John Payne (singer)

Infobox Musical artist
Name = John Payne
Background = solo_singer
Born = Luton, Bedfordshire, England
Instrument = Vocals, bass guitar
Genre = Rock
Occupation = Musician
Years_active = 1982–present
Label = Devgel, InsideOut Music & Sony BMG
Associated_acts = Asia
GPS
URL = [http://www.johnpaynemusic.com/ www.johnpaynemusic.com]
[http://www.theasiaband.com www.theasiaband.com]
[http://www.musicbygps.com www.musicbygps.com]
Notable_instruments =

John Payne is a British musician who was lead singer and bassist of Asia from 1992 to 2006 and from June 2007 with Asia Featuring John Payne. When asked to join Asia by Geoff Downes, he had to learn the bass guitar fast, including all of Asia's hits. While Payne was in the band, they released over 15 albums. He is also a guitarist, composer and record producer.

Biography

His first band was called Moonstone. They toured the UK in the late seventies, opening for such well-known groups such as Argent.

In 1986, he recorded a silver selling record with the band CCCP in Scandinavia. CCCP was a group that featured John on lead vocals with Johnny Cash's stepdaughter Carlene Carter sharing vocal duties.

He provided backing vocals on several solo albums by Roger Daltrey, including "Under a Raging Moon" (1985) and "Can't Wait to See the Movie" (1987).

Back in England, he called his own band to life. The Passion consisted of Payne, the keyboardist Andy Nye (from the Michael Schenker Group), drummer Clive Burr (Iron Maiden), bassist Mel Gabbitas and the ex-Mike Oldfield guitarist Ant Glynne.

Payne was considered for a position in ELO Part II on guitar and vocals. For a year prior to joining Asia in 1991, he was chosen to replace Jeff Lynne as the lead vocalist in ELO, later to be named ELO Part II, but left due to protracted negotiations over the name.

Asia

Payne and Geoff Downes continued together as Asia for 15 years, with several line-ups around them, until they stuck with Guthrie Govan (guitar) and Chris Slade (drums) in 1999. This same line-up existed for over five years, until Slade was replaced by Jay Schellen in late 2005.

Recent years

In February 2006, Downes and Payne separated when Downes joined a reunion of the original Asia line-up. Payne, Govan and Schellen formed a new band, GPS, recruiting Ryo Okumoto on keys. In May 2007, Payne formed Asia Featuring John Payne. Sony released in fall 2007 in the US "Extended Versions" by Asia Featuring John Payne, which was co-performed, mixed and produced by Payne, with a follow up studio CD, "Architect of Time", expected in 2008. GPS have released one album so far, "Window to the Soul".

Payne was inducted in 2007 into David Fishof's Rock 'n Roll Fantasy Camp's Hall of Fame. He has also been a judge for the above Fantasy Camp USA Final alongside producer Ron Nevison and performer Spencer Davis. At the Orpheum Theater in Los Angeles, he presented the 2004 MVPA video awards.

Current activities

Currently, Payne is playing the part of Parson Nathaniel in the touring production of Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds.

Shortly to be started in California is Chris Slade's solo album, also featuring members of AC/DC, Guns N' Roses, Manfred Mann's Earth Band and The Firm.

A GPS studio album "Dreamscape" and an Asia featuring John Payne studio album "Architect of Time" are due, plus a follow-up GPS album in 2008-09.Fact|date=September 2007

Speedwell films have asked Payne to score the music for the horror film "Black Friday", currently in pre-production in Los Angeles and to be released early 2008.Fact|date=February 2008

Other work

Payne sang the Michelob USA nightmoves extensive TV campaign in 1987. He also sang lead vocals on some of Downes' solo projects. Recent guest vocals include "Song for You" by the Swiss rock band Lunatica.

Payne has scored music for the film "The Darkness" and, with Downes, the salmon documentary for the BBC "Prince of Tides".

As a solo artist, Payne sang the title track to the film "The American Way". Within Asia, he also sang the lead track "Lay Down Your Arms" on "Freddie as FRO7", the UK's largest animation film in 1991.

He has engineered or produced many acts and albums, among them Asia, GPS, The Boys, The Passion and Colin Blunstone. Payne has toured with Kansas, Peter Frampton, Styx, Paul Rodgers, Dio, Uriah Heep, Night Ranger, The Fixx, Berlin, The Outfield, Ted Nugent and David Lee Roth. In the recording studio, Payne has also worked with Mike Oldfield, Simon Phillips and Steve Howe.

Management

He has been managed by Don Arden, Simon Napier-Bell and Bill Curbishley.

Discography

Asia featuring John Payne: "Extended Versions"

Asia studio albums

*"Aqua", 1992
*"Aria", 1994
*"Arena", 1996
*"Archiva 1", 1996
*"Archiva 2", 1996
*"Rare", 1999
*"Aura", 2000
*"Silent Nation", 2004

ASIA LIVE
Live at The Town & Country
Live Acoustic
Live in Philadelphia
Live in Osaka
Live in Köln
Live in Helisinki (Scandinavia) ROGER DALTREY
Under a Raging Moon
Can’t Wait to See the Movie
Martyrs & Madmen
Just a Boy
Gold

GPS
Window to The Soul JOHN PAYNE
Ride the Storm, film soundtrack
That’s When The Crying Starts
All The Love I’ve Got

MICHELOB
Nightmoves, TV ad

JIM LADD
Lizzy tribute CD GEOFF DOWNES NDO
Vox Humana
World Service

CCCP
Let’s spend the Night Together

BITE THE BULLET
Bite the Bullet

LUNATICA
Edge of Infinity

External links

* [http://www.johnpaynemusic.com Official website]
* [http://www.theasiaband.com Asia featuring John Payne]
*MySpace | id = asiafeaturingjohnpayne | name = Asia featuring John Payne