John Payne has more than paid his dues in the rock

business over the last twenty five years having worked

with a number of high profile artists such as Roger Daltrey

singing backing vocals on Roger’s album Under A raging

Moon. He was also briefly the vocalist with ELO II.

However for fifteen years John Payne was perhaps best

know as the vocalist and bassist with British Rock Band Asia.

In that time John wrote and produced seven studio albums

that found success across the world including the albums

Aqua, Aria, Arena, Aura and Silent Nation. He also played

countless concerts with the band in Europe America, South

America and Asia.

Following the split in Asia he formed a new band featuring

Guthrie Govan and Jay Schellen (Also from the last line up

of Asia) entitled GPS and the band subsequently released

their debut album Window to the Soul. This release was

followed up by dates in the UK and Europe and also Japan.

In 2007 John Payne joined the cast of Jeff Wayne’s War of

the Worlds playing the part of Parson Nathaniel.

Prior to joining Asia John Payne joined with former Michael

Schenker keyboard player Andy Nye and formed the band

Passion. The band at the time also included former Iron

Maiden drummer Clive Burr and former Mike Oldfield and

Rick Wakeman guitarist Ant Glynne.

The Passion recordings have assumed an almost legendary

status amongst fans of Asia and this first official release of

the original recordings made by John Payne and Andy Nye

will certainly prove to be popular with those rock fans who

like the AOR sound of rock performed by John Payne.