Ronnie Lane

Though primarily recognized for his role as the bassist and occasional vocalist in both the Small Faces and the Faces, Ronnie Lane's solo output merits separate attention. His compositions capture fleeting everyday scenes, conveyed through a gentle singing style and supported by an array of acoustic instruments. Forming Slim Chance, he issued three albums that highlighted his wide-ranging songcraft, skill at directing fellow musicians, and understated warmth: Anymore for Anymore in 1974, Ronnie Lane's Slim Chance in 1975, and One for the Road in 1976. Weak sales and the cost of an ambitious tour left him insolvent, so he sought help from acquaintances; the resulting partnership with Pete Townshend produced the 1977 album Rough Mix, a standout achievement. A further collaboration with Eric Clapton yielded See Me in 1979, his final studio recording before multiple sclerosis began to exact its cost. He continued performing regardless, spending his last decade in America while pursuing treatment and playing live whenever possible.

Alongside guitarist Steve Marriott, Lane established the British mod group the Small Faces in the mid-'60s and helped steer them to the summit of the UK charts through his inventive writing. After Marriott departed, Lane abandoned the mod image and recruited Ron Wood and Rod Stewart, both formerly of the Jeff Beck Group, to reshape the band as the Faces, a boisterous, hard-drinking rock outfit that attained broad success in the States beyond anything the Small Faces had reached. Though Lane functioned as the group's quiet leader, audiences gravitated toward Rod Stewart; once Stewart's solo career began eroding the quality of Faces releases, Lane left in 1973 to start his own project.

Operating as Ronnie Lane's Slim Chance, he mounted an elaborate 1974 tour called the "Passing Show" that incorporated a traveling circus complete with jugglers, clowns, and animals. Artistically rewarding, the venture proved financially ruinous, a blow from which Lane never recovered. He sustained income by leasing his mobile recording unit to acts such as Led Zeppelin, who employed it for the double album Physical Graffiti.

Throughout the mid-'70s, Slim Chance released several folk-rock albums that emphasized Lane's spirited yet tender songs and seemingly delicate voice. Maintaining earlier ties, he reunited with Ron Wood for the 1976 soundtrack Mahoney's Last Stand. The following year he joined longtime friend Pete Townshend for Rough Mix; contributions such as the moving "Annie" and "April Fool" again revealed the emotional depth that had marked his work with the Small Faces and the Faces. Around this period he received a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis, which sharply reduced his output. He released the solo album See Me in 1980. In 1983 friends including Eric Clapton, Pete Townshend, and Jimmy Page organized an ARMS benefit concert and tour on his behalf, directing proceeds toward multiple sclerosis treatment.

During the '80s Lane moved to Austin, Texas, where he recorded material and occasionally fronted the local group the Tremors for area gigs. His final major tour took place in Japan in 1990. He later settled in Colorado, whose climate better accommodated multiple sclerosis care. Lane died there in June of 1997, yet his music persisted through subsequent reissues that culminated in the 2019 box set Just for a Moment: Music 1973-1997.