The original key art for the 2023 Denny Laine benefit concert
No, he didn’t show. But if rumors that Paul McCartney would perform at the Benefit Concert For Denny Laine held November 27, 2023, at the iconic Troubadour in West Hollywood proved unfounded, the ex-Beatle was there in spirit, with both songs and special guests serving as a reminder that Laine was first and foremost a loyal sideman to McCartney and his band, Wings.
That’s not entirely true, of course. Before he began his decade-long run as the only constant member of Wings, alongside Paul and Linda McCartney, Laine had been a co-founder of the Moody Blues, fronting the band on the big 1964 hit “Go Now” but leaving just before his replacement, Justin Hayward, took the band to superstar status with such songs as “Question,” “Nights In White Satin” and “Tuesday Afternoon.”
And yet Laine, who died at the age of 79 from interstitial lung disease just one week after the benefit to raise money for his medical expenses, remains most closely associated with McCartney and Wings—an outfit in which, despite his many contributions, including songwriting, he would always be overshadowed by the Beatle.
Members of his backup band—Laine was touring as recently as this year—opened the show with a selection of early Wings classics, including “Rock Show,” “Jet” and “Mrs. Vandebilt.” Alex Jules, Erik Paparozzi and Brian Pothier took turns singing lead and did a fine job conjuring up the early 1970s Wings, who in retrospect were a truly remarkable band.
Various members of Team Laine remained on stage for most of the show, backing a cavalcade of guest stars beginning with Lawrence Juber, a member of Wings in the group’s later years. This lineup performed a lively rendition of “No Words,” a song Laine co-wrote with McCartney for the 1973 Band on the Run LP—his first Wings writing credit.
Albert Lee performing at the Denny Laine benefit concert (Photo: Thomas K. Arnold; used with permission)
Albert Lee, one of the most accomplished guitarists of the rock era, then came on stage and took over lead vocals on Buddy Holly’s “Rave On,” which Laine covered on his second solo album, 1977’s Holly Days, which he recorded with the two McCartneys. Lee followed with an exceptionally tender version of another Holly tune, the ballad “Raining in My Heart,” which Laine and McCartney performed live in London in 1979 during Buddy Holly Week.
A succession of highlights followed, including but not limited to:
Peter Asher and Jeremy Clyde, the two surviving members of British Invasion duos Peter and Gordon and Chad and Jeremy, performing a quartet of their respective hits: First Chad and Jeremy’s “A Summer Song” and “Yesterday’s Gone,” followed by Peter and Gordon’s “I Go to Pieces” and “A World Without Love,” the latter a song written by McCartney when he was just 16. According to Asher, McCartney pitched the song to the Beatles, “but John didn’t like it at all. He thought the lyrics were particularly silly. He thought the opening line, ‘Please, lock me away,’ was ridiculous.” When Asher—who at the time was living with McCartney—and Gordon Waller landed a recording contract, he asked McCartney if the duo could record the song, and McCartney graciously handed it over.
Peter Asher and Jeremy Clyde at the Denny Laine benefit concert (Photo: Thomas K. Arnold; used with permission)
Puddles Pity Party, a Pagliacci-like clown whose real name is Mike Geier, singing a stunning rendition of the big Wings hit “My Love,” from the 1973 Red Rose Speedway LP. The backing band was joined by Jules and original Wings drummer Denny Seiwell.
Tim Heidecker joining Laine’s band on raucous renditions of “Live and Let Die,” the Wings song famous as being the first rock song to open a James Bond movie, and “Let Me Roll It.” Heidecker was uneven on the first song but absolutely killed it on the latter, one of the best tracks on the Band on the Run LP.
Mark Stoermer, the longtime bassist for the Killers, singing “The Note You Never Wrote,” a Wings ballad on which Laine sang lead.
Joe Bouchard, an original guitarist with Blue Öyster Cult, singing “Mull of Kintyre,” a Wings song Laine co-wrote with McCartney that became Wings’ biggest U.K. hits and was played at Linda McCartney’s funeral.
Micky Dolenz, the last surviving member of the Monkees, singing “Silly Love Songs” and his own big hit with the 1960s TV band, the Neil Diamond-penned “I’m a Believer.” Of all the performers, Dolenz was the most uneven; his rendition of “Silly Love Songs” was marred by his exaggerated vocals, but then he turned around and positively shone on “Believer.”
Other guest stars included Paul Shaffer, who sang so-so covers of James Brown’s “I’ll Go Crazy” and Laine’s Moody Blues hit, “Go Now,” which itself was a cover by 1960s soul singer Bessie Banks; comedian Neil Hamburger, who performed a comic, but somewhat out of place, rendition of the London Town ditty “Backwards Traveller”; and several others.
Badfinger’s Joey Molland and Susanna Hoffs of the Bangles, both of whom were on the bill, were no-shows.
The closing number was “Band on the Run,” performed by the Denny Laine Band with various guests, including Heidecker and Juber. This is the song during which many in the audience had expected McCartney, who maintains a home in Los Angeles, to make an appearance, but, alas, he did not.
His absence was disappointing, given the many years Wings was essentially a trio, with the two McCartneys and Laine.
But an even bigger disappointment was Laine’s passing just one week later.
[Thanks to the Vinyl Verdict for the videos.]
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Jump into a conversationTrue friends and associates paying respects. And a lot of used to be’s who come out of the ground to grab a faded spotlight one last time.