Category Archives: Asia Featuring John Payne

2025/07/21

ASIA Featuring John Payne Announce New Band Member Francis Dunnery (It Bites, The Syn)

By glassonyonpr

For Immediate Release

ASIA Featuring John Payne Announce New Band Member Francis Dunnery (It Bites, The Syn)

Long time former ASIA front man John Payne (1990 to 2006), and from 2006 to present, the lead vocalist of ASIA featuring John Payne, would like to welcome guitarist and singer Francis Dunnery to the band.

Francis’ pedigree spans from fronting the mighty IT BITES, to recording and touring with Robert Plant. He has collaborated with artists including Robert Plant, Ian Brown, Lauryn Hill, Santana, and Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe, and as a producer and/or collaborator with David Sancious, Chris Difford (Squeeze), James Sonefeld (Hootie and the Blowfish), Erin Moran, Steven Harris (The Cult, Zodiac Mindwarp and the Love Reaction), and Ashley Reaks (Younger Younger 28s).

Dunnery was one of the candidates invited to audition as a lead singer and frontman for Genesis following Phil Collins’ departure in 1996. He also played in the reformed 1960s beat/prog band The Syn between 2008 and mid-2009.

“I can’t think of a more apt musician to join the band, he’s a musical genius! I’ve followed his incredible work since the 80’s. My dear friend Alan Shacklock produced the first IT BITES album and I visited the studio whilst he was mixing it at RAK in London. I was blown away by the songs, the vocals, and the incredible guitar playing.

Frank and I have a great musical chemistry that has awoken a fire within me. We are currently in the studio writing the new album, AVIANA, at Loco Studios in Las Vegas, and hitting the road in August. After 8 albums with ASIA and a prog ASIA featuring John Payne album, this will be our first new material studio album.

To work with such a great songwriter and guitarist is so exciting. Our vocal harmonies both in the studio and live feel like we’ve been working together for years. It feels like our paths had to get here. We both grew from the same tree- destiny! Add to this my long-time friend and keyboard monster, Ryo Okumoto (Spocks Beard and GPS), and drummers, Thomas Lang and Aaron Olsen, we have created a new and exciting chapter of the band.”

Francis Dunnery commented, “I am dreadfully excited to be creating and playing music with John, he’s such a talented guy. The whole project feels fated in some mysterious way. I know deep in my bones we are supposed to do this. I’m very grateful to John for including me in this chapter of the band and I hope that my contribution can confirm he chose the right guy for the job”.

Winter 2025 will see the completion of the new studio album, AVIANA, keeping the “A’s” theme, with album artwork from Rodney Matthews, who previously worked with ASIA on the AQUA, ARENA and ARCHIVA records. Release is expected late 2025 or early 2026. A tour will follow that in 2026. Whilst most of this years shows are US based the band are excited to headline two UK shows: HRH PROG 15 FESTIVAL, Great Yarmouth on November 15th and O2 SHEPHERDS BUSH EMPIRE, London (with FOGHAT) on November 16th, 2025.

ASIA 2025 Tour Dates:
AUG 2 NEW PALTZ, NY
AUG 12 TOMBALL, TX
AUG 13 ARLINGTON, TX
AUG 15 PLYMOUTH, CA
AUG 17 SASKATOON, CANADA
AUG 30 MCARTHUR, CA WITH LOU GRAMM
SEP 20 JACKSONVILLE, FL PRIVATE SHOW
SEP 27 ASHLAND, KY
OCT 2-6 JAPAN TBA
OCT 24 NYC, NY CHARITY EVENT
OCT 25 SELLERSVILLE, PA
NOV 15 GREAT YARMOUTH, UK
NOV 16 SHEPHERDS BUSH LONDON, UK

For more information:
asiafeaturingjohnpayne.com
https://www.facebook.com/ASIA.featuring.John.Payne
https://www.instagram.com/asiafeaturingjohnpayne/

Press inquiries: Keith James, Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158 (USA), glassonyonpr@gmail.com

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2022/02/07

ASIA Featuring John Payne Double Anniversary Tour Celebrating 30 & 40 Years of the Music of ASIA

By glassonyonpr

For Immediate Release

ASIA Featuring John Payne Double Anniversary Tour Celebrating 30 & 40 Years of the Music of ASIA

2022 landmarks 30 years since the release of the ASIA album AQUA on which John Payne was ASIA’s lead vocalist.

The following 15 years featured 7 more stunning ASIA studio albums, ARIA, ARENA, ANTHOLOGY, AURA, ARCHIVA 1&2 and SILENT NATION. This year also celebrates 40 years since the 1982 release of the first ASIA album (Downes, Howe, Wetton, Palmer) that features the hits, “Heat of the Moment” and “Only Time Will Tell.”

This tour will showcase the music of both ASIA’s 1982 release and ASIA’s 1992 release AQUA.

The 90-minute show focuses on those two albums and a set list that includes, “Who Will Stop the Rain,” “Someday,” “Heat of the Moment,” “Only Time Will Tell,” “Back in Town,” “Lay Down Your Arms,” “Sole Survivor,” “Time Again,” “Love Under Fire,” “Heaven on Earth,” “Wildest Dreams,” “Here Comes the Feeling” and more.

Vocalist John Payne remarked “This is going to be very nostalgic for me, I haven’t played some of these songs in 30 years and I’m extremely excited to do this tour with our band. We want the shows to sound as close to the original recordings as possible”

Manager Lee Evans said “The band is really on form and John’s vocals are as powerful as ever, It’s gonna be a knock-out show!”

The tour is being booked by their agent Rick Shoor: Rick@paradiseartists.com in the US.

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 1-828-350-8158 (US), glassonyonpr@gmail.com

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2018/09/19

Lou Gramm, The Original Voice of Foreigner & Asia Featuring John Payne Join Forces For Exciting New Show!

By glassonyonpr

For Immediate Release

Lou Gramm, The Original Voice of Foreigner & Asia Featuring John Payne Join Forces For Exciting New Show!

Performing classics such as “Feels Like The First Time,” “I Want to Know What Love Is,” “Heat of the Moment,” “Juke Box Hero,” “Only Time Will Tell,” “Cold As Ice,” “Sole Survivor” and more!

DEVGEL Productions announce that Lou Gramm and Asia Featuring John Payne have joined forces in an exciting 90 minute show featuring the hits of both FOREIGNER and ASIA.

Expect to hear classics such as “Feels Like The First Time,” “I Want to Know What Love Is,” “Heat of the Moment,” “Juke Box Hero,” “Only Time Will Tell,” “Cold As Ice,” “Sole Survivor” and more!

Dates to be announced shortly, with availability throughout 2018 – 2019.

LOU GRAMM
Is the original lead singer of Foreigner. Initially starting out as the drummer with the band Black Sheep, he joined Foreigner in 1976, and the band released their debut album in March of 1977.  Their self-titled debut sold more than four million copies in the United States alone. Foreigner became the first group since the Beatles to have their first eight continuous singles reach the Billboard Top 20, with hits such as “Cold as Ice” and “Long, Long Way from Home” taking the world of rock music by storm. Gramm has also enjoyed a successful solo career in-between hiatuses with Foreigner, with his 1987 debut “Ready or Not” further proving his versatility in the music industry. Lou Gramm was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in June of 2013, and continues to tour as Lou Gramm the Voice of Foreigner.

JOHN PAYNE 
Is a British musician best known as the lead singer and bassist of the progressive rock group ASIA. The early 80s marked the start of a solo career as a rock/soul vocalist, with Payne releasing several heavily played radio singles. Shortly after, Payne was employed as a backing vocalist by Roger Daltrey of The Who on his solo albums. This lead to a series of work singing backing vocals for a variety of prestigious artists and composers. John then formed The Passion with keyboardist Andy Nye before being approached by Bev Bevan of ELO to reform the band after the departure of singer Jeff Lynne. This was short lived as he was later invited to join the supergroup ASIA, where he fronted the group from 1992 to 2006, releasing 10 albums and embarking on several world tours. After a brief hiatus, John formed the progressive rock band GPS before returning to the reformation of ASIA as the new ASIA Featuring John Payne, which tours to date. He is also currently involved with various stage projects, including co-creating, performing, and writing an award-winning Vegas musical. His latest endeavor is The Rock Pack, which he plans to tour for many years to come.

This tour package is exclusively represented by Booking agent Charlie Davis at Paradise Artists
charlie@paradiseartists.com

Management Lee Evans at Devgel Productions 
lee@devgel.com

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158 (USA), glassonyonpr@gmail.com

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