Denny Laine, Wings and Moody Blues Co-Founder, Dead at 79

He sang lead on the breakthrough Moody Blues hit "Go Now" before helping Paul McCartney kickstart Wings, playing on classics like "Band on the Run," "Live and Let Die" and "Mull of Kintyre"
ANDY GREENE
DECEMBER 5, 2023 1:06PM EST

Denny Laine, the original lead singer of the Moody Blues and Paul McCartney’s co-founder/guitarist in Wings, died December 5 after a short battle with Interstitial lung disease. He was 79.

“I was at his bedside holdings his hand as I played his favorite Christmas songs for him,” his wife Elizabeth Hines wrote in a statement. “My world will never be the same. Denny was an amazingly wonderful person, so loving and sweet to me. He made my days colorful, fun, and full of life – just like him.”

Laine grew up in Birmingham, England, and formed Denny Laine and the Diplomats with future Electric Light Orchestra drummer Bev Bevan as a teenager. But he didn’t find success until 1964, when he joined forces with Ray Thomas and Mike Ponder to form the Moody Blues. They started as a blues cover band on the London club scene, but they moved over to pop music after just a few months. In late 1964, they recorded a cover of the Bessie Banks song “Go Now” featuring Laine on lead vocals and guitar.

The song charted worldwide and hit No. One in England, but Laine quit the band shortly after the release of their 1965 debut LP, The Magnificent Moodies, because of a conflict with their record label. “They wanted us to stay out on the road and make some money,” Laine told North Coast Music Beat. “Like every other band, we got ripped off. We got the fame, but we didn’t get the money.”

In 1971, he teamed up with Paul and Linda McCartney to form Wings. He’d known McCartney since the early days of the Moody Blues when they opened up for the Beatles, and he’d seen him open up for Jimi Hendrix a few years earlier. “That inspired him to call me because he wanted to do something new and different,” Laine told Mass Live in 2019, “And Wings was formed. We then went up to Scotland away from the public and press and played together and worked on material for the first Wings album called Wild Life and eventually we became a touring band.”

Laine spent the rest of the Seventies touring and recordings with Wings, helping them craft classic songs like “Live and Let Die,” “Jet,” “Silly Love Songs,” and “Band on the Run.” He co-wrote 1977’s “Mull of Kintyre” with McCartney. The group arguably reached the zenith of their creativity in 1973 with Band on the Run. “Me and Paul, we had the same influences musically and had known each other since the ’60s,” Laine told Billboard earlier this year. “It was just easy. It was easy to get a good groove on each other’s songs, and I think that’s what made the album popular.”

Wings split in 1981 after Paul McCartney was arrested in Japan for marijuana possession while on tour. Laine continued working with McCartney on his early 1980s solo albums Tug of War and Pipes of Peace, but they splintered apart due to business disputes. In the years that followed, Laine cut a series of solo albums, and he toured heavily. In recent years, he played a series of special shows where he played Band on the Run in full.

In 2018, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Moody Blues after he was initially left off the list of inductees. “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,” he told Billboard. “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.”



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2023-12-05 20:24 by BowieStone.

geez.

RIP Denny

Rest In Peace Denny!

There beneath the blue suburban skies, Denny Laine.

Rest in peace to a very talented musician.

Quote
Rocky Dijon
There beneath the blue suburban skies, Denny Laine.

Rest in peace to a very talented musician.

A brilliant few words, which I second.

Rest in Peace, Denny Laine (right in picture) - and thank you for the music.

Great musician indeed. RIP
Buying the 50th Anniversary edition of Band on the Run in his honor today.
[shop.paulmccartney.com]

RIP to one of the greats. Incredible career.

"Take all the pain...It's yours anyway"

R.I.P. Denny Laine

RIP

So sad. RIP Denny.

Very sad to hear this. RIP to another great.

Rod

Ahh, my very first concert. Wings Over America at the Capitol Center. Paul had him sing lead on Go Now, which I love. I was fascinated by his 12-string, you don’t see that very often.

***Can't you hear me knocking?***

Denny Laine, is in my ears and in my eyes

I saw Denny in a very small club earlier this year - just him and his acoustic
guitar. He shared many wonderful and interesting stories about his lifelong musical career. I’m very sorry to learn of his passing. RIP Denny…

Oh no not again. Very sorry to hear bout this gifted artist. RIP

The first Moody blues album...really excellent with a great singer..!

The first Moody blues album...really excellent with a great singer..!

RIP

RIP Denny

Probably one of the musicians I listened to most over the years thanks to his presence in Wings. His solo albums from the early 80s aren't bad and had songs that could have worked well with Wings, certainly as good as his London Town contributions. It's too bad his association with Paul had run its course by 1981, with some sort of "row" after they came back from Montserrat (not mentioned in the interview below), and that he needed the touring to stay afloat financially. Had the pretty lavish lifestyle too, living in Brian's old house and owning a yacht.

...as well as 5 cars too, found that interview again : [forums.stevehoffman.tv]

Denny's album from 1982 : "Anyone Can Fly" - [youtu.be]

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IORR Links : Essential Studio Outtakes CDs : Audio - History of Rarest Outtakes : Audio



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2023-12-06 17:04 by gotdablouse.

Sad to hear, a great musician............RIP

he was also in Ginger Baker's Airforce





Heartbreaking singing. RIP

Heard an interview with him a few months back - really seemed like a great guy.

"Go Now" is one of the highlights of Wings Over America to me.

Don't forget this wonderful song - Colin Blunstone had the hit but Denny's original version is better

[www.youtube.com]