Rob McLane and Against The Grain

Biography...

The press clippings don’t talk about the wild ride this young man and his bandmates have been on. Originally from a small farming community in Saskatchewan, Rob McLane began making a name for himself in the 1990s as the leader of a young country group called Against The Grain. Following an impressive release of some strong independent singles to radio and performances of key concert shows, they jumped quickly into the fast lane on their way to success.

These were heady times for Rob, with a Cadillac in the driveway, diamond rings on his fingers and the song “I Sure Need Your Love Tonight” in the Canadian Top 16 and songs like “One Mile Closer” and “Let Me Know How He Feels” in the Canadian Top 40 along with concert appearances with the likes of Sawyer Brown, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, and Carlene Carter. For a kid from a small town, Against The Grain’s success was a dream to good to be true. Then the big bus of life hit a sharp curve and went out of control.

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A series of tragedies struck. McLane married an adoring young woman after knowing her little more than six months. Rob’s longtime friend and manager suddenly quit working with the group, leaving all of the band’s business in Rob’s hands. During the turmoil, Rob’s father passed away and his new marriage failed and ended in divorce.  It was like Rob was strapped in blindfolded at the wheel of a speeding tour bus, careening wildly along a curving mountain road. He was forced to put music in the back seat while he got his life under control.
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Over time, Rob reformed the group, composed a trunk full of new songs and dusted off some others. He was able to complete a new album and resumed the career process. New managers came on the scene, trying to convince Rob that they had the answers for his career and tried to get him to slug it out in the clubs while they shopped his new album and molded his career. He had done enough living at that point to know that without a vision and product in stores and at radio, the club circuit would be a downward spiral. Neddless to say, they didn’t manage him for long.

Rob McLane and Against The Grain know the taste of caviar and of Kraft Dinner. Today, Rob still has a Cadillac in his driveway but many of the other trappings of success have long since been used up. He plans on putting the roller coaster ride of his past to good use as the inspiration for more of the great songs we’ve come to expect from him at radio stations and live performances across Canada. Now, with a new manager, a Canadian album entitled “Twenty Years Of Rock n’ Roll Country Blues” available soon, and a healthy spiritual outlook on life, Rob McLane and Against The Grain are kicking their career into high gear again. If a person’s past drives their future, this man should be able handle all the twists and turns coming his way on the path to continued success!
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