Being the lead singer, guitarist and technician of the Equinox band (formerly The Beat), David was known as someone from whom you would expect very good quality music, which are much in evidence in the various albums that the group has released.

Apart from being a good songwriter, David, the seventh child of a family of ten, was also an audiovisual technician who worked for the Ministry of Education for fifteen years. He was also among the first to go for training overseas to specialise in hearing aid for the hearing-impaired. He was also a lab technician, after completing Technical School.

Though he had his hands well in the technical field, he still had a special place in his heart for music as he worked with Veuve Studio for a while before opening his own, the Equinox Recording Studio, at his Beoliere residence and which he was operating before leaving us.

Talking to Weekend Nation in a short interview his older brother, Wilven Payet, said that one thing that he would miss the most would be the love of his brother, but it will also be the loss of a great musician to the country.

On David’s traits he had this to say: “Good hearted, compassionate and always ready to help in every way he can.”

He also pointed out that David was putting together an album, which was due to be released this year, but since all the materials are still on computer, it may take a while to extract the songs and gather enough money for a release.

But what Wilven is planning to do in the future is to release a ‘Best of Collection’ album that would include a compilation of some of David’s best work, which would definitely go in the history book as classic collections.

As for Equinox it is probably going to disband, and the other brother in the group, Johnny, would go solo.

Weekend Nation would like to express its deepest sympathy to the family and friends of the late David, who was buried at Baie Lazare on January 4, 2003.

Meanwhile a special programme paying tribute to the late musician will be broadcast on SBC radio on Friday January 24 at 9 p.m. It will be repeated the following day, Saturday 25, at 3 p.m. 

Entitled Omaz a David Payet: Santer e Mizisyen Seselwa, the programme is produced and presented by Lindy Servina.

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