RONNIE LANE
Name: Ronnie Lane
Birth name: Ronald Frederick Lane
Born: 1 April 1946 Plaistow, East London
Died: 4 June 1997 Trinidad, Colorado, United States
Ronald Frederick "Ronnie" Lane (1 April 1946 - 4 June 1997) was an English
singer, songwriter and bass player (nicknamed "Plonk") best known for his
membership in two prominent English rock bands, the Small Faces (1965-69) and
Faces (1970-75).
He quit the Faces in 1973 and formed his own band, Ronnie Lane's Slim Chance, in
1973 to record the hit single "How Come" (UK No. 11) and "The Poacher" (UK No.
36), then the album Anymore For Anymore, showcasing his own blend of British
rock music, folk, and country music.
After initial success with the singles, he commenced a tour called "The Passing
Show", touring the UK as a carnival, complete with tents, barkers, etc. Viv
Stanshall, from the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band, was a short-lived ringmaster (of
sorts).
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 the Small Faces,
but quit after two rehearsals, to be replaced by Rick Wills (who currently plays
alongside the former Small Faces drummer, Kenney Jones, in the Jones Gang).
However, since Lane had already signed a contract with Atlantic Records as part
of the reformed Small Faces, Atlantic informed him that he owed them an album.
Pete Townshend recorded an album with Lane, titled Rough Mix, which was released
in 1977. Rough Mix was lauded as contender for best album of the year by many
critics, but the label did not promote it, and sales were thereby lacklustre.
Rough Mix not only left Lane out of debt to the label, but it cemented his
credentials as a solid performer.
During the recording of Rough Mix, Lane was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (his
mother had also suffered, and died, from the disease). Nonetheless, he toured,
wrote, and recorded (with Eric Clapton, among many others) and managed to
release yet another album, See Me, which features several songs written by Lane
and Clapton.
In 1983, his girlfriend, Boo Oldfield, contacted record producer Glyn Johns in
the hopes of getting a concert going to help fund Action for Research into
Multiple Sclerosis, a London-based organization. Johns was already arranging
Clapton's Command Performance for Prince Charles, so they decided to book the
Royal Albert Hall for another couple of nights and hold a benefit. The resulting
A.R.M.S. Concerts featured Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, Steve Winwood,
Bill Wyman, Charlie Watts, Kenney Jones, Andy Fairweather-Low, and more. With
the addition of Joe Cocker and Paul Rodgers, they toured the U.S. It was during
this time that Rodgers and Page started the band, The Firm.
Name: Ronnie Lane
Birth name: Ronald Frederick Lane
Born: 1 April 1946 Plaistow, East London
Died: 4 June 1997 Trinidad, Colorado, United States
Ronald Frederick "Ronnie" Lane (1 April 1946 - 4 June 1997) was an English
singer, songwriter and bass player (nicknamed "Plonk") best known for his
membership in two prominent English rock bands, the Small Faces (1965-69) and
Faces (1970-75).
He quit the Faces in 1973 and formed his own band, Ronnie Lane's Slim Chance, in
1973 to record the hit single "How Come" (UK No. 11) and "The Poacher" (UK No.
36), then the album Anymore For Anymore, showcasing his own blend of British
rock music, folk, and country music.
After initial success with the singles, he commenced a tour called "The Passing
Show", touring the UK as a carnival, complete with tents, barkers, etc. Viv
Stanshall, from the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band, was a short-lived ringmaster (of
sorts).
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 the Small Faces,
but quit after two rehearsals, to be replaced by Rick Wills (who currently plays
alongside the former Small Faces drummer, Kenney Jones, in the Jones Gang).
However, since Lane had already signed a contract with Atlantic Records as part
of the reformed Small Faces, Atlantic informed him that he owed them an album.
Pete Townshend recorded an album with Lane, titled Rough Mix, which was released
in 1977. Rough Mix was lauded as contender for best album of the year by many
critics, but the label did not promote it, and sales were thereby lacklustre.
Rough Mix not only left Lane out of debt to the label, but it cemented his
credentials as a solid performer.
During the recording of Rough Mix, Lane was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (his
mother had also suffered, and died, from the disease). Nonetheless, he toured,
wrote, and recorded (with Eric Clapton, among many others) and managed to
release yet another album, See Me, which features several songs written by Lane
and Clapton.
In 1983, his girlfriend, Boo Oldfield, contacted record producer Glyn Johns in
the hopes of getting a concert going to help fund Action for Research into
Multiple Sclerosis, a London-based organization. Johns was already arranging
Clapton's Command Performance for Prince Charles, so they decided to book the
Royal Albert Hall for another couple of nights and hold a benefit. The resulting
A.R.M.S. Concerts featured Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, Steve Winwood,
Bill Wyman, Charlie Watts, Kenney Jones, Andy Fairweather-Low, and more. With
the addition of Joe Cocker and Paul Rodgers, they toured the U.S. It was during
this time that Rodgers and Page started the band, The Firm.