Sorry if this has been brought up already, but glad to see him get his due being recognized with the Moody's induction to HOF. I've been lucky enough to catch a few of his small club shows/meet and greet in the Atlanta area the last couple of years. He's really a Great Guy/Musician. Rock On Denny!!

Very deserving

But one has to wonder if the band will acknowledge that period of their history, and if Denny Laine will even be invited.

After all, they're inducting the Nights in White Satin Moodies, not the Go Now Moodies.

It will be all about Justin Hayward and John Lodge, and it's doubtful they'll want to relinquish any of their spotlight to jam on one of the Denny Laine era numbers.

Aside from the original bass player from the 1964 to 1966 incarnation of the band (Clint Warwick), all members from both the original and later, classic incarnations of the band are all still with us. That should be an interesting evening.

Is he in as a member of Wings? Is Wings even in?

Just did a search and there was an interview with Denny Laine as one of the members to be inducted:

Laine’s name wasn’t originally included when the group was announced as part of the Class of 2018 Although he left before the began to deliver their most groundbreaking work, he’d appeared on their debut album and fronted their first hit, “Go Now,” in 1964. The Hall later amended the situation, which voting member Steven Van Zandt said had been the result of an “inadvertent omission.”

Laine told Billboard in a new interview, “I thought [the rest of the band] deserved it because of the amount of work and the popularity, and I thought that's the way it goes. I have to say, I'm a big fan of their stuff. Obviously, I'm very pleased I'm going to be in there. It's an honor. I think I'm at least a little part of their story, so I feel very content, really, that it's all come full circle now."

Reporting that another voter, Peter Asher of Peter and Gordon fame, had said he’d never vote for the Moody Blues without Laine’s name attached, the honoree added, “That was kind of the most rewarding part of the thing, I think – I had friends from the top who pushed for me to get back in.”

He said he’d received congratulations from former colleagues Mike Pinder and Ray Thomas, although it hadn’t been decided whether he’d join them for a performance during the induction ceremony in April 2018. Reflecting on his contribution to the band, he commented, “I was part of that whole early Moody Blues transitioning from a sort of R&B-blues band to being more progressive. We had this kind of hippie-dippy type of vibe going in those days, and they just developed it further. But if it hadn't been for Mike and Ray talking me into getting into their band, I could've been stuck in Birmingham and not done anything, so I'm grateful for that."

---

This will answer the question from another poster about Wings:

Laine went on to join Paul McCartney’s band Wings, but he doesn’t believe that group will ever be inducted. "It was not a band, really. It was Paul McCartney and a backing band -- that's the truth of the matter. We weren't a band like the Beatles, the [Rolling] Stones, the Moody Blues. So I wouldn't see Wings as a band that would go into the Hall of Fame, to be honest.”

Story from: [ultimateclassicrock.com]

Here's the full article and interview from Billboard magazine mentioned in the piece above:

Denny Laine says that not being included in the initial The Moody Blues roster for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame class of 2018 "didn't bother me much." But he's certainly happy that he's been added and will be part of the group's entry into the shrine on April 14 in Cleveland.

"I thought (the rest of the band) deserved it because of the amount of work and the popularity, and I thought that's the way it goes," Laine -- who co-founded the Moodys during 1964 in Birmingham, England, but left after the group's 1965 debut album and the hit "Go Now" -- tells Billboard. "I have to say, I'm a big fan of their stuff. Obviously, I'm very pleased I'm going to be in there. It's an honor. I think I'm at least a little part of their story, so I feel very content, really, that it's all come full circle now."

Laine was added to the induction roster thanks to lobbying by Rock Hall voting committee members, including Little Steven Van Zandt, Peter Asher and Cousin Brucie Morrow. Van Zandt tweeted Dec. 16 that Laine's "inadvertent ommission is being corrected on the Rock Hall website as we speak." And Laine says Asher told him that "he wouldn't even vote for the Moody Blues unless I was in it."

"That was kind of the most rewarding part of the thing, I think: I had friends from the top who pushed for me to get back in," Laine notes.

Laine says he's received congratulations from fellow founding members Mike Pinder and Ray Thomas, though nothing has been determined about whether he'll perform in any way at the induction ceremony. Pinder, according to Laine, recruited him away from his own band in Birmingham, though the other Moodys were not as interested in Laine's push to move to London to be closer to the British music industry of the mid-'60s.

And even though he left before the landmark Days of Future Passed, Laine notes that he "was part of that whole early Moody Blues transitioning from a sort of R&B/blues band to being more progressive. We had this kind of hippie-dippy type of vibe going in those days, and they just developed it further. But if it hadn't been for Mike and Ray talking me into getting into their band, I could've been stuck in Birmingham and not done anything, so I'm grateful for that."

Laine, of course, is best known for his tenure in Wings as the only member other than Paul and Linda McCartney to be in the group from start to finish. He doesn't anticipate that group getting its own Rock Hall nod, however.

"It was not a band, really. It was Paul McCartney and a backing band -- that's the truth of the matter," Laine says. "We weren't a band like The Beatles, The Stones, The Moody Blues. So I wouldn't see Wings as a band that would go into the Hall of Fame, to be honest."

These days, the New Jersey-based Laine is a solo act, playing songs from his entire past live as well as recording. He recently released the single "Meant to Be" / "Over the Horizon," and he has a new album in the can as well.

"That's kind of to show people I'm still doing something now, and I'm not just living in the past," Laine says. "Tribute bands have kind of taken over the market, and I don't want to come across as being that. I want to come across as being a current artist, still, who does the songs but my way rather than copy them note for note. So it's kind of to show I'm doing something new as well as the old stuff."

From: [www.billboard.com]

Quote
Elmo Lewis
Is he in as a member of Wings? Is Wings even in?

Wings is not in. As they shouldn't be. Paul is in on his own and despite his best efforts to pretend "Wings" was a band, it was Paul and his wife, Denny and a rotating cast of characters. Some OK music, but never as good as he wanted it to be. And it was all him in the end.

Thats fantastic Denny is getting in with Moodies. I know he's not the classic member but he was key to that first record. He deserves the honor.

If you asked many people which are the most memorable Moodies songs and their answer would be:
- Go Now
- Nights of White Satin

So yes, Denny deserves to be in. Superb vocalist. Somehow he's never fulfilled his potential. Maybe lacks the ambition and/or too fond of 'smoke' ?

I Beg to differ Rolling Freak, Denny was a mainstay to the end of Wings, with a rotating cast of characters around him and Paul.......

Quote
BamaStone
I Beg to differ Rolling Freak, Denny was a mainstay to the end of Wings, with a rotating cast of characters around him and Paul.......

Yes, but even as he said (which I read after I wrote mine): it was Paul plus a backing band. Thats it. If he can say it then you KNOW its the truth. I appreciate Denny's commitment to that band, but it really was always Paul. They weren't a "band", Denny says it perfectly.

I would guess that Paul based the "Wings" name on his Blackbird song, as a motivation to fly on his own after the roots of his Beatle past had been severed: "Take these broken wings and learn to fly..."

In the beginning, he certainly wanted it to be a band. He was starting again with a new group, being low key and driving around the UK in a van and signing on to play at universities.

The album At The Speed of Sound is his most democratic attempt to promote Wings as a band, with all the members getting to write a song and take a lead vocal, even Linda.

But in the end, he became disillusioned with the concept. Members kept coming and going, whereas Paul wanted stability over the long term. (Notice how the members of his current backing band have been with him almost longer than the Beatles and Wings combined -- the keyboardist ["Wix"] has been part of Paul's musical entourage since 1989.)

That's why he more or less intentionally allowed himself to be busted for pot in Japan -- as he later admitted in an interview (given by his daughter Stella for a Wings documentary), he was relieved because it meant he wouldn't have to do the tour.

Then Paul holed himself away and did an album all by himself (McCartney II), just like his first solo album.

Denny Laine left Wings in 1981, even though there was really nothing left to leave, because Paul was no longer interested in touring.

Despite this, Laine did make the odd appearance on Paul's next two solo albums, Tug of War and Pipes of Peace.

I wish Denny would show up with Paul at a live show. There's a picture of them backstage but not sure why he's never been asked to play. I think thats why I wanted him to be included in the Hall Of Fame. He kind of got sidelined out of everything, and he's a good musician. He should get recognition somewhere, and I feel inclusion into the Hall would be nice acknowledgment. I know thats more sappy than deserving, but come on, he's an old guy and was a part of some historic stuff. Its not hurting anyone.

I can't believe he 'planned' the drugs bust...that would be stupid beyond belief.
Paul has a huge ego, but daft he isn't. He was never out if it in the way Keith and Anita were in the 70's. Japan takes drug offences very very seriously. I believe the Stones Japan concerts were delayed due to their drugs convictions.
I read somewhere that John and Yoko were delighted when Paul got bust: another urban myth.

This is not unlike Roy Wood--also an early formative member, but not a part of the more famous version-- being included in the induction of ELO.

I thought it was heartwarming that he was included, because The Move is an unlikely induction since the Hall has no interest in UK groups that didn't break through in the USA.

I also liked the fact that when Blondie was inducted, they included original bass player Gary Valentine, who left the band after their first album. (I'm a fan of his and I thought they never recovered from his leaving, especially as a live unit)

But it is also kind of galling that Valentine is in, while Billy Preston, who had a solid career as an R&B artist and made a significant creative contribution as a sideman with the two greatest rock bands of all time is not a member.

Quote
loog droog
This is not unlike Roy Wood--also an early formative member, but not a part of the more famous version-- being included in the induction of ELO.

I thought it was heartwarming that he was included, because The Move is an unlikely induction since the Hall has no interest in UK groups that didn't break through in the USA.

Totally agree. That made me extremely happy as well, although they messed up that induction by not also including the "classic" lineup of ELO of which there really was one. I'm glad Roy Wood was in, beyond words, but many others got shafted in that induction.

Quote
stonehearted
I would guess that Paul based the "Wings" name on his Blackbird song, as a motivation to fly on his own after the roots of his Beatle past had been severed: "Take these broken wings and learn to fly..."

In the beginning, he certainly wanted it to be a band. He was starting again with a new group, being low key and driving around the UK in a van and signing on to play at universities.

The album At The Speed of Sound is his most democratic attempt to promote Wings as a band, with all the members getting to write a song and take a lead vocal, even Linda.

But in the end, he became disillusioned with the concept. Members kept coming and going, whereas Paul wanted stability over the long term. (Notice how the members of his current backing band have been with him almost longer than the Beatles and Wings combined -- the keyboardist ["Wix"] has been part of Paul's musical entourage since 1989.)

That's why he more or less intentionally allowed himself to be busted for pot in Japan -- as he later admitted in an interview (given by his daughter Stella for a Wings documentary), he was relieved because it meant he wouldn't have to do the tour.

Then Paul holed himself away and did an album all by himself (McCartney II), just like his first solo album.

Denny Laine left Wings in 1981, even though there was really nothing left to leave, because Paul was no longer interested in touring.

Despite this, Laine did make the odd appearance on Paul's next two solo albums, Tug of War and Pipes of Peace.

Actually that album was recorded in the summer of 1979 before the bust. Paul and Denny actually stayed friendly after the bust with Denny spending time in Montserrat helping Paul record "Tug of War" in 1981 and he's present on a lot (most) of the tracks. Something happened there and Denny decided he'd had enough...apparently because he thought Paul wasn't taking things seriously enough!

Here's an interesting interview from Denny in November 1981 [forums.stevehoffman.tv] still living the high life with his boat and cars. Apparently he owned Brian Jone's house at the time too ("Laine lives in a large country mansion in Sussex, once owned by A.A. Milne, author of 'Winnie the Pooh") !

Anyway, good for him to be inducted, hopefully it will generate some interest in his current music and finally allow him to release that album that's been in the can for 3+ years...

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2018-01-05 02:52 by gotdablouse.

Quote
stonehearted
I would guess that Paul based the "Wings" name on his Blackbird song, as a motivation to fly on his own after the roots of his Beatle past had been severed: "Take these broken wings and learn to fly..."

From the web...

Paul explained the inspiration behind the band’s name in the 2001 made-for-TV special Wingspan, saying there was “a bit of drama” during the birth of the couple’s second child together, Stella, in September of 1971.

As the story goes, Linda experienced complications during labor with the child that almost caused both to die, so Paul sat down and prayed in the hospital. He revealed that he had a vision of wings during his prayer, and thankfully in the end, everything with mom and baby turned out okay.

After the ordeal, Paul then decided to pay tribute to the vision and name his band Wings.

[kearth101.radio.com]

Re the Hoffman forum link.
Denny NEVER owned Cotchford Farm: complete nonsense!
First I've heard about the Epstein connection also; very doubtful.
He sold his rights to the compositions he co-wrote with Macca.
He lived beyond his means.
He went bankrupt.
Not good career moves.

..the Moody blues first album with Denny...What a good album...!!