Everyday Creation
The truth about us — that's what Everyday Creation is about. As humans, we're amazingly creative. Consider what we do: We make music and design buildings; we cook, we dance, we invent things. The list goes on. There's another part of our creativity, and that's divine Creation. It doesn't have to be religious. Just consider the awe we feel when we contemplate birth, death, our life purpose. That's when we know that there's something bigger afoot, and it's more profound than we imagined. Lastly, there's another type of creation worthy of attention, and that is our ability to direct our words, thoughts and actions toward creating a better life for ourselves and others and, along the way, making the world a little better. You'll find at least one of these types of creation in every episode.
Everyday Creation
Personal Struggles Led to an Untimely End for One Direction's Liam Payne
Liam Payne was a member of the English boy band One Direction, which was formed on Britain's "The X Factor" and became one of the world's hottest musical acts by 2011.
The band achieved several historic chart milestones in the U.S., including multiple number one albums. Along with success, members faced personal struggles; Payne battled alcohol and drug addiction.
He co-wrote many One Direction songs, including "Little Black Dress" from the "Midnight Memories" album. To hear the song, you can go to this YouTube video.
In this episode's thumbnail, there's a photo of Payne at the NRJ Music Awards 15th Edition on December 14, 2013. It's by Georges Biard and is available on Wikimedia Commons under the license CC BY-SA 3.0.
In the chapters, there's another photo of Payne, taken during a One Direction concert in Sydney, Australia, in April 2012. It's credited to Eva Rinaldi, CC BY-SA 2.0.
This tribute is one of 41 stories that Sheldon Zoldan, a longtime journalist, has written and recorded in honor of the music notables who passed away in 2024. He's written tributes for other years as well. You can listen to the ones from 2023 on Everyday Creation. We'll have the 2022 tributes available later this year.
Sheldon also is the creator of Song of the Day, a story that he sends by email to a list of subscribers. To get on his subscriber list, email shzoldan@comcast.net with the subject line ADD ME TO SOTD.
This is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation, available on YouTube and in podcast directories including Apple, Audible, iHeart and Spotify.
Sheldon:
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Liam Payne died young.
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He was 31 years old when he died
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October 16
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after falling from his third-floor hotel balcony
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in Buenos Aires,
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Argentina.
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The Song of the Day is paying tribute
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to the singers, songwriters and musicians who died
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in 2024.
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Payne gained fame
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as a member of the English boy band
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One Direction.
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He joined Harry Styles,
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Niall Horan,
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Louis Tomlinson,
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and Zayn Malik at the suggestion of a
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judge on the British music show "X Factor."
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They became one of the hottest musical acts
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in the world by 2011.
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They claimed several firsts:
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the first English group to have their initial
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album debut at number one in the U.S.;
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the first boy band in U.S. chart history
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to record two number one albums in the
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same calendar year;
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the only group in the 58-year
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history of Billboard's 200 Album Chart to
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have their first four albums debut at number
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one.
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The group paid for their success in non-monetary
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ways.
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Payne blamed part of his alcohol problem
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to being stuck in hotel rooms while touring,
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only with a minibar to keep him company.
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One Direction took a permanent hiatus in 2016.
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Payne's solo career was OK,
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but not by One Direction standards.
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He continued to fight his drinking and drug
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problem,
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spending 100 days in a Louisiana
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rehab center.
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Payne,
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high on drugs,
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fell from the balcony. The autopsy showed he
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had a mix of substances in his system,
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including ketamine,
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MDMA,
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cocaine and crack.
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Five people have been indicted for various crimes
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related to Payne's death.
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Payne co-wrote many of One Direction's
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songs, including "Little Black Dress."
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The song was on their "Midnight Memories" album
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but was never released as a single.
Kate:
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That was Song of the Day creator Sheldon
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Zoldan.
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And I'm Kate Jones, host of Everyday Creation.
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Thank you for joining us today.
