Former The Enid vocalist Joe Payne gives studio update

Joe Payne
Joe Payne

The Enid’s former vocalist Joe Payne has checked in with an update about his career plans.

He left The Enid last September and has written a blog post on the first anniversary of his departure, saying that he’s shelved plans to write a pop song and has instead created something completely different.

Payne says: “I have now finished writing and arranging my debut single and will be heading into the studio with partner in crime Max Read for most of September to get it beautifully played and produced. I don’t want to give too much away at this stage, but I’ll tell you a little about the track.

“Firstly, despite my plans to write a pop song, I’ve ended up with an eight-minute epic that sounds like nothing I’ve ever heard. After learning all the tricks about advanced harmony and modulation, I couldn’t resist going to town on this.

“For the first time, I’ve been free to fully explore my ideas independently, and realise my vision without interference. It took a lot of courage to get started, but once I did it was very liberating, indeed.”

Payne says the track is “catchy yet emotive” and adds: “It’s very important to me that I am transparent with you all about what I went through last year, and talking – or should I say ‘singing’ – about my experience with depression and anxiety could not come second to anything.

“The lyrics and melody came to me when I had reached my lowest point, and that’s as beautiful as it is sad.”

Payne is looking to release the single in early 2018 and back it with a b-side and bonus tracks.

He adds: “ I am planning to sync this up with a one-off event, and will let you know more about that later.”

The singer also reveals he’s been working with the writer John Holden on a record along with Oliver Wakeman, Oliver Day and Pete Jones.

“There’s a lot of character voices and experimentation from me on this record,” he says, “and it marks a transitional period – rediscovering what my voice wants to sound like, slowly deconstructing and rebuilding from the sound I’d forged for The Enid.

“You can expect to hear more about that album ahead of Christmas this year!”

The Enid: Dust

Scott Munro
Louder e-commerce editor

Scott has spent more than 30 years in newspapers, magazines and online as an editor, production editor, sub-editor, designer, writer and reviewer. Scott joined our news desk in the summer of 2014 before moving to the e-commerce team in 2020. Scott maintains Louder’s buyer’s guides, scouts out the best deals for music fans and reviews headphones, speakers, books and more. He's written more than 11,000 articles across Louder, Classic Rock, Metal Hammer and Prog and has previous written for publications including IGN, the Sunday Mirror, Daily Record and The Herald, covering everything from daily news and weekly features, to video games, travel and whisky. Scott's favourite bands are Fields Of The Nephilim, The Cure, New Model Army, All About Eve, The Mission, Cocteau Twins, Drab Majesty, Marillion and Rush.