In the early days of One Direction’s world-dominating stardom, Liam Payne, who died Wednesday at the age of 31, was known as the ringleader of the teenage quintet. As a teen, Zayn Malik was too shy to deliver the high notes he’s known for today,

Liam — and separately but ideally collectively, Harry, Zayn, Niall, and Louis — seemed (to quote another boy band) larger than life. They were The Beatles for a generation. That, and the circumstances behind it,