10 Questions with ... Robyn Lane

1) Can you outline your radio career up to today?

Started out as a high school intern at WGLI-A and WBAB/Babylon NY. Started my on-air ascent at a small cable radio station in the Commack Corners shopping center in Commack, Long Island, which was right across the street from the infamous Commack Motor Inn. At the time it was a "pump and dump, no-tell" motel where local business executives would take their young, hot secretaries for a little afternoon delight. My co-workers and I would stand at the window with a pair of binoculars and watch them drive in and out of the place and always make note of the license plate numbers as a goof. Then it was off to WGBB/Merrick, NY. and finally on the air at my dream station WBAB/Babylon, NY, where I spent 14 glorious years (on and off). There was a brief stop at WALK working for the late Gene Free, he was a great man. In 1996, Lenny Bloch (former PD of WDHA and WRAT) came and dragged me to New Jersey as soon as the RAT launched.

2) What led you to a career in radio? Was there a defining moment that made you realize "this is it?"

When I was a little girl, I'd run home from school to listen to the greatest jock I ever heard, the legendary Dan Ingram on 77 WABC. I was mesmerized and hypnotized every time I listened to him, he was my first radio hero. When I was 14, my mother had a friend who lived up the road from some kid who had a pirate radio station in his parent's basement and I gathered up the confidence to ring his door bell and ask him to put me on the air. He let me say hello and I knew from that moment; that radio was for me; it was where I was destined to shine. The guy with the pirate radio station is Bob Buchmann, another hero of mine, who took the time to cultivate what he described as raw talent and turn me into the solid jock I am today. I worked for him at WBAB for many years.

3) If you were just starting out in radio, knowing now what you didn't then, would you still do it?

That's a tough question because the radio landscape has changed so drastically since I started. Back then there was no voicetracking and most jocks got to hone their skills doing overnights. Nowadays, very few stations have live overnight jocks.

4) How long have you been at WRAT and what makes this station so unique?

I have been at the WRAT since its inception in September 1996. We have the most recognizable jocks in the market because the majority of our air staff has been here since the beginning, which is a rare in this day and age. Not a single station in our market can make that claim ... no revolving door here

5) You are doing middays on the station. How do you balance doing an air shift along with your APD/MD duties?

I come in early in the morning and do the music logs, put my music meeting notes together and make notes on additional programming and promotion ideas for both our on-air and our website. Then at 10a, it's all about being on the air. I try to never do any MD stuff while I'm on the air unless it's an emergency.

6) Let's talk about the music on The Rat. What makes The Rat rock?

We have a good balance of guitar hero rock and current rock tunes.

7) What's your take on current music on Active Rock format and the Rock format overall?

The format is currently in a cycle where we're getting hit with slew of solid new rock bands. I love The Struts, The Glorious Sons, Greta Van Fleet, Dirty Honey, Blacktop Mojo and a few others. The most important thing is playing the right songs for our audience. I believe the format is in a good place at the moment. The only struggle now is making room.

8) Carl Craft is the PD and also does mornings. You guys have worked together for a long time. What makes this relationship work?

We are very different people. I wouldn't go as far as saying we are polar opposites; I would say that musically I am much more active. I go to more shows and I am able to listen to a ton of music. He listens to music when he can, but I bring the bulk of new stuff to him in our music meetings. The thing that truly works for us as a team is the fact that we each bring a unique perspective to our music meetings and I like that, because if we were too similar it would be extremely boring. I hear things he doesn't hear and vice versa. We both want the same thing, we want the audience to love and connect with the music.

9) What's the best live band you've seen this year and why?

Hands down, Dirty Honey. These kids have juice and are great musicians! The singer has pipes and charisma by the truckload. They played a small club in Asbury Park a few months ago called "The Saint" just up the road from the RAT and the crowd ate it up. They tore it up by closing the show with a cover of Aerosmith's "Last Child." Steven Tyler and Joe Perry would have been proud.

10) Finally, I'm told that besides your awesome radio career, you're a gourmet cook and a killer baker. What's the scoop?

A few years ago, I started a video series called, "Rocker In The Kitchen,",\ where I cook with musicians. I only have three episodes so far. I've had Lizzy Hale from Halestorm, Sully Erna from Godsmack, and Dale Stewart and Shaun Morgan from Seether. I pay for everything myself, and I utilize the talents of coworkers who know how to work the video cameras. Tom Stark is Beasley New Jersey's Interactive Guru and he works his magic on editing and the finished product. I don't know what I would do without his talents. I do plan on doing more episodes down the road.