You may recognize Jason Payne as the front man in the British rock outfit Louzada. When the 2020 Coronavirus pandemic led to the band’s amicable hiatus, Jason put his down time to good use and launched his new project Jason Payne & the Black Leather Riders. “Waking the Damned” is the band’s heavy new single, marking Jason’s metal debut.
The new track delivers smooth and melodic verses combined with an explosive chorus. It’s a sound that we’ve only heard mastered by artists like Jerry Cantrell, until now. If you haven’t heard “Waking the Damned” yet, you’re missing out.
Watch the video for this heavy new single below:
While Jason Payne’s career is just starting, the British metal newcomer has already played 50 live shows and seen 300,000 streams so far. I had a chance to chat with Jason about “Waking the Damned” and his new project, as well who he is an artist. Check out our interview below!
Getting to Know Jason Payne & His New Single “Waking the Damned”
VV: “Waking the Damned” is very different from your previous releases with Louzada. While the genres are similar, that can be a scary thing for some artists. What prompted you to launch your new project Jason Payne and the Black Leather Riders?
JP: Since I was a kid, I’ve always been a huge fan of bands like Nirvana, Metallica, and Linkin Park and I started feeling the need of expressing myself with that musical vocabulary. During the summer, I started thinking about doing either an acoustic EP or a full-band one, under the name of Jason Payne while going with Louzada. After the band broke up, it seemed like the natural way to go, since I was feeling the need to get heavier. When starting my solo career, I didn’t just want to name it as “Jason Payne”. It seemed a little bit “effortless”. So I came up with Jason Payne & The Black Leather Riders. This way, I guaranteed a name for the band that will play live (and in the studio) with me, and it won’t get too confusing when I start gigging and releasing more music.
VV: As a 90’s baby and a huge fan of grunge, I love that you take influence from bands like Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam, and Nirvana. It really shines through on your new song and I think that’s part of what makes it standout. What other metal bands have made a huge impact on you musically?
JP: In my opinion Grunge, Post-Grunge and Metal (alongside with Slash) are my biggest influences. Bands such as Avenged Sevenfold, Linkin Park, Metallica, and Slipknot have a high impact on my songwriting. I believe that by listening to those bands every day, it gets natural and easier for me, to write in between those genres. Also, I am influenced by Alter Bridge, Creed, Seether, Soundgarden, and Bullet From My Valentine too.
VV: How did you first discover the wild and wonderful world of heavy music? Did you know early on that you wanted to be a musician?
JP: The reason why I became a musician was because of rock music, more specifically, Aerosmith and Lenny Kravitz. The guitar solo of the song “Amazing” (Aerosmith) made me want to learn to play guitar and Lenny Kravitz’s music made me want to be a singer since I was 4.
However, when I discovered bands like Metallica, Nirvana, and Slipknot at the age of 12, I started to take music more seriously and practice every day. I remember watching every day the Nirvana’s Paramount show on my DVD and then, trying to cover it. So, I guess that by the age of 12 I started to know what kind of musician I wanted to be. I had a year or two of an emo and black metal phase; and then came back to thrash, alternative, and grunge. I do also have a classical music background, since I studied opera for 2/3 years and classical guitar for 10 years.
VV: What was the first song you learned to play on guitar?
JP: The first song I learned to play, was when I was 8 and started studying classical guitar. The name of the song was Op. 60 No. 14 by Fernando Sor. I only started playing electric guitar when I was 12, and the first song I learned was “Stairway to Heaven” (Led Zeppelin).
VV: You’ve said that your new single “Waking the Damned” represents the chapter in your life that got you to where you are today. What advice would you give to fans who are feeling restrained by society’s standards and are hesitant to follow their dreams?
JP: My advice is to stop caring. Don’t think about other people. You don’t need anyone’s approval to be who you are. I was for 3 years in a Hard Rock project because I was too afraid of assuming who I was as an artist. Sure, I had good fun and made friends for life in Louzada, but I wasn’t being real with myself and was delaying the inevitable. So, whenever you feel afraid, or like people will mock you by doing whatever you want to do, try to focus on the happiness that you will get by just being yourself. We’re all unique individuals, with singular personalities. We don’t need to please everyone. Start by making yourself happy. That way, you will be real and I can assure you that people will look up to you with admiration.
Where to Listen to Jason Payne & the Black Leather Riders
You can listen to “Waking the Damned” on these streaming platforms.
Looking for More New Heavy Music?
Find what else I’ve been jamming to lately here.
Want TO COLLABORATE?
Click here for more info on collaborations.
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