No shade on Kylie but the man who sang the national anthem a cappella had the best pipes on field.
asserted
who → sing → field
That’s not a controversial statement: there’s a rocking power to Michael Paynter’s voice and those who’ve heard it tend to become fans.
asserted
who → ’ → it
Anyone, for instance, who saw him in the 2024/25 stage production of Jesus Christ Superstar, for which he received rave reviews and industry awards in the titular role of Jesus.
asserted
he → see → Jesus
Those, too, who know him as a much-loved part of the Australian music scene, including as a member of the Jimmy Barnes and Icehouse touring bands.
asserted
who → know → bands
And those who went to his The Great Australian Songbook concerts, which began in February as seven gigs and ended up as 30 concerts running right through to September, the venue sizes doubling as they went along.
asserted
they → go → September
Barring the few songs for which a special guest joins him each night, it’s Paynter solo on stage, with a guitar and a piano, singing household hits such as Flame Trees, You’re the Voice, Even When I’m Sleeping and We Are Australian.
asserted
We → bar → Trees
So popular has it been that a return Songbook tour was recently announced for 2027, to include more than a dozen regional centres as well as every capital city.
asserted
tour → announce → centres
Singer, guitarist, pianist – Paynter does the lot, along with being an accomplished songwriter and music producer.
asserted
Paynter → do → lot
But for most at the Melbourne Cricket Ground that last Saturday in September, or watching it on TV, his was not a familiar name.
asserted
his → watch → TV
That’s changing fast, however, and will likely shift again when Paynter takes on the role of The Voice himself, John Farnham, in Whispering Jack: The John Farnham Musical.
asserted
Paynter → change → Jack
The Sydney Theatre Company will premiere the show on November 15 ahead of a likely national tour with commercial producer Michael Cassel Group and Gaynor Wheatley, the widow of Farnham’s late manager and best friend, Glenn Wheatley.
asserted
Company → premiere → manager
There’s a certain synchronicity to Paynter playing Farnham.
asserted
Paynter → ’ → Farnham
Paynter was born in 1986, the year Whispering Jack came out.
asserted
Jack → bear → 1986
They’ve both been Jesus in Superstar (Farnham in 1992) and have both done versions of the great Australian songbook (Farnham released a Songbook album in 2005).
asserted
Farnham → do → 2005
It’s more than that, though.
asserted
It → ’ → that
They both know what it’s like to be the next big thing – then not.
asserted
it → know → what
And just as Farnham’s second wave came at the age of 37, so Paynter, at 40, appears to be moving from a career supporting others into one in which it’s finally him owning centre stage.
asserted
him → come → stage
I’m meeting Michael Paynter at his favourite cafe in Oakleigh, in Melbourne’s south-east.
asserted
I → meet → east
He walks in punctually and I’m struck by three things I’d noticed at his Sydney Songbook concert back in April.
asserted
I → walk → April
The first: he’s ripped.
asserted
he → ’ → ?
Paynter is a gym junkie and it’s there in his physique, which he shows off on stage via tight black T-shirts and fitted pants that finish slightly above a set of clean white sneakers, typically worn with invisible socks.
asserted
that → ’ → socks
Second, he’s a friendly bloke, with more than a dash of the loveable dagginess Farnham was renowned for.
asserted
Farnham → ’ → dagginess
Third, he’s a man of God, with a silver cross hanging on a chain around his neck.
asserted
he → ’ → neck
He wears it offstage and on.
asserted
He → wear → it
The cross makes sense when Paynter tells me he’s the son of pastors, who left their jobs as an art teacher (mum) and bank manager (dad) to set up a non-denominational church on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula.
asserted
who → make → Peninsula
That was in 1986; he was christened at their first service.
asserted
he → christen → service
Music was a regular part of life for the family, which included daughter Bethany, who also works for the church.
asserted
who → include → church
“Dad has a great voice and mum’s a great piano player,” Paynter says.
asserted
Paynter → have → voice
He started piano lessons at the age of five and by 12 had also picked up the guitar, mainly to impress girls.
asserted
He → start → girls
It was a happy upbringing, which he’s felt embarrassed about in the past.
asserted
he → feel → past
Not very rock ‘n’ roll, and he very much wanted to be rock ‘n’ roll.
asserted
he → want → ?
“I created a bunch of demons in my closet when I signed to a record label but they were of my own making, because I had a very normal, non-traumatic upbringing.”
asserted
I → create → upbringing
Paynter orders a cold brew, no milk, which I assume is to do with lactose being bad for the voice, which I’ve heard from singers before.
asserted
I → order → singers
“No,” he says with a laugh.
asserted
he → say → laugh
“Where you eat and where you breathe are two different holes, so unless you’re lactose-intolerant and it causes problems …
asserted
it → eat → problems
Most of the ritualistic things singers do “are up here”, he says, tapping his head.
asserted
he → do → head
“It’s fine, I have them as well.”
asserted
I → ’ → them
It’s simply that he really loves coffee.
asserted
he → ’ → coffee
“It’s like whisky – if you have a good whisky don’t put it with coke or ice, just have a whisky.”
asserted
you → ’ → whisky
When Paynter finished school he enrolled in a double law/business degree at Victoria University.
asserted
he → finish → University
…and 63 more, not listed.
The Aporia
