All In A Day with Robert Lane
Occasionally in this world you come across people that are so destined for creativity, you find it within every corner of their life. Seemingly each day of the week brings a new activity, a new facet of artistic expression. One such artist is Robert Lane.
Robert Lane isn’t just an actor. He’s part of a group called The Improlectuals, a rotating cast of actors from the Midlands with a particular flair for improvisation. Their performances are created in the moment and based upon audience suggestion. His acting extends to a weekly drama session for Midland Mencap, and also to acting on screen.
Due for release this springtime, Lane stars in a partly improvised comedy film entitled ‘Sam And Dan Get Lost’, directed by Lee Price. His character of Sam is a musician - Robert is also a musician who contributed to the film’s score.
Image Credit: Tom Warland.
Lane released a self-titled record in 2014, a collection called ‘Ends and Starts’ in 2016 and a 2019 album called ‘Only A Flight Away’. All with a sprinkling of singles in between. But Robert Lane isn’t just a musician. In addition, Robert runs an online guitar club, an open forum via Zoom. He also gives lessons on the same platform in guitar, bass, ukulele, songwriting and singing.
This is all done at Lane’s own home studio space where he puts together and presents his regular podcast, ‘The Robert Lane Creative Careers Podcast’. His previous guests on the show have included folk musician Kirsty Merryn, producer Lukas Drinkwater, Peep Show and Vigil actor Paterson Joseph and musician Roxanne de Bastion. His home studio is also where he wrote and recorded his latest single, ‘Pass The Day’.
‘Pass The Day’ is full of audio delights. Recorded in just a couple of weeks, Robert Lane documented the process in a video on his YouTube channel. The track begins with piano, holding down the rhythm whilst also playing the melody, which is then echoed in his bassline as he begins the first verse, ‘At the start of another week, he feels so tired he can barely speak…’
It’s during this first verse where Lane adds electronic drums, accented electric guitars and a steady strumming acoustic that ties these elements together. The breakdown features tambourine, strings and a pad keyboard. It’s here where Robert layers his vocals with harmonies and backing, one Robert singing the song title while the other sings, ‘Missing her…’
The lyrical theme in Pass The Day is built upon the idea that sometimes events can happen without forcing a conclusion. Standing back and being open to the possibility of a natural course could work better instead of working every intricate detail.
The progression particularly in the electric guitar parts composed for Pass The Day are reminiscent of George Harrison’s playing, the effects giving them a fluid, malleable sound. The mix perfectly showcases each aspect of Robert Lane’s arrangement, giving every element its own space whilst keeping his voice front and centre. Topping this off is the mastering by Pete Maher, whose previous credits include U2, The Killers and soundtracks for Peaky Blinders and La La Land, amongst many others.
A favourite moment is Pass The Day’s false ending, an arranging and production technique used in 1960’s pop music especially. The song apparently finishes neatly at a radio-friendly two minutes and forty seconds, before returning for another round of instrumentation, a celebration of all you heard before.
Continue reading for our Q&A with Robert Lane. We discuss and ask questions about the variety of angles to his career including his latest single, his home recording set-up, ‘Sam And Dan Get Lost’ and rumours of a forthcoming new record from Robert. All this and more below!
1. Your new single 'Pass The Day' is about how things can happen and fall into place without necessarily forcing them to, was there a particular event that inspired this new track?
I’ve found a few times that things can end up working out but not necessarily in the way we expect. A lot of the work of being a musician and actor, or any type of freelancer I think, is ticking off tasks that don’t feel like they are achieving much in the moment but that allow something to fall into place later down the line. For example a couple of times I’ve not got something I auditioned for but ended up working with those people later on when they remembered me for another project (or the first choice didn’t work out!)
2. You recorded this song at home over the space of just a couple of weeks, what's your home set-up like? What's a piece of equipment or software you really can't do without?
It’s both straightforward and also the most useful setup I’ve ever had. I run logic on an iMac, with a focusrite 4i4, a midi keyboard and a Rode Nt1a for voice and acoustic instruments.
For the first time in my life I’ve got all my guitars in one place and the room to leave things set up. This sounds like an excuse but in the past when I’ve been working out of a tiny room which doubles as something else I would have to set everything up just to capture an idea. The initial moment of inspiration can be lost when you think “ah I won’t bother setting stuff up at the moment…” I have much less of an excuse now (though I’m sure I’ll find new ones…)
I’ve only had the mac and logic for about a year but they have changed my life! Previously I wasted so much time battling with slow computers and dodgy software…
3. You star and perform the music for a forthcoming comedy film entitled 'Sam And Dan Get Lost', would you tell us more about that? How did that journey begin?
It came about through The Improlectuals, the short form comedy improv group I’m a member of. The director of the film wanted to make a film that was partly improvised and contacted us to see if we’d be interested in taking part… we were!
Working in film vs acting on stage is very similar to recording music vs playing gigs. The live environment can give you fantastic moments of communication with an audience, but at the end of the show it’s done and you have to start again the next night. Being on set or in the recording studio can be exceptionally painful; the gear causes problems, you aren’t doing as well as you think you can, you’re trying to make it perfect (which is impossible) but once it’s captured it will exist forever and have its own life outside of you. I love both but find it interesting to consider the differences.
4. Tell me more about The Improlectuals, has there been an improvisational moment where you just struck gold and everything clicked into place?
One of the joyous things about improvising comedy on stage is that it’s ephemeral. Things that were fantastic in the moment can have no impact whatsoever in the retelling after the event. I think that’s why it’s so hard to film improv gigs! Very rarely there’s a moment where performers and audience land on an idea at exactly the same time, you can’t plan for it and perhaps you don’t even know why it works but that moment of communion feels awesome.
5. The acting side of your career extends to a weekly drama session with Midland Mencap, what do you enjoy most about being a part of this group?
I’ve done lots of work with Midland Mencap including drama and music sessions. I enjoy the honesty of the group, if something isn’t working for them they let you know! There have been moments when someone has communicated something creatively that gives an insight into the way they see the world. It’s very rewarding to be able to facilitate that.
6. You've had a whole host of interesting people on your show, 'The Robert Lane Creative Careers Podcast', what's been a real enlightening exchange with one of your guests?
There’s been many! Hearing people I consider very successful talk about their inner critics and worries, as well as how much slog and hustle they still have to put in every day has been really encouraging.
I asked David Quantick if turning his hand to varied genres of writing has ever lead to people saying “you can’t do that, you do this!” and his blunt and honest answer along the lines of “yes, but it’s only writing. You’re not trying to move from flying a jet to being a brain surgeon” was very helpful, as I sometimes wonder if I’m trying to do too many things, but now I think screw it I find them all interesting and life’s too short to worry about what other people think I should be doing.
7. In addition to giving guitar lessons, you also run an online guitar club, what can people expect from the weekly sessions?
I love the online guitar club! It’s an hour on zoom with me sharing ideas, talking about techniques and teaching songs plus everyone sharing their experiences and discoveries. There’s also a fair helping of guitar and music chat! We have spaces for new faces and I’d love to have more people joining us.
8. In a recent video on your YouTube channel, you talked about little wins, the personal victories in each day. What have been some of those from this past week that you're willing to share?
I’m getting back into gigging after having that side of things paused during the pandemic. I recently played a couple of shows and was thrilled to be reminded how much I love it. Travelling somewhere, sharing songs, entertaining a crowd. I think maybe I’d let myself not think about how much I was missing it because it would have been too sad.
On the acting side I self taped for something very exciting a few days ago. I know there’s very little chance of getting it, but have decided to take pride in doing the best I can in a self tape/audition. That’s my job and something I can control, whatever happens after that is out of my hands.
9. And as well as all of this, you've been demoing songs for a new album you're putting together! When can fans expect to hear the completed record?
I’m seriously hoping there will be a collection of new songs by the autumn…
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Purchase the music of Robert Lane including downloads and CDs via his Bandcamp page.
Listen to The Robert Lane Creative Careers Podcast here.
To support Robert Lane with one-off donations, purchase him a cup of coffee on his Ko-fi page.
For more information about Robert Lane and his career, visit his official website here.
Follow the adventures of Robert Lane on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @robertlanemusic.
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