bibliography
NNDB
This is a beta version of NNDB
Search: for

Denny Laine

Denny LaineAKA Brian Hines

Born: 29-Oct-1944
Birthplace: Jersey, Channel Islands, England

Gender: Male
Race or Ethnicity: White
Sexual orientation: Straight
Occupation: Musician

Nationality: England
Executive summary: Wings sideman

Denny Laine first became musically active in Birmingham during the early 60s, forming his first band Denny and the Diplomats with future The Electric Light Orchestra drummer Bev Bevan. In 1964 he moved on to create The Moody Blues, who became enormously popular with the single Go Now but then quickly fell into a decline, precipitating Laine's departure in 1966.

After The Moodies, Laine worked with two doomed but critically-acclaimed projects: first, The Denny Laine String Band, which featured electrified strings in a format not dissimilar to what ELO would later attempt; and second, Ginger Baker's Airforce, which would feature Laine on lead vocals and guitar. Both bands would prove short-lived. Another band, Balls, also briefly existed during this time period.

In 1971, Denny Laine began work with the most popular and enduring band of his career when he was invited by Paul McCartney to be one of the founding members of Wings. Wings had a bit of a creaky beginning, but by the mid-1970s grew into a monster. Except for Paul and his wife Linda McCartney, Laine would be the one musician to endure the numerous personnel changes from the band's beginning to its demise after Paul's pot-bust in 1980.

Subsequent to the end of Wings, very little has been heard from Denny Laine. A few band projects briefly materialized in the early 1980s, and towards the end of the century he participated in the World Class Rockers, which gathered together other "one-foot-in-obscurity" performers from bands such as Steppenwolf, The Eagles, and The Knack. A large number of "greatest hits" assortments have since been released, shuffling about highlights from different periods of Denny's career; another solo record turned up in 1996; and in 1999 he released a tribute to Paul McCartney and Wings (so, in part anyway, a tribute to himself?), which featured re-recorded versions of Wings' songs.

Wife: Joanne Alice Patrie (m. 5-Nov-1978, div., one child)

    The Moody Blues Guitarist/Vocalist (1964-66)
    Ginger Baker's Airforce Guitarist/Vocalist (1970-71)
    Wings Guitarist/Vocalist (1971-80)
    World Class Rockers

    FILMOGRAPHY AS ACTOR
    Beware of Mr. Baker (10-Mar-2012)
    Chasing Destiny (14-Feb-2001)
    Rockshow (26-Nov-1980) · Himself


New!
NNDB MAPPER
Create a map starting with Denny Laine
Requires Flash 7+ and Javascript.

Do you know something we don't?
Submit a correction or make a comment about this profile



Copyright ©2019 Soylent Communications