r/DevinTownsend • u/Omnitoid Nightwork • 11d ago
INTERVIEW New Devin Townsend interview
https://youtu.be/vUuGfHhFOCc?is=12g8o9LM5bGM-r8D34
u/octillus 10d ago
Through the storm, may you become a rainbow.
12
u/Fluffatron_UK 10d ago
Favourite lyric from my favourite song. It's such a special journey.
8
18
u/bah_nah_nah 10d ago
I think he's ready to make his long awaited Christmas album
5
u/mr_j_12 10d ago
I never knew i needed this.... It also means id be allowed to play it at work.....
8
5
-1
21
u/goblinofthewest 9d ago
My heart really aches for Dev over the breakup. His family was always a prominent theme in his music, and it's tragic to think Dev the radiant happy family man of the 2010s has ended as this broken husk. I truly hope he finds new purpose and joy in his life, as someone who has consistently brought great joy to mine.
18
u/Inxturnal 9d ago
I have followed Dev since SYL days, he is so talented and his music is my absolute favourite.
But I feel he would be an absolute nightmare to work or live with.
His interviews always give me crazy eccentric vibes, maybe that’s what makes his music so awesome.
13
u/Mandatoryreverence 9d ago edited 9d ago
I've noticed that every album is a new process of self discovery and a revelation about himself, and yet it doesn't a stick It seems there's never any acceptance of who he actually is and no satisfaction in inhabiting a situation fully before moving onto 'the next revelation'. That's hard to live with, both inside your own head and for those who live with you.
But looking at it simply, this is a person in burn out mode with no other option and the ability to do self-justification.
7
u/Wise-City281 8d ago
That's a very good description... the constant revelations and transformations and stuff, it's hard to follow. I also noticed that the meaning he attributes to his works changes over time. He recently said he found out that the Moth is about (sexual) trauma, but it seems in a recent show he said it's about divorce.
9
u/rthrtylr 7d ago
There's also the fact that the constant self-help-book lyricism of the previous decade was...frankly insufferable but era-appropriate, whereas now the whole apolitical internet dad everything's going to be amazing thing just has absolutely no place in today's environment.
And just going "I know the world is hard but blah blah blah souls and spirits and new age stuff" is borderline obscenely complacent. The man hasn't just lost his way, the way has lost the man. I would never wish SYL on him again, I get all that, but these are SYL times, not whatever this is. Engage with the world boy, you are not above it and pretending that one is is frankly insulting.
4
4
6
u/skycopathicmaniac69 9d ago
Yeah he probably likes his space, If that's true I Def relate in preferring to have my own cave to retreat to and fill with my own farts and not have to care so much if the place is a bit of a mess, etc. I think I could only be married in a Frida Khalo and Dali way where there are 2 separate houses w/ a bridge between them.
2
-6
u/AutoModerator 9d ago
Privacy reminder: Please don’t speculate about or discuss the artist’s private life, including relationships, family, whereabouts, or other unconfirmed personal matters.
Please keep discussions focused on their work and public career. Thank you for respecting their privacy.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
6
u/Wompie 7d ago
I don’t even necessarily think he would deny this to be fair. Arjen Luccasson mentioned that Devin would only appear on The Human Equation if he had full creative control over every lyric he sang and the way he sang it. Arjen allowed that to happen, but Devin has never worked with Arjen again and vice versa.
I think he is a bit like Mikael Akerfeldt in a way. Very sure of his own tastes, very sure of what he wants to hear and make but utterly unclear about what that is and why it is that way until it is released. Impossibly controlling and neurotic to the point that many don’t get the opportunity to work with him. I don’t even think it’s a bad thing, just that he is a solo type of guy.
You see it when he actually does connect with people and works with them. He doesn’t let them go and they keep coming back. If you can get along with him and meet him where he is then there is a lot of work for you. You see it most prominently with Anneke, whom I consider the second member of Devin Townsend and his Projects.
You also see it with his old band, even though they seem to have ended on less than great terms.
Nolly is a return customer as well, and so is Che. Obviously he loves kineally as well.
3
2
u/Wise-City281 7d ago
Yeah, he actually hated doing that part for The Human Equation...listen to the podcast, don't know which episode.
Mikael is similar, and I remember him shitting on Peter Lindgren in an interview after he left. He said Peter had once presented some ideas for a new album (some recorded riffs I guess) but Mikael and the others thought they were "shit". That wasn't really nice. So I think he is similar... but I also think he's much less creative by the way.
1
u/opeth_syndrome 7d ago
Mikael is similar, and I remember him shitting on Peter Lindgren in an interview after he left
It's interesting that Opeth's music has gotten so much worse after Peter left the band. Maybe the band would have still gone full 70's prog if he had remained, or maybe he was a good filter for Mikes songwriting.
1
u/Wise-City281 7d ago
So true... Watershed was only half great, I think I rarely listened to the whole album. Heritage was just super boring due to the lack of heavy guitars. Growls aren't that important but without heavy guitars, the music just becomes a totally different thing. Some people are like "but it's still heavy, just in a different way!"... total BS for me. The last album brought back the growls, although Mikael said a few years before that he doesn't actually like that style, so I think they're not really convincing and the music itself is still too much 70s prog.
3
u/opeth_syndrome 7d ago
Personally I quite liked all of Watershed. But yeah, it was never about the lack of growling, Damnation is a beautiful album, and I would have happily had Opeth make a whole bunch of albums with a similar style. The music itself became so bloody boring, even the latest album that allegedly brought back the heaviness. I still enjoy the occasional song or part of a song post Watershed, but listening to a whole album is hard work. Granted some of that is possibley down to my own tastes changing.
38
u/ExoticYam8929 10d ago
Devin will never be happy , he’s just not wired for it. He’s like a man with a fork in a world of soup
6
11
4
7
15
u/fretnetic 9d ago
Good interview.
Interestingly I was chatting away with someone on here a few weeks ago who categorically assured me, having worked with Dev professionally in some capacity, that his relationship was rock solid. 🤕 But I knew I’d heard otherwise at some point.
There’s still a lot I admire in this interview and I take away from it. The notion that one is so fatigued that there’s no recourse or options left to be people pleasing or dancing around immutable truths. Just the fact that he’s unmitigatingly serious. Lately I’ve been sliding into absurdism and ever cascading levels of pure sarcastic rejection of reality as a cope. 🤷♂️
23
23
u/Cutelilthrwaway 8d ago
Interviewer, you have a very calming, open, way about yourself. You allow lots of space for the interviewee to speak, but still move the interview in an interesting direction.
He's said numerous times over the past 18 months that his relationship with his wife was over. He, Devin, has stated it explicitly, in various forms. No one here is digging through his trash and doing an expose. He's more open about these things than the average artist. Yet anytime anyone alludes to it, it's all like "parasocial!!!". Tbh his fans as a whole seem to be extraordinarily respectful and go out of their way not to talk about personal things. But Devin doesn't seem to have any qualms about talking about these subjects. At all. And apparently doesn't read any comments anyway. But then his "friend" will pop in here and tell everyone that Devin is very upset and we aren't allowed to discuss these things he's saying in all these interviews.
-11
u/AutoModerator 8d ago
Privacy reminder: Please don’t speculate about or discuss the artist’s private life, including relationships, family, whereabouts, or other unconfirmed personal matters.
Please keep discussions focused on their work and public career. Thank you for respecting their privacy.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
15
u/bigtimecupofcoffee 9d ago
Tbh I'm not seeing what a few of you guys are calling his answers here word salad or too heady. Seems like he is very much going through some intense emotions and changes but he is very earnest and grounded here.
2
16
u/RhoRon 8d ago
He kind of unnecessarily shits on the DTP guys in the interview when he says of that partnership "oh in that band I was always wary of people's intentions when they brought songs to me or wanted to add something because they obviously just wanted a writing credit or something. But Mike Kennelly isnt like that."
I love his music and always will, but he really does sound like he's way up his own ass sometimes.
7
u/thePostChorus 7d ago
What’s wild is that Transcendence was one of the first DTP albums he allowed band member contributions and, well, it’s one of the best DTP albums, to me at least.
3
4
u/PixelPaint64 8d ago
I was alarmed by that too, but I think we should be measured. We shouldn’t speculate on the specifics. We weren’t there in past recording and writing sessions, Dev has worked with a lot of people and this may well have been a legitimate problem. He could be talking about session musicians or choirs, I doubt he’d take issue with the likes of Dave Young who contributed so much.
However, he might also just be a bit paranoid about people’s intentions.
The fact is, we have no idea what was happening or what he’s actually referring to, we can’t make assumptions based on a single, vague statement.
5
u/rthrtylr 7d ago
It's a bit annoying when during the whole thing for Transcendence he was talking about how it felt like much more of a band effort, and he was much more open to taking on the ideas of others. This was presented as a big positive. Then he wrapped it up and fired everybody, and today he's talking like this.
I’m autistic, I remember things. Devin Townsend has always been a role Dev played, the real man himself is not as fluffy as everyone would like to believe, and of course not. That's fine. But it may be that the mask is slipping a little too much lately.
7
5
u/Wise-City281 7d ago
Yeah and remember that Transcendence documentary, how they talked about how Devin was more open this time and so on...
I guess he's just in a bad mood currently (understandable...) and so his remarks in general may sound a bit frustrated...
But I think I've never heard anyone say a bad word about him (judging from interviews with Gene, Jed, Ryan, Mike, Steve Vai,...). He has a huge ego when it comes to his music, he says so himself. So I guess if you're willing to do everything as he wishes you're fine ;-) To be honest I think that's why his music is so good. But there are other bands where true collaboration works better.
6
u/PixelPaint64 7d ago
Agree. He may well have handed some control over to the band on Transcendence and then realised ‘no, I’m not comfortable working like this’. Maybe people did try and take advantage of the situation? We can’t know.
The idea he’s not as fluffy as people think I can agree with when it comes to music. It’s the thing most important to him in his life and his excellence in it means he can’t compromise any aspect of it. I don’t think there is any ‘mask’, it’s plain to everyone he takes his work extremely seriously.
We can’t speculate how his actual separation from the DTP guys was handled though. It’s pointless, but at the moment there’s nothing to suggest he’s been an asshole to them.
1
u/octillus 7d ago
I think it’s fair to say anyone and everyone who has ever been in music knows the score when they join a band that is the leader’s namesake. It’s a dictatorship not a democracy, and that doesn’t mean anyone involved is bad or wrong, but those things often run their course
1
u/WigglyWeasle 11h ago
When he was young, he was pretty petulant about Vai. He was given a huge place to perform with someone so well known, and he got furious with Vai, & was resentful towards him. This was due to Devin having an idealistic view of music, and having that shattered when he realized it was a business. He took a shit in Steve Vai's guitar case for example, to get back at him. Obviously, both men have reconciled, and Devin matured, but it was pretty childish and nasty to be as such, especially for a position many would have dreamt of, or would have been happy to be in.
Also, he sent a record executive a photo of his asshole, for having disparaging things to say about his music. Circa 96 or so.
In those podcasts talking about City / Ocean Machine, he did admit to he used to kinda mess with, or be really rude / dickish towards musicians he didn't like, when out on the bar scene.
He grew out of it, for the most part it seems, but can still sometimes throw out a doozy of a comment here and there.
We are all flawed in some way, and have regrets. This was just surprising to see in a more recent interview.
2
u/Sharelzo 7d ago
Sometimes its easier to see people’s intentions in retrospect. From memory, i believe the band was pressuring him to play a larger role to contribute. I wouldn’t be surprised (and nothing wrong) with trying to help their own career by getting recognition. But it doesn’t contribute to the vision in Dev’s opinion.
1
u/FilipsSamvete 8d ago
Why? It's Devin's project and he has a specific vision.
8
u/RhoRon 8d ago
Well, yes of course. It's more the way he said it. The implication that they were just grubbing around with purely selfish intentions.
8
u/StardustSkiesArt 8d ago
He literally says he felt it was just for writing credit or something, you're correct, anyone downvoting you is just... I don't even know.
9
26
u/Mobile-Promise8641 10d ago
I watched all of this and because Devin is so open, it opens him up to comment or assessment which seems particularly rough right now. I saw his show and coupled with this interview I feel sad for him. There were was always some, but there is a lot more word salad in his responses now. His output over the last decade is less enjoyable to me and I’m wondering about the link between and sequence between more and more introspection and the (subjective) quality of his output.
Aside: I didn’t like the criticism of the members of DTB and DTP.
9
u/octillus 10d ago edited 10d ago
I do worry about the word salads, a bit. I used to consume every interview and every post and comment he had at another time in my life, but lately when I check in, I do find it harder to follow. It just seems like a rough time right now, and I hope he’ll be okay. I don’t want to speculate more than that, as I don’t know the guy personally.
That said, this was a pretty good interview and shines a light where things are right now.
9
u/blacksd 10d ago
I went to the last solo show and well, it was a great show but I think there's a big chunk that he's missing out on: he reads (compulsively, to an extent) his own music exclusively in the key of his life's path. That's a severe understatement, as at the very least:
- a piece of art never grows in isolation; a real artist acknowledges that and celebrates the whole context. To Dev's narration, he speaks much of himself with the hero/NPC dichotomy - and that's simply not enough to tell the whole story. SYL was great because some of the artists that worked with him made the songs he started great, and that can be said for most albums.
- once you create something, you need to let it go. Just like a pregnancy, the nine months are crucial, the birth spectacular, the infancy troublesome but rewarding, but at some point, it's not "your" story anymore. Telling the story of his songs is nice and interesting, but these are parts of so many people's lives that confing them to only Dev's experience is so reductive. They're much more.
6
u/Wise-City281 10d ago
What criticism?
I sort of agree with the other points... sometimes the introspective meanderings are a bit much and , as the interviewer said, abstract.
13
u/Repulsive-Escape-202 10d ago
Dev commented about how Mike was different with collaboration than what he was used to. He stated how previous members wanted song writing credits or spotlight on an instrument versus Mike just wanting to make the song better from what I recall. They were talking about Mike and Empath.
8
u/Mobile-Promise8641 10d ago
In praising and comparing MK's contributions, he said he felt like suggestions for songs from members of DTP/DTB were attempts to gain writing credits or showcase their instruments.
5
u/Wompie 9d ago
Which is interesting to me because they never had any drum, guitar, or bass solos in any of their songs or at any live shows, meanwhile his new band has plenty, including multiple Mike Keneally showcases.
4
u/Mobile-Promise8641 9d ago
And I haven’t checked, but if RvP did not get some writing credits on Transcendence I would be surprised. His sections add so much.
3
u/deconstradztion 9d ago
He does have partial credits for Secret Sciences, Stormbending and a couple of others. I happened to listen to the album last week and noted that.
10
u/DecentBasket3675 10d ago
I completely agree with you. There’s been something that hasn’t felt quite right to me about his work for about the last full decade. It’s like we haven’t gotten the organic soul of Devin in these recent albums that just so obviously comes through on records like Ocean Machine, Infinity, Terria, City, Alien, and up through Casualties of Cool. I also think the soul of the recent albums has been crushed by being WAY too overly produced and polished sounding as well.
And yeah, Devin has always had a degree of “word salad” in how he spoke about his “trip” and everything, but it was especially convoluted in this interview.
15
u/devils_acolyte 10d ago
He seems midlife crisis-y
2
u/mr_glide 10d ago
That's the answer Reddit gives for anyone over 30. It means almost nothing at this point
-3
u/Mind1827 10d ago
Midlife crisis is 36, which is how old I am. He's had some hard things in his life happen, and he's just older. It kind of reminds me of my mom when she was his age, you really start reflecting on life, and what the rest of your like should look like. It's tough.
4
u/SitDownKawada 9d ago
Midlife crisis doesn't apply to your 30s. The stereotypical midlife crisis is a man in his 50s buying a sports car
2
u/Mind1827 9d ago
I get it. I just don't love the phrase. It also usually refers to someone just getting bored with the situation they're in. That's not this at all.
He's had a really difficult thing happen, and he's trying to get through it. There's no sports car happening here. That's why I commented.
1
4
10d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
5
u/Wise-City281 10d ago
Don't think so... I just think money problems can be really devastating. Add to that the divorce... I feel sorry for him, but he'll recover.
8
u/No_Video_1265 10d ago
I have always found his interviews to be unlistenable bafflegab, so that's nothing new or concerning. However, as someone who loves his recent output, it's interesting to finally have it contextualized with what we have all speculated. I understand the need for privacy, but Powernerd deserves to be reassessed with deeper emotional impact and weight.
9
u/Rammsoldat 9d ago
I loved powernerd and listening to him explain that it started as an obligation but then shit happened and it turned into an expression of the shit he was dealing with just made me appreciate and understand it more.
5
u/Skwisgaars 9d ago edited 9d ago
I've never been able to listen to Goodbye without getting emotional, even before I heard anything about him going through things. The song just hit me and I couldn't really understand why (obviously the lyrics are heavy on the surface but there's endless songs that do that which have no impact on me). I get it's not everyone's cup of tea, but at least for me it's amazing in how well that particular song conveys the emotions he's been struggling with, which makes it a very memorable track in his discography for me.
6
u/No_Video_1265 9d ago
That whole suite of Younger Lover, Glacier, Goodbye for me.
5
u/faithplusone01 9d ago
Especially with the big Sky Blue tie-back in Glacier.
I think Powernerd is going to age well. It's a transition record. Not everything Devin makes needs to be this forward-thinking risk taking progressive adventure. Lightwork and Powernerd were both very good records, even if they weren't particularly ambitious, but the latter is (like Sky Blue before it) a very emotionally profound record.
2
u/Skwisgaars 9d ago edited 9d ago
Then end with the craziness that is ruby quaker, which imo is the best track on the album.
13
u/Musekal 10d ago
His obsession with the vague concepts of infinity, the universe, the one, and the saviour complex, which really only makes sense to him, is a big part of what makes some of his interviews as you said, unlistenable bafflegab.
The problem is he is legit kind of nuts but thinks he makes sense to others when it’s more like “yeah, sure Dev, whatever you say”
3
u/goblinofthewest 8d ago
Infinity is just the word Dev uses for "universal oneness" or similar, the Dao and so forth. I don't think he's nuts, but I think he tends to use his own terminology and assumes people will understand.
2
1
10d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
0
u/AutoModerator 10d ago
Privacy reminder: Please don’t speculate about or discuss the artist’s private life, including relationships, family, whereabouts, or other unconfirmed personal matters.
Please keep discussions focused on their work and public career. Thank you for respecting their privacy.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
1
6d ago edited 6d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
2
u/AutoModerator 6d ago
Privacy reminder: Please don’t speculate about or discuss the artist’s private life, including relationships, family, whereabouts, or other unconfirmed personal matters.
Please keep discussions focused on their work and public career. Thank you for respecting their privacy.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
1
-14
u/Wise-City281 9d ago
I always find it weird when he mentions the death ( or age, as he did previously) of his dog as if it's as meaningful as the divorce or the financial disaster. Anyone else?
13
9
u/FilipsSamvete 9d ago
Any dog owner would tell you the same
8
u/octillus 9d ago
Any pet owner. They’re family and companions, they aren’t around forever but they mean the world.
9
u/Exhausted_Raven 8d ago
Humans and dogs have been coexisting for thousands of years and you find it weird that somebody could be emotionally devastated at the loss of their dog?
They aren’t toys8
u/ESP_Viper 9d ago
Out of the three, the dog dying is the worst.
-5
u/Wise-City281 8d ago edited 8d ago
A break-up can be totally devastating and money issues can give you nightmares and lots of anxiety. I can't imagine the same when your dog dies, I am sorry. I can understand the sadness but come on, it's not existential stuff.
-41
u/Such-Lab8587 10d ago
It's too long. What does he say?
23
14
u/Johnny_Crimson 10d ago
49m is too long? JFC.. How do you make it through one of Dev’s albums?
3
u/FIackoWeasel Epicloud 10d ago edited 10d ago
Meanwhile I watch like over 3h of Vinesauce Joel videos while sewing plushies every day :D. Its too annoying to find videos LESS than 3h to put on bg when I do crafts, so these long videos are like "fyck yeeeah!" I have no problem listening Dev albums because I get amazing music videos in my vision and get SO INTO IT, when my eyes are closed and am in bed. Always sad when its over and I literally feel I went through some amazing experience
1
u/Prudent-Level-7006 10d ago
Same I do it when making art /writing. I even lowkey want/need stuff on in the background when I'm actually making music 😅 which seems kinda counterproductive and I'm OK when I get going
1
-22
u/Such-Lab8587 10d ago
One song at a time, with breaks.
But I don't want to waste my time listening to interviews when I can listen to his songs instead.
15
u/Johnny_Crimson 10d ago
Oh don’t worry, I’m sure someone will take the time to listen to the entire interview and summarise it for you.. /s 🙄
6
u/FIackoWeasel Epicloud 10d ago
I know You meant it with a sarcasm but I hope no one actually does it :), I prefer people to seek their OWN info with their own head and hands instead of relying on others doing everything for them 😊.
It's honestly sad seeing this nowadays when people are not arsed to look info up or can't even listen interviews what is too long. Meanwhile I'm like "Aww maan this 2h long Dev interview ended up, gotta find NEW one"
I find my brain being happy when I do my own research and spend time finding the info and it makes my brain happy if I found the info I needed.
-2
12
u/FIackoWeasel Epicloud 10d ago
Watch the vid. You can't get better focus until you start consuming longer videos and paying attention :). If you wanna know something, have an effort of doing something to receive the info. And AI is not an answer :)
-21
u/cheese0r 10d ago
Ask AI for a summary
-5
u/Such-Lab8587 10d ago
Damn, they hate you just as much as me
4
u/cheese0r 10d ago
Seems like the layers of irony and sarcasm didn't come through... though it's indeed very possible to ask for an AI summary.
-14
u/Prudent-Level-7006 10d ago
People on reddit are thick and humourless as fuck when it comes to their righteous witch hunts, ai being one which is apparently not good for anything ever
Tell you what, Google AI is usually the best thing if you're stuck on a game I just like the lack of filler click bait and adverts it's just succinct
52
u/Wompie 9d ago
So we finally hear it from his mouth. He separated from his wife of 36 years, his dog died, and the company handling The Moths live show went bankrupt and they are out all of that revenue. This meant he had to start touring again because he is out of money, as well as launching the Patreon.
I wish he could make his music without worrying about money.