Denny Laine

Biography

Brian Frederick Hines (29 October 1944 – 5 December 2023), known professionally as Denny Laine, was an English musician who co-founded two major rock bands: the Moody Blues and Paul McCartney and Wings. Laine played guitar in the Moody Blues from 1964 to 1966 and sang their hit cover version of "Go Now×Go Now1995 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Go Now2Clock on the Wall3Danger Zone4Somebody Ought to Know the Way5Lover’s Light6Guess I’m Only Foolin’7Nothing to Go By8I Would Only Smile9Weep for Love10Say You Don’t Mind". Laine befriended Paul McCartney, who later asked him to join his band Wings.
Laine was a constant member of Wings for their entire run from 1971 to 1981, playing guitar, bass and keyboards, and singing backing and lead vocals. He wrote songs with McCartney, including the 1977 hit "Mull of Kintyre". Laine worked with a variety of other artists, such as Ginger Baker, Trevor Burton and Bev Bevan as a part of groups over a six-decade career. In later years he participated in a number of Wings/McCartney/Beatles tribute performances and recordings. He also had an extensive solo career consisting of ten studio albums of original music and a Wings covers album and also wrote a musical. Laine performed as a solo artist and touring musician until his death. In 2018, Laine was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Moody Blues.

Early years

Brian Frederick Hines was born on 29 October 1944 to Herbert Edward Arthur Hines and Eva Lillian Hines (née Bassett) in Holcombe Road, Tyseley, Birmingham, England, and he attended Yardley Grammar School. He took up the guitar as a boy, inspired by gypsy jazz musician Django Reinhardt. He gave his first solo performance as a musician at age 12 and began his career as a professional musician, fronting Denny Laine and the Diplomats, which also included Bev Bevan, future drummer with the Move and Electric Light Orchestra. Laine changed his name because he felt "Brian Frederick Hines and the Diplomats... wouldn't work", instead taking the surname of his sister's idol, the singer Frankie Laine. The first name Denny was a childhood nickname, stemming from the fact that at the time "everyone had a backyard, and a den to hang out. I think I got that nickname there."

The Moody Blues

At the beginning of 1964, Laine left the Diplomats. In May of that year he received a call from Ray Thomas and Mike Pinder who were forming a new band, the M&B 5, who within a few months changed their name to the Moody Blues. He sang lead vocal on the group's first big hit, a cover of Bessie Banks's hit "Go Now×Go Now1995 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Go Now2Clock on the Wall3Danger Zone4Somebody Ought to Know the Way5Lover’s Light6Guess I’m Only Foolin’7Nothing to Go By8I Would Only Smile9Weep for Love10Say You Don’t Mind"; other early highlights included another UK hit, "I Don't Want to Go on Without You", and the two minor UK chart hits "From the Bottom of My Heart (I Love You)" and "Everyday", both written by Laine and Pinder. Laine also sang on "Can't Nobody Love You" and "Bye Bye Bird", the latter of which was a hit in France. A self-titled EP and the album The Magnificent Moodies followed, on Decca Records. Laine and Pinder wrote most of the band's B-sides during the period 1965–66, such as "You Don't (All the Time)", "And My Baby's Gone" and "This Is My House (But Nobody Calls)". However, Laine's tenure with the Moody Blues was relatively short-lived and, after a number of comparative chart failures, Laine quit in October 1966. He was replaced by Justin Hayward. The last record issued by the Moody Blues that featured Laine was the single "Life's Not Life" b/w "He Can Win", in January 1967.
A compilation album of singles and album tracks of the early Moody Blues, led by Denny Laine, was released in 2006 under the title An Introduction to The Moody Blues.

Electric String Band and early solo career

In December 1966, after leaving the Moody Blues, Laine formed the Electric String Band, featuring himself on guitar and vocals, Trevor Burton (of the Move) on guitar, Viv Prince (formerly of The Pretty Things) on drums, Binky McKenzie on bass guitar, and electrified strings. In June 1967 the Electric String Band shared a bill with the Jimi Hendrix Experience and Procol Harum at the Saville Theatre in London. However, they did not achieve national attention, and soon broke up.
At the same time, Laine recorded two singles as a solo artist, both released on the Deram label: "Say You Don't Mind" b/w "Ask the People" (April 1967) and "Too Much in Love×Too Much in Love12 January 1968 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksAToo Much in LoveBCatherine's Wheel" b/w "Catherine's Wheel" (January 1968). Both failed to chart, although "Say You Don't Mind" became a Top 20 hit in 1972, when recorded by former Zombies front-man Colin Blunstone.

Balls and Ginger Baker's Air Force

Laine and Burton then went on to join the band Balls, from February 1969 until their breakup in 1971, with both also taking time to play in Ginger Baker's Air Force in 1970. Balls issued only one single, on UK Wizard Records: "Fight for My Country" b/w "Janie, Slow Down". The top side was re-edited and reissued under Trevor Burton's name, under the UK Wizard label in the UK, and by Epic Records in the United States. Burton and Laine shared lead vocals on the B-side. The single was reissued again as B.L & G. (Burton, Laine & Gibbons) as Live in the Mountains for a small label distributed by Pye Records. Twelve tracks were recorded for a Balls album, but it has never been released.

Wings

In 1971, Laine joined forces with Paul McCartney and wife Linda McCartney to form Wings, and he remained with the group for 10 years until they disbanded in 1981, being the only three permanent members of the band. Laine provided lead and rhythm guitars, lead and backing vocals, keyboards, bass guitar and woodwind, in addition to writing or co-writing some of the group's material. Laine and the McCartneys were the nucleus of the band and were reduced to a trio twice: the most acclaimed Wings album, Band on the Run, and the majority of material released on London Town, were written and recorded by Wings as a trio. Laine was also a frequent contributor to the songwriting process and as lead vocalist. He wrote and sang several songs himself ("Time to Hide", "Again and Again and Again"), co-wrote a number of compositions on Band on the Run and London Town, and sang lead vocals on McCartney's songs in full ("The Note You Never Wrote") or in part ("I Lie Around", "Picasso's Last Words", "Spirits of Ancient Egypt"). During Wings' live concerts, Laine often performed "Go Now×Go Now1995 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Go Now2Clock on the Wall3Danger Zone4Somebody Ought to Know the Way5Lover’s Light6Guess I’m Only Foolin’7Nothing to Go By8I Would Only Smile9Weep for Love10Say You Don’t Mind", his hit with the Moody Blues, as well as "Time to Hide".
During his time in Wings, Laine also released two solo albums, Ahh...Laine! (1973) and Holly Days (1977), the latter of which was also recorded by Wings' core trio of Laine and the McCartneys.
While in Wings, Laine also contributed to the album McGear, the second solo album by Mike McCartney in 1974. The album also included Mike's brother Paul (using the pseudonym McGear).
With Wings, Laine enjoyed the biggest commercial and critical successes of his career. The non-album single "Mull of Kintyre", co-written with McCartney, became a hit, reaching No. 1 in the UK Singles Chart in 1977 and being the highest-selling single in the country until 1984. "Deliver Your Children" (from the album London Town), similarly co-written with McCartney and sung by Laine, was released as a double A-side with "I've Had Enough" in the Netherlands, where it charted at No. 13.
In January 1980, after Wings leader McCartney was arrested for possession of marijuana, on arrival at an airport in Japan where they were booked to perform a sell-out tour, the band's future became uncertain. Laine released his third solo album, Japanese Tears×Japanese Tears1980 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracksA1Japanese Tears3:33A2Danger Zone3:10A3Clock on the Wall2:20A4Send Me the Heart3:41A5Go Now3:24A6Same Mistakes3:46A7Silver3:59B1Say You Don’t Mind3:10B2Somebody Ought to Know the Way3:15B3Lover’s Light3:03B4Guess I’m Only Foolin’2:33B5Nothing to Go By3:11B6I Would Only Smile3:22B7Weep for Love4:35, with the title track as the single; it included several songs recorded by Wings over the years. (Laine also formed the short-lived Denny Laine Band with Wings' final drummer Steve Holley.) Though Wings briefly reunited in late 1980, on 27 April 1981, Laine left Wings, due to McCartney's reluctance to tour in the wake of the murder of John Lennon.

Solo career

After leaving Wings, Laine signed with Scratch Records and released a new album, Anyone Can Fly×Anyone Can Fly1982 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracksA1Running Round in Circles4:02A2Be Together5:06A3Who Moved the World5:00A4Racing Cars4:20B1Various Shapes and Forms4:41B2I Always Thought4:06B3Could Not Believe3:24B4Anyone Can Fly5:07, in 1982. He also worked on McCartney's albums Tug of War and Pipes of Peace and he co-wrote one more song with McCartney, "Rainclouds" (issued as the B-side of the No. 1 single "Ebony and Ivory").
Laine continued to release solo albums through the 1980s, such as Hometown Girls×Hometown GirlsOctober 1985 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracksA1Cruisin'A2Foggy MorningA3MistralA4Stay AwayA5Home Town GirlsB1Red SkyB2I Wish You Could LoveB3Twist of FateB4StreetB5Blue Nights, Wings on My Feet×Wings on My Feet1987 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Wings on My Feet3:302Kick the Ball3:143Portrait3:254Castle in the Air3:135Roll the Dice3:586Lucy Lullaby4:157No Sleep3:518Tao Princess3:409It’s Never Too Late3:2310Caribbean Sun3:2711Blushing Bride4:0212Spacetrain4:14, Lonely Road×Lonely RoadSeptember 1988 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracksA1Land of PeaceA2Eyes of a ChildA3SuccessA4First Day in LondonA5Lonely RoadA6True to MeA7Without Your LoveB1If I TriedB2Burnin' BridgesB3Money TalksB4What Can I Do Without YouB5Fly With the DoveB6Black SheepB7Peace Must Come Again and Master Suite. In 1996, he released two albums, Reborn×Reborn18 June 1996 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1In Time5:352Reborn3:593Rollin' Tide5:184Nightwalker4:225Hard Labour5:056Misty Mountain4:527Fanfare4:528Within Walls4:299Eternal Quest5:2910Phoenix5:33 and Wings at the Sound of Denny Laine×Wings at the Sound of Denny Laine1996 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1Mull of Kintyre4:222Time to Hide4:393Children Children2:084Blackbird2:325Silly Love Songs6:036Go Now3:287Again & Again & Again3:468Picasso's Last Words3:189Listen to What the Man Said3:5210Say You Don't Mind3:1511Deliver Your Children4:2812Can't Nobody Love You3:5213The Note You Never Wrote3:2714Band on the Run5:25, the latter an album of reworkings of Wings songs.
From 1997 to 2002, he toured with the rock supergroup World Classic Rockers, a group of rock veterans led by Nick St. Nicholas of Steppenwolf. He then toured with the Denny Laine Band. Laine's final solo release was the 2008 album The Blue Musician. He also wrote a musical, Arctic Song.
In 2018 he performed with the nine-piece band Turkuaz, performing the music of Wings. In 2018 Laine was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Moody Blues.
In January 2023, Laine announced tour dates in the US, including New York and Nashville, and said he was working on new material for an album.

Personal life and death

Laine was briefly married to Jo Jo Laine, with whom he had a son Laine Hines and a daughter Heidi Jo Hines. He had three other children from other relationships. Laine married Elizabeth Mele in July 2023. They resided in Florida.
Laine had a relationship with Helen Grant, the daughter of Led Zeppelin manager Peter Grant. They had a daughter named Lucianne, born in 1987.
Laine contracted COVID-19 in 2022 then had multiple surgeries for lung issues, including a collapsed lung. After his wife launched a GoFundMe page, Laine's musician friends and supporters organised a benefit concert at the Troubadour nightclub in West Hollywood, California, on 27 November 2023.
Laine died from interstitial lung disease in Naples, Florida, on 5 December 2023 at the age of 79. His wife announced his death on his official Facebook and Instagram pages.