Asia’s John Payne Brings Music Nostalgia to Ellicottville
Asia’s John Payne Brings Music Nostalgia to Ellicottville
Singer and bassist John Payne, of Asia featuring John Payne, will join Lou Gramm formerly of Foreigner and John Elefante formerly of Kansas for one remarkable night of music slopeside in Ellicottville July 2nd. The annual Summer Music Festival has put together a show this year that features three of the best rock vocalists in the industry.
Payne began his career with Asia in 1992 and can’t wait to share over 30 years of music and memories. “I started out playing in local bars and spent years and years on the road before I even got a record deal,” said Payne. “So these kind of shows are so fun to do.”
Also hitting the road this summer on a Double Anniversary Tour with Asia featuring John Payne, the singer is showing no signs of slowing down. “Aqua”, his first album as lead vocalist with Asia, is part of the reason for the Double Anniversary Tour. With its release 30 years ago, the band is also celebrating 40 years since the release of their first self titled album “Asia”… hence the Double Anniversary Tour.
Asia has released 13 studio albums and 16 live albums that have garnered the hit songs “Who Will Stop the Rain”, “Heat of the Moment”, “Someday”, “Here Comes the Feeling”, “Sole Survivor” and more. A new album is in the works and will be released either by the end of this year or first part of 2023.
I caught up with Payne recently and he told me his plan for recording the new album, the “pinch me” moments of his career, his favorite rock vocalists, his friendship with singer Lou Gramm and what is the best thing about being John Payne.
“I’m really looking forward to doing this show with Lou and John Elefante,” said the singer. The music of these three bands will take you back to a much simpler time … and who doesn’t need that right now? Come on out and stay after the show to say hi … I will be doing a signing and I can’t wait to meet my fans!”
For more information visit asiafeaturingjohnpayne.com. For ticket information to the Summer Music Festival concert visit ellicottvilleny.com.
A CONVERSATION WITH JOHN PAYNE OF ASIA
HULICK: I just talked to Lou Gramm and I’ll be talking to John Elefante later today. So this is a great day for me!
PAYNE: So you got the whole lot of us! It’s a fun lineup. I pinch myself when I do some of these shows … the music is so cool.
HULICK: I’m loving it because this is the music I grew up to.
PAYNE: Me too! I grew up to it and wound up as part of it, which is even cooler.
HULICK: Not only are you doing these shows with Lou and John E., but you are doing the Double Anniversary Tour with Asia.
PAYNE: I’m doing that and some other things … I go out as Asia featuring John Payne, I have the Voices of Classic Rock show and another show called the 80’s Rock Tour. Two of the shows have similar lineups and songs but when I go out as Asia featuring John Payne for the Double Anniversary Tour, we do the first album that the founding members put together in 1982 and then the first album I performed on which is “Aqua” from 1992. I can’t believe I’ve been in the band for 30 years!
HULICK: I would imagine it’s quite a trip down memory lane when you’re singing songs from three decades.
PAYNE: It is! But it’s weird because it doesn’t seem that long ago. The time seems to accelerate. It’s funny … at the beginning of each month when I pay my bills I’m like … “Didn’t I just pay these?”
HULICK: (laughs) Who are your favorite singers?
PAYNE: John Elefante and Lou Gramm are just amazing singers. Also Paul Rogers and Steve Perry are among the best rock singers. Lou is right there at the top. I’m happy to call him a friend. We’ve known each other for years.
HULICK: He told me he loves doing these shows with you.
PAYNE: Well the feeling is mutual. He’s like family at this point. I saw him in Vegas recently and he took me out to dinner with his son. You know … he’s got some incredible stories going back over an incredible rock career.
HULICK: Tell me what we can expect from your upcoming show at Ellicottville’S Summer Music Festival.
PAYNE: It’s a show full of hits. You’ll hear the biggest rock songs ... “Carry On Wayward Son”, “I Want To Know What Love Is” and “In The Heat Of The Moment”. We’ll do an Asia set, a Kansas set and finish up with a Foreigner set.
HULICK: What a fun evening that will be. I can hear what a fan you are of these guys … it’s more than you being a part of the show.
PAYNE: Yes exactly! Like you I grew up with these guys’ music and I could just pinch myself as I’m on stage with them. You know one time Lou and I were having lunch and he was telling me about his trials with the two brain surgeries he’s had and I’m looking at him thinking how glad I am that he made it to the other side of something that should have killed him. I remember we were doing “I Want To Know What Love Is” and a 40-piece choir came out, and I’m standing there looking at him, and tears were rolling down my face being on stage and having that magical moment after knowing what he’d been through. Lou’s a warrior.
HULICK: When I am at a concert and whoever I am seeing does that one iconic song of theirs, I find myself in this zone where I think how very lucky I am to be in the same place as that artist for that moment of time as they are singing live in front of me. There’s nothing like it. What is your favorite song to do live?
PAYNE: During this Double Anniversary Tour I’m actually looking forward to going back and playing the album “Aqua”, because I’ve always done “Who’ll Stop The Rain” off the album … but there are songs I haven’t done for ages like “Someday” or “Don’t Call Me”. Last night I was in my studio doing pre-production of the Asia songs I’ve never done from the first album since I wasn’t a member at the time. I’m looking forward to doing that entire album on this tour.
HULICK: That must be exciting to have had such a great career, but then having something fresh and new singing those songs that you’ve never done before.
PAYNE: Right! Who would’ve thought that in my 60’s I’m still covering some new ground. There’s still life in this old dog. (laughs) I’m lucky I still have the same range as I did 30 years ago and I still have the same enthusiasm … I still believe we can do something significantly good on the next album, which we will be working on after this anniversary tour. I’ve had my dear friend Rodney Matthews, who did the “Aqua” cover, do the cover for our next album already. The title will start with an “A” like most of the Asia albums. It’s still exciting.
HULICK: I know vinyl is making a comeback. Do you miss those old album covers with the amazing artistic work of art on them?
PAYNE: That’s so funny you should mention that! I’m thinking of getting a cabin in Colorado in the middle of nowhere and having all the band members and me spending a month recording there. No distractions. Making the album with everyone together in the same place like it used to be done. We’ll probably do more vinyl, especially with all the amazing artwork that we’ve had done. I have all these notes of what instruments and who played what, who engineered and who produced this track … where was it done and any interesting stories around it. Plus all the thank yous to the people who were involved in it … it’s always good to know those things. I love to sit down with no distractions, put this vinyl on, then open it up and just read. Like you, I do miss that.
HULICK: What is the best thing about being John Payne?
PAYNE: That’s a very interesting question. No one has ever asked me that. The best thing about me is I have great people around me, great friends and I absolutely love what I do. We only have one life here and I've had an incredible life and let’s hope it continues a bit longer.
HULICK: Do you have a message for your fans that will be attending the show?
PAYNE: I want them to totally forget about all their worries and troubles and what we’ve been through the past two years. Just immerse themselves into the soundtrack of their lives with Asia, Kansas and Foreigner. Enjoy the show everybody and relive some of the nostalgia from 30 and 40 years ago!
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