Lee Payne: Why Cloven Hoof Thinks Its Best Years Are Happening Right Now

Cloven Hoof has been pounding away at heavy metal for decades, but Lee Payne says something very interesting is happening right now: the band may be in the strongest creative period of its entire career.

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In this conversation, Lee gets into the new album Never a Prophet in Your Own Land, why Cloven Hoof keeps pushing itself instead of playing it safe, how Harry Conklin completely changed the band’s songwriting possibilities, and why the new record was far from the end of the road.

There’s also the story behind that album title—and why it connects to Cloven Hoof’s history, the British metal press, and the late Russ North in a way that’s much more personal than you’d expect.

Then we get into songwriting inspiration, cancelled touring plans, the evolution of heavy metal, and why Lee believes the music has survived for nearly 50 years despite everything the industry has thrown at it.

If you’re a fan of Cloven Hoof, the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, classic heavy metal, or just musicians who still have something to say, this one is worth your time.

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