R.I.P Denny Laine (Wings)

Born 29 October 1944, Denny Laine's death was announced early on the week on Monday 5 December in Naples, Florida, U.S.A. 

Denny was a founding member of the group The Moody Blues from 1964 where they score a massive world-wide hit with Go Now until late 1966 where faced with declining sales the group decided to embark upon a mixture of progressive rock and orchestration.

After a period in groups such as Ginger Baker's Army, Denny joined a then little know group called Wings formed by Paul and Linda McCartney to continue in music without all the baggage of being a "Beatle" who had a lot of hit singles  like Let 'Em In and albums such as Band On The Run and London Town.

After some disagreements in 1981 he left to persue his own musical interests.

The reason this entry exists isn't just a rest in peace post but because the records he was involved in were very much records I loved as a kid in the 70's playing for enjoyment often tied to memories of situations and events of that time.

For instance this record, which I still have, is a massive part of all my Christmas's from when I bought it while visiting my late Nan in December 1977 from the districts main record shop whose lyrics and bagpipe playing by the pipers evoke the feel of being together celebrating as one.

Its other side as it was technically a  double 'A' side was the rocking Girls School which was a delight who thought Paul McCartney had forgot how to rock, preferring to write "silly love songs".

This still from the video shown on the late Michael Parkinsons show before being on Top Of The Pops evoke so many memories and emotions for me with Denny on the left.

For me Christmas without Mull Of Kintyre is unthinkable.

Rest in peace Denny.