Michael Paynter

The musical evolution of Michael Paynter has been a series of obsessive love affairs. At the age of 7 it was the piano, at age 12 it was the guitar and by the age of 15 he was crashing through a set of drums.

It's a natural progression that, at the age of 22, the Melbourne-born singer, lyricist, and multi-instrumentalist unleashes his debut record, This Welcome Diversion, a travelogue of expectations and disappointments through the eyes of an optimist.

“If there’s a thread through my songs, it’s my positive spin on life. It’s a wonderful experience and you need to have fun even when you’re facing up to its challenges.”

This Welcome Diversion is packed with guitar-driven songs, at once both sharp and worn a little around the edges. The album was recorded with U.S. producer Matt Wallace (Faith No More Maroon 5, Bic Runga) at Sound City Studios where Fleetwood Mac, Nirvana, and Tom Petty cut their classic records.

“The experience of making this record took me to a whole new level. Matt was very encouraging, and working with someone of that calibre in a studio with that kind of history just brought out the best in me.”

This Welcome Diversion features cameo performances from Josh Freese (Nine Inch Nails, Sting, A Perfect Circle, The Vandals), Dorian Crozer (Jewel, Avril Lavigne), David Ryan Harris (John Mayer’s guitarist), and John Fields (Switchfoot).

Michael also teamed up with various other accomplished writers on a four-month global writing session. His favourite song on the album, “Crave”, was written in London with Sacha Skarbek (James Blunt “You’re Beautiful” & “Goodbye My Lover”); “Superhero” (which was included as a soundbed in promos for the TV series Heroes) was written with Julian Hamilton of The Presets.

Michael played all other instruments and wrote/co-wrote all the tracks on the album. Many of his songs reflect his diverse musical taste, his favourite acts including Bloc Party, The Police, Jeff Buckley, U2, Kings of Leon and The Cure. In a moment of synchronicity, Michael’s wildest dreams were realised when he wrote ‘Bring It Home’ with The Cure’s Bass player and Producer, Phil Thornalley and played the bass guitar used on their seminal 1982 album Pornography.

One of the highwater marks on the album is the seven minute epic “Under The Silence”, played and performed in entirety by Michael. “The vocals were done at 4am, which is why they sound so world-weary. But it fits in with the lyrics, which are about shy, quiet people who find it hard to express themselves.”

This Welcome Diversion kicks and it sails, soothes and soars, lending itself perfectly to live shows where Michael finds himself most at home. “Its always live where you feel connected to your art. To move a room, to affect people and to have them leave feeling better than when they walked in. That’s what it’s all about.”