Datum intervjua: 16.07.2008
John Payne najpoznatiji je kao dugogodišnji pjevač i basist grupe Asia. Kad je Geoff Downes ponovno okupio postavu iz osamdesetih, Payne je nastavio sa svojom verzijom benda Asia, a istodobno je osnovao i GPS. Kakva je dakle druga Asia (ili prva, ovisno o tome kako na to gledaš) i kakvi su planovi?
Rockline: Gospodine Payne, prije svega, čast mi je što mogu razgovarati s jednim od najboljih vokala u rocku.
John Payne: Rekao si jedan od najboljih? Mislim da ne. Ja sam samo dobar dečko, ha ha. Lijepo je razgovarati s tobom i sa svima koji prate Rockline.
Rockline: Možete li nam ispričati nešto o svojim počecima? Kako ste krenuli s glazbom?
John Payne: Kao klinac sam odrastao uz glazbu koja se vrtjela oko gitare: Purple, Zep, Hendrix, Trower, Sabbath, Tull. Odrastao sam u sjajnom razdoblju. Kad sam imao sedam godina, ujak mi je kupio prvu električnu gitaru. S prijateljima sam sjedio u svojoj garaži i svirao uz albume tih bendova. Kad sam imao 13, imao sam prvi bend. Bio sam glavni gitarist. Uopće nisam svirao akorde, samo sam nešto svirkao usput. Ali to me je oduševilo i dalo mi zamah.
Rockline: Zajedno s Andyjem Nyeom puno ste radili. Vaša suradnja vidi se i na nekim albumima grupe Asia. Postoje li još neki albumi osim Asie na kojima ste radili zajedno i želite li u budućnosti opet raditi s njim?
John Payne: U životu sam upoznao samo troje ljudi s kojima sam stvarno mogao dobro skladati. Andy je jedan od njih. Ostali su Geoff Downes i Erik Norlander. Andy je izuzetno talentiran i zajedno smo snimili puno toga. Voiceprint će uskoro izdati album arhivskih pjesama koje smo napisali zajedno. Trenutno su problem udaljenost i vrijeme, ali još smo u kontaktu. Da ikad sjednemo zajedno za klavir, ne sumnjam da nam ne bi uspjelo nešto napisati.
Rockline: Kako ste kasnije došli u vezu s Geoffom Downesom?
John Payne: Upoznao sam ga kad je producirao GTR album. Basist Phil Spaulding bio mi je prijatelj i s njim sam i surađivao. Nedugo zatim, 1990., Geoff me zamolio da otpjevam nekoliko pjesama. A onda me 1991. iznenada pitao bih li se pridružio bendu Asia.
Rockline: Osobno mislim da je nova Asia bila prilično drugačija od one iz 80-ih. Jeste li se ti i Geoff htjeli distancirati od tog zvuka i napraviti nešto novo?
John Payne: Mislim da je tako bilo najispravnije. Nisam mogao oponašati Johna Wettona, a Geoff mi je dopustio da pjevam svojim glasom. Ja sam dolazio iz više rockerske pozadine, ali htio sam zadržati veličanstvene harmonijske refrene.
Rockline: Jeste li tada s grupom Asia pokušavali ući na top-liste?
John Payne: Uvijek pokušavamo ući na top-liste. ‘Who will Stop the Rain’ se jako promovirao u SAD-u i Japanu, gdje su ga i dosta vrtjeli. Aqua je došla na treće mjesto top-liste i bila uspješna u Njemačkoj. Nažalost, devedesetih je nestalo mnogo rock radijskih postaja diljem svijeta, ali mene to nikad nije zaustavilo.
Rockline: Mislim da je vaš glas izuzetno prikladan za AOR, kao na primjer na albumu Aria. Ima li šanse da u budućnosti snimite nešto u tom stilu?
John Payne: Obožavam AOR. Prije nego što sam se pridružio bendu Asia, više su mi se sviđali Journey i Foreigner. Aria mi je osobno bila izuzetno draga, ali nije bila toliko uspješna kao Aqua. Novi CD grupe Asia featuring John Payne u AOR je stilu, ali morat ćeš pričekati na njega. U svakom slučaju, izaći će ove godine.
Rockline: Na albumu Different Worlds većina skladbi dolazi s albuma Aura. Čini li vam se da je taj album poseban ili je riječ o slučajnosti?
John Payne: Svakako mislim da ta ploča nije dobila dovoljno dobru promociju.
Rockline: Zašto ste se na Auri odlučili za toliko gostiju?
John Payne: Geoff i ja bili smo u nekoj Steely Dan fazi, pa sam počeo telefonirati okolo i nazvao hrpu izvrsnih glazbenika.
Rockline: Osim s Asiom surađivali ste i s drugim izvođačima, među ostalim i s ELO 2. Imate li lijepe uspomene na te ploče?
John Payne: Iako sam doista surađivao s Bevom Bevanom i producentom Jimom Steinmanom, s ELO-om nisam snimio ništa osim demo snimki. Tada sam se već pridružio bendu Asia. Imao sam solo albume, surađivao sam s Rogerom Daltreyem (The Who), a u Norveškoj sam imao uspješnu ploču s CCCP. Bilo je zabavno raditi takvu glazbu.
Rockline: Asia je osnovana kao prog rock supergrupa koja je svirala pristupačniju glazbu. Jeste li voljeli prog kad ste ušli u postavu ili se to dogodilo kasnije?
John Payne: Čudno mi je što su ih označili kao prog rock. Mislim da nisu bili možda više pop/aor/prog.
Rockline: Planirate li se u budućnosti više posvetiti solo karijeri ili skupnim projektima (Asia, GPS)?
John Payne: Solo karijera mi trenutno ne znači puno. Ove godine još moram završiti albume za GPS i Asiu i to mi puno znači.
Rockline: Gdje su vam sada prioriteti? Kod GPS-a ili Asie?
John Payne: Ha ha, lukavo pitanje! Trenutno su mi oba projekta jako važna, a i vrlo su različita. Novi GPS CD zvuči jako prog metalski, a novi album Asie je više u AOR stilu, s nevjerojatnim simfonijskim aranžmanima na klavijaturama Erika Norlandera.
Rockline: Imate li već napisanih skladbi za GPS ili Asiu?
John Payne: Oba albuma već su skomponirana. Zadnjih nekoliko mjeseci bili smo jako zauzeti. Ovaj mjesec izdat ćemo i EP u dobrotvorne svrhe. Sva zarada ide za USO – dobrotvornu organizaciju za američke vojnike i njihove obitelji. Ni približno ne radi se o političkoj organizaciji. Na www.devgel.com već primamo prednarudžbe.
Rockline: Imate li u budućnosti kakve planove za nastupe uživo?
John Payne: Nedavno smo s GPS-om svirali na Rosfestu u SAD-u i odsvirali smo i nekoliko koncerata kao Asia featuring John Payne. Više datuma uskoro će biti objavljeno na www.theasiaband.com and www.musicbygps.com
Rockline: Još jednom hvala.
John Payne: Bilo mi je zadovoljstvo.
Intervju vodio: Rok Podgrajšek
————————————————————-English Version—————————————————————–
John Payne is best known as the long time singer and bass player for Asia. When Geoff Downes reunited with the 80s line-up, Payne continued with his own version of Asia and also formed GPS. So, what is the second Asia like (or first, depends on how you look at it) and what are the future plans? John Payne was able to fill in some blanks.
Rockline: Mr. Payne, first I’d like to say it is a great honour to have an interview
with one of the greatest voices in rock.
John Payne: Did you say greatest voices in rock? I think not sir, I’m a good boy :->
However it’s a pleasure to talk to you and all the followers of Rockline
Rockline: Can you tell me something about your beginnings, how you got involved with
music?
John Payne: As a kid I was exposed to much guitar driven music, Purple, Zep, Hendrix,
Trower, Sabbath. Tull. What a great time to grow up. By the time I was seven, my
Uncle had bought me my first electric guitar, and me and a couple of friends
use to sit in my garage and play along to them. I joined my first band at 13 as
lead guitarist although I just widdled through every song and played no
chords! But that gave me the bug
Rockline: You did a lot of writing with Andy Nye, some of which can be seen on a few
Asia albums. Are there any releases available besides Asia and do you want
to work with him in the future as well?
John Payne: I have found only three people in my career that I could really write with
and Andy was one of them (Geoff Downes and Erik Norlander being the other two).
Andy is a talented chap and we were very prolific. In fact, Voiceprint are
soon to release an album of songs from the vaults that we wrote together. Time
and distance are a problem at the moment, but Andy and I are still in contact.
However if we sat around a piano together, I’m sure we could come up with
something.
Rockline: How did you later get in touch with Geoff Downes?
John Payne: I met GD whilst he was producing GTR. Phill Spaulding, the bassist was a
friend of mine and we had worked together. Shortly after this around 1990, Geoff
had asked me to sing some songs for him. Then out of the blue in 1991, he
asked me to join ASIA.
Rockline: Personally, I feel that the vibe of the new Asia was very different to the
Asia from the 80s. Did you and Geoff want to distance yourselves from the
80s sound and try to just do something on your own?
John Payne: I think it had to be. I wasn’t there to emulate Wetton and GD gave me total
freedom to be my own voice. I had a more rock background, but we still wanted
to retain the big harmony choruses.
Rockline: Was there any attempt at chart success with Asia at that time?
John Payne: There always was and is. ‘Who will Stop the Rain’ got a lot of promo and
airplay in the USA. In Japan, Aqua got to no. 3 on the charts and did very well in
Germany. Unfortunately, the begriming of the 90’s saw the disappearance of
much Rock Radio around the globe, but that has never deterred me.
Rockline: Personally, I think that your voice is really suited for AOR, like on the
Aria album. Is there any chance we will hear you in a similar AOR
environment in the future?
John Payne: I love AOR. Before joining the band I preferred Journey and Foreigner to
ASIA! Aria was a favorite of mine but did not do as well as AQUA. The new ASIA FJP
Cd is very AOR, but you will have to wait till later this year to hear it.
Rockline: On the Different Worlds compilation, the most songs come from the Aura
album. Is that a special album for you, or is it just a coincidence?
John Payne: I sort of answered that one above. I just felt that CD did not get the
promotion it deserved
Rockline: Why did you decide to use so many guests on the Aura album?
John Payne: GD and myself were sort of going through a Rock Steely Dan phase and I just
got on the phone and called all these superb musicians.
Rockline: Speaking of the Different Worlds record, when was the song Different
Worlds written? I have all of Asia’s studio efforts and it was not there,
however I did notice it on a live album with the same name.
John Payne: We did an Anthology CD in the late 90’s where I re-recorded some of the 82’s
line up songs. Ill send you one! If anyone wants to get it, it’s available at
www.devgel.com – our official merch site.
Rockline: Besides Asia, you also worked with several other artists and you were in
fact a member of ELO 2. Do you have fond memories of those records?
John Payne: Although i worked with Bev Bevan and producer Jim Steinman, none of the
tracks ever went further than demo stage with ELO. it was also at this stage I
joined ASIA. I had done solo stuff, worked with Roger Daltrey, and had a hit CD in
Norway with CCCP. It was all fun, it’s music?
Rockline: Asia was first started as a prog rock supergroup playing more accessible
music. Were you a fan of prog rock when you joined the band, or did you
pick it up later?
John Payne: It’s strange how they were tagged prog rock. I don’t really think they were,
perhaps more pop/aor/prog.
Rockline: Do you have any plans to focus more on your solo career in the future or
are you committed to the band projects (Asia, GPS) you have going at the
moment?
John Payne: My solo career is of little importance to me at present. I have a GPS and an
ASIA FJP album to finish this year, that’s very important to me.
Rockline: Where do your priorities lie now? With GPS or Asia?
John Payne: Ha Ha the trick question! Both are very important but very different. The new
GPS CD is sounding very prog metal and the ASIA CD will be AOR with the
amazing symphonic keys of Erik Norlander.
Rockline: Do you have any new material with either GPS or Asia written?
John Payne: Both are now written. It’s been a busy few months. We have a charity EP
coming out soon this month. All the artist royalties are to be donated to the USO –
a charity for the US troops and their families. Its not a political
organization, far from it. The EP is available to pre-order at www.devgel.com
Rockline: Do you have any live dates planned for the near future?
John Payne: We recently played Rosfest in the States with GPS and also did a couple of
concerts wiith Asia featuring John Payne. Some more dates will be announced soon
on www.theasiaband.com and www.musicbygps.com
Rockline: Thanks again.
John Payne: My pleasure.
Interview conducted by: Rok Podgrajšek
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