 2019). "Ronnie Lane – Just For A Moment – Box Set Review". Louder Than War. Retrieved 12 June 2020. Just For A Moment is a divinely compiled box set of Ronnie Lane's solo work released on Universal Music Catalogue. Long time collaborator Charlie Hart has put his heart and soul into compiling for the first time all of Ronnie's majestic solo work from 1973–1997 including unreleased tracks into one bulk release.
  11. ↑ Robertson, Ray (21 March 2016). Lives of the Poets (with Guitars): Thirteen Outsiders Who Changed Modern Music. Biblioasis. ISBN   978-1-77196-073-1.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.