Career

Payne was born in the south side of Glasgow, and was educated at Woodfarm High School. He was also a member of the local 28th Glasgow (Giffnock) Scout Group in his youth. He went on to become a student at the Glasgow School of Art, where he met the band's singer, Fran Healy. They teamed up to form Glass Onion (named after a Beatles' song), later renaming themselves Travis. Originally Payne was not part of Glass Onion, which featured two other members, but when they left he was asked to play for the band. At the time of being asked, Payne had never touched a bass guitar in his life; for weeks he refused to do it, until finally he agreed.

Although he is better known for his bass guitar playing, vocals and chirpy grins in his many photo shoots, Payne has written songs of his own. Tracks such as "The Score", "Know Nothing" and "Good for Nothing" were all penned by Payne and have featured as b-sides on the band's more recent singles. Payne also sings lead vocals on some b-sides, for example "A Little Bit of Soul", the reverse flip of "Flowers in the Window", and also on "The Distance" from Singles. He has also written the song "Colder" which features on The Boy With No Name and three of the songs from the sixth album Ode to J. Smith, including single Something Anything, which is the first Travis single not to be written by Fran Healy. Payne also played bass on much of the Divine Comedy album Victory for the Comic Muse and appeared as a backing vocalist on the song Tumble and Fall from Feeder's album Pushing the Senses.

Personal life

Payne has been married to actress Kelly Macdonald since 2003.

In November 2007, it was announced on the Travisonline message board that Payne was to become a father for the first time, making him the last member of Travis to do so. Freddie Peter Payne, his son with Macdonald, was born on 9 March 2008. Their second son, Theo, was born on 8 December 2012.

Equipment

• 1970s Fender Jazz Bass Natural Sunburst
• 1970s Fender Jazz Bass Natural White
• 1970s Fender Jazz Bass Natural Black
• 1956 Fender Precison Bass Sunburst

[ Source: Wikipedia ]