Whenever I watched Bill and Ted movies, I was disappointed that Wyld Stallyns music was weak sauce. The only way their music would work and change the world if it was composed by Devin. His music can change the world.
@dvntownsend.... Just want to say thanks for Download 2006 with strapping... Rocking out with my cock out in the sausage party 😂 10/1 man fest 😂.... brilliant times 🤘🏻🤘🏻
I used to play guitar for Devin (2021-2022) and from what i noticed is that he is one of those people who really do work so hard and it's really inspiring to see! Darby really is an amazing drummer too!
Devin is an old friend of mine from our local scene, and he's always been hard working and prolific. From the early days of his band Grey Skies where once I saw him ask the audience if they'd rather have a guitar solo or Szechaun chicken and when the crowd asked for the latter, he proceeded to bring out a grill on stage and made chicken for the crowd. 😂 So many others stories as well.
That performance was what started my obsession with his incredible voice and I have zero regrets of the amount of hours I’ve spent listening to and watching Devin. Even made my husband come and see him live with me in Melbourne in 2023 and it was incredible.
Yes, this is such a good point of entry, it has the skills, the heaviness, the stage presence and the goofiness. It never gets old, always a treat to rewatch this video.
Devin is a phenomenon. An incredible guitar player, but vocally he is in the very top drawer. His live performance of Kingdom on emtv is not only one of the best vocal performances you'll ever see, it's one of THE most joyous clips on here. One of my 5 a day.
Come to think of it, only Mike Patton can claim to be on Devin's level of sheer variation in sound. Both musicians have covered so much ground musically, it's actually staggering.
Devin is one of a kind. Touring with him was a trip, and honestly, I've never felt so good being on the road. He is a very genuine guy, remembers names, and details. Just a fucking metal God!
Fastest I ever clicked on a video. Devin is just the man. An incredible artist. Outrageous vocalist and performer. First show I went to after lockdowns was Devin. An emotional experience to say the least.
Devin's headline set at Bloodstock in 2021 was such an uplifting experience after 18 months without live music. I was genuinely on the verge of crying tears of joy.
My good friend Stephen Platt was his guitarist for that performance. He says nothing but great things about working with Dev, and they're still very much in contact.
Devin's musical output is pretty much spotless. Empath in particular is an absolute masterpiece and something I'm constantly in awe of every time I listen to it. The guy got me through a seriously bleak spot over the pandemic with fairly regular live streams. I know the word genious gets banded around a lot in the arts but he's one serious contender for that acolade. A very, very talented man.
Devin is probably the single most talented person in the music industry today. I’ve been a fan since the ‘City’ and ‘Biomech’ era around 1997. I saw him with SYL a few times, but was most impressed when I saw him play an acoustic gig and stood a couple of foot away from him while he did his full operatic singing. It was one of the most impressive things I’ve ever witnessed. Also, as someone else has commented, he was very briefly a member of peak-era Wildhearts.
Yeah, that was about when I got into him. Detox was on a Metal Hammer cover CD, and it was amazing. Went and got Biomech when it came out, and thankfully CDs don't wear out like cassettes, else it would have been worn thin.
The trouble with being a Devy fan, is that you get so invested in his projects that you become unable to focus on much else. I love so much varied music but when it’s Dev time, all else gets put aside and the wallet comes out! I love the man!
I’ve been really lucky to follow Devin’s entire career having falling for his musical ability in Vai’s Sex and Religion album, which was Devin’s first album when he was 19. Met him in person a couple times and happy to say he is such a lovely man as well
Ditto my friend. He was a phenomenal guitar player on the sex and religion tour. You don’t get in to 😮 band without that level. Also on drums a young Abe Laboriel Jnr
Me and my wife have seen him in 2023 and she’s not into this kind of music at all, she didn’t know him before that. After 1 minute she had tears in her eyes and was obviously overwhelmed. The energy at the show was the most positive I’ve ever experienced. When he played „why“ I was the happiest person on planet earth for some minutes, maybe not, but it was just beautiful
Rick Beato interviewed Devin along with Tosin Abasi and John Petrucci about a year ago, was an excellent interview and Devin comes off as a real good guy.
That interview was interesting, in how Dev was much quieter than he usually is during interviews. I think due to the dynamic of Kick, John, Tosin and himself perhaps. Great stuff.
My only problem with that interview, was that to me it seemed like Rick was really interested in having Tosin and John, but they know Dev is their equal and brought him along as well only for Rick to gush uncontrollably about Tosin and especially John and just sort of tolerate the weird friend they brought. I don't know if that really was the case, but it was sort of the vibe I got from the whole thing.
🇨🇦 Canadian here🇨🇦 Devin has to be the most underrated musician to ever grace our country. Love his work, thank you for bringing him more to the fore❤❤
I find is an abmonination how self professed "music experts" --cough, cough...Alan Cross-- in Canada have always slept on Devin. That EMG Kingdom video, reactions and the internet have been amazing, introducing Devon to everyone and even Canada.
It's crazy to me, that with a country that has laws dictating our media stations must air a certain percentage of Canadian made content, how slept on Devin is. Guess I'll just have to hear the same Billy Talent or Nickleback song for the 30th time today instead.
@ All to do with making a quick buck. Turned out that way. There used to be a CD comply release yearly here called Big Shiny Tunes. Had just enough commercial Canadian bands (1 to 3 songs) to hit the CanCon quota the rest were all the top 10 hits on the "Pop/Alternative" charts
Definitely my favourite artist, so happy more people get to discover his work. He has something for any kind of mood or feelings. Some days I want to listen to some space country music, some other days just some silly metal, or some much heavier music.
Devin almost always plays in open tunings, with open C being his most used tuning. Some of his heavier stuff goes down to open B. I never even paid any attention to open tunings before I started listening to Devin, but now I always have at least one guitar in open C. It's such a great-sounding tuning, and kind of inspiring.
I had always heard his name for years, but never listened to him until around 2010 when someone recommended me the “Addicted!” album by Devin Townsend Project. I bought it and put it on, and it was essentially a perfect album from beginning to end. I have no other way to explain it. I haven’t followed his work SUPER closely, but everything I’ve heard has all been really good.
I have seen Bruce Springsteen, Peter Gabriel and dozens of other bands live who have amazing relationships with their audiences. Devin Townsend on stage is able to create an atmosphere of pure love. That is a real gift.
Devin is the Deadpool of the Metal Universe. His self awared zany humour is a fantastic uplifting lift at his shows. One minute you are flattened by Meshuggah sized monolothic metal, the next you are floating on his graceful air of sugar coated ethereal pop. And it is delivered with pathos and pure entertaining sweet emotion. I met him after a show in Dublin some years back, and he was absolutely sound and brilliant.
Yup. They're both quite unapologetic about doing whatever they want to do style wise, which is a lost quality these days. Pop, country, ambient, electronica or death metal. Bring it!
That's so cool Justin knows who Devin is. Devin, IMO, is the GOAT songwriter. He has quite literally over 100 amazing songs. He inspired me to start writing my own music, to travel (going to his London shows), and to have a work ethic. His music inspired me to start learning audio production and it's lead to a live audio career i currently have. Awesome breakdown!
Devin is my favorite musician I’ve found in the last decade. This song is a little straight forward without context, but is meant to be a “let’s go!” rally cry to kick off the album. His albums are a journey! Don’t stop there!
Devin is that one artist who is an ever present regardless of the playlist you make. Also, the first gig I went to which made me ball my eyes out like a baby (Roundhouse Dec 19 2019 on election day). Kingdom will forever be my favourite song and, whilst so many of his records are masterpieces, Empath is THE Devin album that must be heard by every music fan
Big fan, his Retinal Circus live album is truly something to watch! Had the pleasure of meeting him a couple times and he's super nice and generous those times. I don't love all his music, it's really all over the place, but I truly feel that any music fan can find something he's done that they would enjoy. Looking forward to my 9th time seeing him in NYC this May! Thanks for sharing some spotlight on him
i've seen him live twice and not only the music was perfect but was also funny, entertaining and mindblowing. He is not only a prolific musician or an amazing singer and guitar player but also a top frontman and entertainer. Enjoy the music, love the guy!
Yay I'd been hoping (and had asked for) a Devin video - was very lucky to meet the man outside a gig when he was supporting Myles Kennedy last year and in addition to being an incredible musician he's also just a genuinely nice guy
I discovered Devin headlining Bloodstock '21. Knowing not very much about him prior, he absolutely blew me away. I went back to my tent completely shocked. The guy is awesome.
Im a longtime fan of all things devin townsend. Ive only gotten to see him once, and he's just brilliant. Ghost and ki are some of my favorite albums. Just soul crushingly beautiful. Terminal is such a deep song. Helped me grieve my grandparents. I love everything hevydevy does, and thanks to your podcast, im now becoming a fan of yours mr hawkins. Thanks for the great videos and music!
Saw Strapping Young Lad at Download 2006. Listened to them a bit beforehand and didn't get it. Left that festival a fan. He is just such an incredible artist, an incredible performer...and I honestly still list that performance as one of the most entertaining performances I've ever seen. Hard, heavy...but so, so funny, too. Massively underrated.
Saw DT in 2014 (I think) in Montreal where he middled for Gojira in a little theatre. He had the entire crowd eating out of his hands. We gave hugs to people around us and jazz hands. Was such fun. The guy oozes charisma when he's on stage.
One of the most talented musicians on this planet. And he's such a mensch! I met him once and I told him I'd been a fan since the Steve Vai days and he just gave me a big hug. He is endlessly creative, an immensely skilled producer/engineer, a guitar virtuoso and also possesses one of the craziest voices in the history of rock music. His live shows are such a celebration of shared humanity, so positive and uplifting. Great to see him featured here. He is criminally underrated ❤
Devin Townsend is unbelievably talented and possibly the best artist from Canada! His vocal range alone is mind boggling and I love that he has fun and doesn't take himself too seriously
My equal favourite artist on the planet, but monumentally underrated, so thank you for giving him a little more exposure. And welcome to just about the greatest musical rabbithole in history......
Didn't think I'd see Devin here! Despite not connecting as much to his more recent music, he remains a part of my musical journey. My musical DNA, really.
Met him on the Vai tour saw him with many projects most recently playing acoustic supporting Myles Kennedy and of course his stint in the Wildhearts. a true genius
Used to watch Derby in the Kingstin gigging circuit, when he was so young his dad drove him to gigs and he was not allowed near alcohol. He was in his teens, hugely positive and was already amazingly talented. So interested in all things music. I’m glad his career has been so great, totally earned. I love DT also. What a genius. Thanks Justin, Love your content and your music.
So happy to see Devin getting some love. I'm one of those rare Devin fans that is not a musician but I am a huge Prog fan and have listened to him for years now. Although I play no instruments, I do have some understanding of singing and his vocal abilities are otherworldly. He sings growls and metal with the strength and musicality of an opera singer and it's unreal. Amazing artist!❤❤❤❤ And so good live!!!!!!!
I first heard Devin with SYL; I think one of my friends picked that first album up right after it came out. Man, did that stuff blow our minds, meaning our friend group of metal heads, all in our early 20s or so. That he is a fellow Canuck was a really nice bonus, so we paid extra attention. Devin's amazing. He's one of those musicians who's work I'm always interested in at least checking out, because even if it's not exactly my thing, it's bound to be excellent and interesting.
I've loved listening to Devin Townsend since I was 15 years old. I'm now 35. No artist's music has felt so personal to me. I really love the dude and am so appreciative of his contributions to the world! Thank you @dvntownsend!
Phenomenal musician! Fantastic frontman/performer ( electric or acoustic) and one of the absolute sweetest human beings ever. Maybe cuz I'm Canadian & he is too it's slightly biased but ...Devin rules!
I saw Dev for the first time almost 2 years ago. Had to drive 2 days to get there. What an experience. PowerNerd is a fantastic album and I can relate to what hes saying and the whole theme of it.
Really pleased to see you covering Devin. One of the most talented musicians out there. As others have mentioned, you'd be blown away by the live performance of Kingdom or Deadhead. I'd also recommend his acoustic performance of Funeral, or Ih-Ah.
An amazing dude, very thoughtful and introspective, very true to himself and his music. I've seen him god knows how many times now in a multitude of different settings and I've been blown away each time. And his fanbase is great, too- as much as I love what goes on onstage, the crowd is always fantastic, too :)
Saw Devin support Myles Kenneday in Birmingham last year, first time I'd seen him and blown away with his musical powers. Have the album and now liking at his other work,. Pure genius 🎸
MILLIONTH. Devin is the successor to the Beatles, Zappa, King Crimson, Bowie and Prince. Not in genre, but in musical vision and ability. And yes, I've been playing guitar for 50+ years and dabble with other instruments (kazoo, tambourine, etc.). Good on you for highlighting his amazing talent.
Been a fan of Dev's for 25 years. Such an utterly inspiring musician and his live shows are off the hook. Justin, if you haven't already, please listen to his song 'Deadhead', particularly the live version from the Royal Albert Hall. He has an immensely powerful voice and this is perfectly demonstrated on said song. All the best, mate 👍🏻
I've been a fan since his Strapping Young Lad days. I like his heavier stuff best, but Kingdom is one of my favorite songs. I never get tired of it. Can't wait to finally see him live this year.
I've been into Devy since the early 2000's. I've seen him perform in SYL once, DTP 4 times, the most recent session band once and solo acoustic twice. I love the bones of this man and his diversity in musical styles. I will always listen to everything he puts out. PowerNerd is a joy of an album where he has stripped back but still has layers that most people wouldn't even attempt 🤓🤘🏻
I've loved Devin for a long time, and what draws me in is his playfulness and sense of humour around his music (much like The Darkness actually). He is a seriously talented guy, but doesn't take himself too seriously. Seeing him live is like watching a stand up comedian playing some incredible music. I also think the Casualties of Cool album is an underrated gem.
Surprised his stint in The Wildhearts in the nineties weren't mentioned seeing as Justin knows Ginger so well. Devin even gifted Ginger a co writing credit on Christeen even though he wrote it all by himself, as it reminded him so much of Gingers style. Just a great guy by all accounts. Incidently, saw Devin with SYL supporting the Wildies 3 times in June 2001, then in October 2002 saw a young band called The Darkness opening for The Wildhearts.
Devin Townsend is my favourite musician of all time and has been for pretty much all my adult life. My entire mindset towards music changed when I heard both Ocean Machine and City (SYL) for the first time. What he writes and releases isn't always for me but that will always happen with an artist with such a huge back catalogue that spans decades. But even when something he releases don't quite land for me, I still admire the craft, the work ethic and the meaning behind it all. Just an incredible musician and a genuinely funny and charismatic guy. I've been lucky enough to see him live 8 or so times in the UK, including that infamous Royal Albert Hall show, and he's just flawless every time.
Devin Townsend is a true treasure,the man can turn anything into gold, the way his songs can go from a beautiful ambient ride to straight in your face heavy metal pummeling is just amazing
I was introduced to Devin's work when I saw him perform in Strapping Young Lad. It was in the 2000s with Fear Factory on headline. Soilwork and Darkane on support as well. And SYL blew everyone away. Followed his work in DTP. I really have always felt Devin has been criminally underrated/unnoticed. One thing not touched on in this video is Devins crazy vocal range. his octave range. harshes, cleans, all the way to operatic. And the thing is, he can sing, while playing some of the most complex riffs, solos, scales, etc. There's numerous videos you can find on UA-cam of him just jamming and playing the craziest stuff. I really feel like he's in the top 5 of guitarists going right now. regardless of genre. His solo stuff is pretty soft. His work on Devin Townsend Project is more of a balance of harsh/soft. And then Strapping Young Lad, while it's incredibly harsh and challenging for some, it's still some of the most important music you can listen to. Devin's ability to take chaos, and pain, and organize it into something impactful is on full display with his work on Strapping Young Lad. Songs to check out: Skeksis - Strapping Young Lad Love? - Strapping Young Lad Secret Sciences - Devin Townsend Project Rejoice - Devin Townsend Project Kingdom - Devin Townsend Project Deadhead - Devin Townsend Band
I remember hearing Love one late night on mtv back in the day My mate and I were at first amused by the crowning man with the brutal voice and quickly realised what a gnarly song it was. I thought Devil was cool ever since
As a monitor engineer, singers playing with their mic/stand til it gets loose and droops is a big pet peeve of mine. I don't recall you doing it at all in Brisbane at FMH when I mixed monitors for you =) Devin is a genius. I discovered his music like others on EMG TV with his playthrough of Kingdom. Unbelievable.
You'll appreciate a song like 'Why?', it's almost Rogers & Hammerstein with Disney kneaded in between the stanzas. You'll love the version recorded at Brixton, it's a tiny snapshot of his crowd participation, and his 'relationship' with the crowd. Humour, awareness and self deprecation are massive parts of what go into making him and his stage presence endearing, thrill rides you won't forget in a hurry.
Got into Devin via SYL which was... energetic, to say the least but then randomly stumbled upon one of his more ambient solo efforts (think it's called 'Coast') which led me down a SERIOUS one-man rabbit hole into the back catalogue! Seemingly limitless creativity on record and have had the pleasure of seeing him a few times live where he's a joy to behold
Yasss I'm so glad you covered Devin! He's been my favourite artist and musician since I discovered him about 15 years ago. I adore that he tries things and experiments, even if they don't work out or are not my cup of tea. He's always had a strong artistic vision and that's something I respect massively. PowerNerd is a pretty good record but you can tell, compared to some of his other records, that he gave himself a time limit and didn't spend too much overthinking it. He's also crazy talented too! FYI Devin more often than not plays in Open tunings. I think usually Open C or Open B, and sometimes he'll have a 7th string to bring it even lower
Strapping Young Lad played at Fat Paulies in Anglia Square in Norwich many years ago, maybe 96/97. I’ve never experienced a wall of sound like it before or since, yes it was loud but that wasn’t the reason, it was more like every conceivable frequency was full and pushing at your chest. Was an amazing gig. Also saw Devin on the Sex and Religion tour years before, that was London way but Devin is and has always been mind blowing
Awesome! Love Devin. I first heard him with SYL. And I was shocked to learn that he was Vai’s singer, and also pleasantly surprised about his other projects.
I feel like Devvy is a modern Brian Wilson, He just works his ass off and what he brings into reality is beyond what most musicians are capable of. He can brake all the rules when he wants, but at the same time there is divinity and beauty that is always present.
Thanks for the love. Wishing you well Justin
And right back at you Devin.
@JustinHawkinsRidesAgain you two should have a chat.
Whenever I watched Bill and Ted movies, I was disappointed that Wyld Stallyns music was weak sauce. The only way their music would work and change the world if it was composed by Devin. His music can change the world.
Great stuff my friend
@dvntownsend.... Just want to say thanks for Download 2006 with strapping... Rocking out with my cock out in the sausage party 😂 10/1 man fest 😂.... brilliant times 🤘🏻🤘🏻
I used to play guitar for Devin (2021-2022) and from what i noticed is that he is one of those people who really do work so hard and it's really inspiring to see! Darby really is an amazing drummer too!
Your performance at Royal Albert was fantastic!
You guys were amazing especially how last minute it all came together.
Thanks for your comment, thanks to it, i found your cover Almost Again..Perfect job, great voice...
Devin is an old friend of mine from our local scene, and he's always been hard working and prolific. From the early days of his band Grey Skies where once I saw him ask the audience if they'd rather have a guitar solo or Szechaun chicken and when the crowd asked for the latter, he proceeded to bring out a grill on stage and made chicken for the crowd. 😂 So many others stories as well.
Please tell me there is video of this. 🤣
Devin's live performance of Kingdom for EMGtv lives rent free in my head. Such a genuinely gifted musician 🙏
It's genuinely my favourite live performance of anything. He makes it look so easy. It's pure raw talent.
He's so funny and charismatic as well.
"This is not my third take this is my first take. If this was my third take it would imply that I screwed it up twice before, which I didnt!"
That was an amazing performance
That performance was what started my obsession with his incredible voice and I have zero regrets of the amount of hours I’ve spent listening to and watching Devin. Even made my husband come and see him live with me in Melbourne in 2023 and it was incredible.
Yes, this is such a good point of entry, it has the skills, the heaviness, the stage presence and the goofiness. It never gets old, always a treat to rewatch this video.
Devin is a phenomenon. An incredible guitar player, but vocally he is in the very top drawer. His live performance of Kingdom on emtv is not only one of the best vocal performances you'll ever see, it's one of THE most joyous clips on here. One of my 5 a day.
This man is a treasure, not local, not national, but universal.
Come to think of it, only Mike Patton can claim to be on Devin's level of sheer variation in sound. Both musicians have covered so much ground musically, it's actually staggering.
Devin is one of a kind. Touring with him was a trip, and honestly, I've never felt so good being on the road. He is a very genuine guy, remembers names, and details. Just a fucking metal God!
Empath by DT is just mind blowing in its scope and and sheer mind boggling heaviness, yet also nuanced and pretty. Listen to it please.
I’ve seen Devin live multiple times. Hands down, the best live performance I’ve ever seen. Spot on vocally. Definitely a core memory ❤
The most wholesome dude in music.
Fastest I ever clicked on a video. Devin is just the man. An incredible artist. Outrageous vocalist and performer. First show I went to after lockdowns was Devin. An emotional experience to say the least.
Devin's headline set at Bloodstock in 2021 was such an uplifting experience after 18 months without live music. I was genuinely on the verge of crying tears of joy.
My good friend Stephen Platt was his guitarist for that performance. He says nothing but great things about working with Dev, and they're still very much in contact.
Devin's musical output is pretty much spotless. Empath in particular is an absolute masterpiece and something I'm constantly in awe of every time I listen to it. The guy got me through a seriously bleak spot over the pandemic with fairly regular live streams. I know the word genious gets banded around a lot in the arts but he's one serious contender for that acolade. A very, very talented man.
Devin is probably the single most talented person in the music industry today.
I’ve been a fan since the ‘City’ and ‘Biomech’ era around 1997.
I saw him with SYL a few times, but was most impressed when I saw him play an acoustic gig and stood a couple of foot away from him while he did his full operatic singing. It was one of the most impressive things I’ve ever witnessed.
Also, as someone else has commented, he was very briefly a member of peak-era Wildhearts.
Yeah, that was about when I got into him. Detox was on a Metal Hammer cover CD, and it was amazing. Went and got Biomech when it came out, and thankfully CDs don't wear out like cassettes, else it would have been worn thin.
The trouble with being a Devy fan, is that you get so invested in his projects that you become unable to focus on much else. I love so much varied music but when it’s Dev time, all else gets put aside and the wallet comes out! I love the man!
I’ve been really lucky to follow Devin’s entire career having falling for his musical ability in Vai’s Sex and Religion album, which was Devin’s first album when he was 19. Met him in person a couple times and happy to say he is such a lovely man as well
Ditto my friend. He was a phenomenal guitar player on the sex and religion tour. You don’t get in to 😮 band without that level. Also on drums a young Abe Laboriel Jnr
Me and my wife have seen him in 2023 and she’s not into this kind of music at all, she didn’t know him before that. After 1 minute she had tears in her eyes and was obviously overwhelmed. The energy at the show was the most positive I’ve ever experienced. When he played „why“ I was the happiest person on planet earth for some minutes, maybe not, but it was just beautiful
Rick Beato interviewed Devin along with Tosin Abasi and John Petrucci about a year ago, was an excellent interview and Devin comes off as a real good guy.
That interview was interesting, in how Dev was much quieter than he usually is during interviews. I think due to the dynamic of Kick, John, Tosin and himself perhaps. Great stuff.
Saw that tour, and the interview. Both were great. Hearing Devins process was sick
My only problem with that interview, was that to me it seemed like Rick was really interested in having Tosin and John, but they know Dev is their equal and brought him along as well only for Rick to gush uncontrollably about Tosin and especially John and just sort of tolerate the weird friend they brought. I don't know if that really was the case, but it was sort of the vibe I got from the whole thing.
🇨🇦 Canadian here🇨🇦
Devin has to be the most underrated musician to ever grace our country. Love his work, thank you for bringing him more to the fore❤❤
Devin and Ian Thornley from Big Wreck are both criminally underrated!
@ginto1990 I don't get it! They are both God tier and crickets! I have seen big wreck eight times, love them!
I find is an abmonination how self professed "music experts" --cough, cough...Alan Cross-- in Canada have always slept on Devin. That EMG Kingdom video, reactions and the internet have been amazing, introducing Devon to everyone and even Canada.
It's crazy to me, that with a country that has laws dictating our media stations must air a certain percentage of Canadian made content, how slept on Devin is. Guess I'll just have to hear the same Billy Talent or Nickleback song for the 30th time today instead.
@ All to do with making a quick buck. Turned out that way. There used to be a CD comply release yearly here called Big Shiny Tunes. Had just enough commercial Canadian bands (1 to 3 songs) to hit the CanCon quota the rest were all the top 10 hits on the "Pop/Alternative" charts
Devin is the most underrated musician I can think of. Just an incredible talent
Definitely my favourite artist, so happy more people get to discover his work. He has something for any kind of mood or feelings. Some days I want to listen to some space country music, some other days just some silly metal, or some much heavier music.
Devin Townsend is the actual Messiah when it comes to rock music. Ziltoid the Omniscient is one hell of an album. Definitely worth a listen!
You shall fetch me your universe's ultimate cup of coffee, black
Fetid! @@J.RoordaPhotos
@@J.RoordaPhotos make it perfect
Devin almost always plays in open tunings, with open C being his most used tuning. Some of his heavier stuff goes down to open B. I never even paid any attention to open tunings before I started listening to Devin, but now I always have at least one guitar in open C. It's such a great-sounding tuning, and kind of inspiring.
And then in SYL he used the low 7th string as a low G!
When your name is Devin Townsend, and you have become your own music genre: AWESOME!
I love a bit of Devy-metal.
I had always heard his name for years, but never listened to him until around 2010 when someone recommended me the “Addicted!” album by Devin Townsend Project. I bought it and put it on, and it was essentially a perfect album from beginning to end. I have no other way to explain it.
I haven’t followed his work SUPER closely, but everything I’ve heard has all been really good.
In my opinion it's the greatest metal and pop crossover (or Pop Metal, if you will) album ever
I have seen Bruce Springsteen, Peter Gabriel and dozens of other bands live who have amazing relationships with their audiences.
Devin Townsend on stage is able to create an atmosphere of pure love. That is a real gift.
Great to see you giving some well deserved attention to the mighty Devin Townsend. Incredible artist!
You should do a deep dive into Dev's music. I would love that!
Devin is the Deadpool of the Metal Universe. His self awared zany humour is a fantastic uplifting lift at his shows. One minute you are flattened by Meshuggah sized monolothic metal, the next you are floating on his graceful air of sugar coated ethereal pop. And it is delivered with pathos and pure entertaining sweet emotion. I met him after a show in Dublin some years back, and he was absolutely sound and brilliant.
I've seen Devy live a couple of times. He is indeed - INDEED - impressive.
He's in that Steven Wilson category of musicians. One of those fantastic musicians that isn't known by the general public.
And yet is known by all the legendary players. Ditto Opeth and crew.
A musician’s musician - the peak of talent
Except Wilson writes shit.
Yup. They're both quite unapologetic about doing whatever they want to do style wise, which is a lost quality these days. Pop, country, ambient, electronica or death metal. Bring it!
@@vorpalbladescome on man. Steven Wilson is AMAZING!
That's so cool Justin knows who Devin is. Devin, IMO, is the GOAT songwriter. He has quite literally over 100 amazing songs. He inspired me to start writing my own music, to travel (going to his London shows), and to have a work ethic. His music inspired me to start learning audio production and it's lead to a live audio career i currently have. Awesome breakdown!
Devin Townsend is a very special human being, and makes such incredible music, many thanks Justin.
Devin is my favorite musician I’ve found in the last decade. This song is a little straight forward without context, but is meant to be a “let’s go!” rally cry to kick off the album. His albums are a journey! Don’t stop there!
Devin is that one artist who is an ever present regardless of the playlist you make. Also, the first gig I went to which made me ball my eyes out like a baby (Roundhouse Dec 19 2019 on election day). Kingdom will forever be my favourite song and, whilst so many of his records are masterpieces, Empath is THE Devin album that must be heard by every music fan
Big fan, his Retinal Circus live album is truly something to watch! Had the pleasure of meeting him a couple times and he's super nice and generous those times. I don't love all his music, it's really all over the place, but I truly feel that any music fan can find something he's done that they would enjoy. Looking forward to my 9th time seeing him in NYC this May! Thanks for sharing some spotlight on him
i've seen him live twice and not only the music was perfect but was also funny, entertaining and mindblowing. He is not only a prolific musician or an amazing singer and guitar player but also a top frontman and entertainer. Enjoy the music, love the guy!
Yay I'd been hoping (and had asked for) a Devin video - was very lucky to meet the man outside a gig when he was supporting Myles Kennedy last year and in addition to being an incredible musician he's also just a genuinely nice guy
Saw devin townesend project live, blew my mind
I love Devin, his music is amazing, he has a great sense of humour. This is great, thank you for this.
I discovered Devin headlining Bloodstock '21. Knowing not very much about him prior, he absolutely blew me away. I went back to my tent completely shocked. The guy is awesome.
Im a longtime fan of all things devin townsend. Ive only gotten to see him once, and he's just brilliant. Ghost and ki are some of my favorite albums. Just soul crushingly beautiful. Terminal is such a deep song. Helped me grieve my grandparents. I love everything hevydevy does, and thanks to your podcast, im now becoming a fan of yours mr hawkins. Thanks for the great videos and music!
Yes, so glad your covering Devin Townsend
Devin plays mainly in Open C, I think Powernerd is in Open C.
Saw Strapping Young Lad at Download 2006. Listened to them a bit beforehand and didn't get it. Left that festival a fan. He is just such an incredible artist, an incredible performer...and I honestly still list that performance as one of the most entertaining performances I've ever seen. Hard, heavy...but so, so funny, too.
Massively underrated.
Love Devin. Seen him live twice and he’s amazing.
Saw DT in 2014 (I think) in Montreal where he middled for Gojira in a little theatre. He had the entire crowd eating out of his hands. We gave hugs to people around us and jazz hands. Was such fun. The guy oozes charisma when he's on stage.
Heavy Devy is my favourite person in music. I'd love to see Les Claypool and Dev write a musical together.
Thank you for the reaction Mister Mic Manipulator, always a pleasure!
Devin is just a legend both musically and as a human being. Genius.
One of the most talented musicians on this planet. And he's such a mensch! I met him once and I told him I'd been a fan since the Steve Vai days and he just gave me a big hug. He is endlessly creative, an immensely skilled producer/engineer, a guitar virtuoso and also possesses one of the craziest voices in the history of rock music. His live shows are such a celebration of shared humanity, so positive and uplifting. Great to see him featured here. He is criminally underrated ❤
Devin has been one of my favorite musicians for the longest time. He’s had a huge influence on my music. May he live forever!
Devin Townsend is unbelievably talented and possibly the best artist from Canada! His vocal range alone is mind boggling and I love that he has fun and doesn't take himself too seriously
My equal favourite artist on the planet, but monumentally underrated, so thank you for giving him a little more exposure. And welcome to just about the greatest musical rabbithole in history......
Didn't think I'd see Devin here! Despite not connecting as much to his more recent music, he remains a part of my musical journey. My musical DNA, really.
Met him on the Vai tour saw him with many projects most recently playing acoustic supporting Myles Kennedy and of course his stint in the Wildhearts. a true genius
Used to watch Derby in the Kingstin gigging circuit, when he was so young his dad drove him to gigs and he was not allowed near alcohol. He was in his teens, hugely positive and was already amazingly talented. So interested in all things music. I’m glad his career has been so great, totally earned. I love DT also. What a genius. Thanks Justin, Love your content and your music.
So happy to see Devin getting some love. I'm one of those rare Devin fans that is not a musician but I am a huge Prog fan and have listened to him for years now. Although I play no instruments, I do have some understanding of singing and his vocal abilities are otherworldly. He sings growls and metal with the strength and musicality of an opera singer and it's unreal. Amazing artist!❤❤❤❤ And so good live!!!!!!!
I first heard Devin with SYL; I think one of my friends picked that first album up right after it came out. Man, did that stuff blow our minds, meaning our friend group of metal heads, all in our early 20s or so. That he is a fellow Canuck was a really nice bonus, so we paid extra attention. Devin's amazing. He's one of those musicians who's work I'm always interested in at least checking out, because even if it's not exactly my thing, it's bound to be excellent and interesting.
Hevy Devy. One of my favorite musicians. He's given us a lot of great music. 👍
I've loved listening to Devin Townsend since I was 15 years old. I'm now 35. No artist's music has felt so personal to me. I really love the dude and am so appreciative of his contributions to the world! Thank you @dvntownsend!
Dev is the man. Love his music. Been listening to him for 20 years or so and he keeps outdoing himself.
Phenomenal musician! Fantastic frontman/performer ( electric or acoustic) and one of the absolute sweetest human beings ever. Maybe cuz I'm Canadian & he is too it's slightly biased but ...Devin rules!
I saw Dev for the first time almost 2 years ago. Had to drive 2 days to get there. What an experience. PowerNerd is a fantastic album and I can relate to what hes saying and the whole theme of it.
I love his music. I'm so glad you covered this. Thanks!!
Really pleased to see you covering Devin. One of the most talented musicians out there. As others have mentioned, you'd be blown away by the live performance of Kingdom or Deadhead. I'd also recommend his acoustic performance of Funeral, or Ih-Ah.
An amazing dude, very thoughtful and introspective, very true to himself and his music. I've seen him god knows how many times now in a multitude of different settings and I've been blown away each time. And his fanbase is great, too- as much as I love what goes on onstage, the crowd is always fantastic, too :)
Saw Devin support Myles Kenneday in Birmingham last year, first time I'd seen him and blown away with his musical powers. Have the album and now liking at his other work,. Pure genius 🎸
Absolutely love Heavy Devy. I’m downloading this episode.
Devin is amazing! A real gentleman with incredible talent. He's Canada's secret weapon!
Yeah he's your favorite music nerds favorite music nerd!!
MILLIONTH. Devin is the successor to the Beatles, Zappa, King Crimson, Bowie and Prince. Not in genre, but in musical vision and ability. And yes, I've been playing guitar for 50+ years and dabble with other instruments (kazoo, tambourine, etc.). Good on you for highlighting his amazing talent.
Been a fan of Dev's for 25 years. Such an utterly inspiring musician and his live shows are off the hook. Justin, if you haven't already, please listen to his song 'Deadhead', particularly the live version from the Royal Albert Hall. He has an immensely powerful voice and this is perfectly demonstrated on said song. All the best, mate 👍🏻
I've been a fan since his Strapping Young Lad days. I like his heavier stuff best, but Kingdom is one of my favorite songs. I never get tired of it. Can't wait to finally see him live this year.
I saw Devin support Myles Kennedy just before Christmas doing an acoustic set. Absolutely amazing. Genuine virtuoso as well as being incredibly funny.
Me too. Love the variety of his work. Good gig.
I've been into Devy since the early 2000's. I've seen him perform in SYL once, DTP 4 times, the most recent session band once and solo acoustic twice. I love the bones of this man and his diversity in musical styles. I will always listen to everything he puts out. PowerNerd is a joy of an album where he has stripped back but still has layers that most people wouldn't even attempt 🤓🤘🏻
I've loved Devin for a long time, and what draws me in is his playfulness and sense of humour around his music (much like The Darkness actually). He is a seriously talented guy, but doesn't take himself too seriously. Seeing him live is like watching a stand up comedian playing some incredible music.
I also think the Casualties of Cool album is an underrated gem.
I love Devin, I aspire to be as good a guitarist as he is, as nice as he is and as genuine as he is. Such a fantastic and diverse artist.
Devin Townsend is the single most brilliant musician on the planet. I've been a mega-fan for 25 years.
Surprised his stint in The Wildhearts in the nineties weren't mentioned seeing as Justin knows Ginger so well. Devin even gifted Ginger a co writing credit on Christeen even though he wrote it all by himself, as it reminded him so much of Gingers style. Just a great guy by all accounts.
Incidently, saw Devin with SYL supporting the Wildies 3 times in June 2001, then in October 2002 saw a young band called The Darkness opening for The Wildhearts.
Devin is my favorite living musician hands down, and producer as well.
SAME!
Welp.....you sold me yet another song I hadn't heard before. Guitar riff reminds me of the best Killing Joke. RIP Geordie!
I love how the channel is growing in production quality. It's so pleasant to watch
Devin Townsend is my favourite musician of all time and has been for pretty much all my adult life. My entire mindset towards music changed when I heard both Ocean Machine and City (SYL) for the first time. What he writes and releases isn't always for me but that will always happen with an artist with such a huge back catalogue that spans decades. But even when something he releases don't quite land for me, I still admire the craft, the work ethic and the meaning behind it all. Just an incredible musician and a genuinely funny and charismatic guy. I've been lucky enough to see him live 8 or so times in the UK, including that infamous Royal Albert Hall show, and he's just flawless every time.
Devin Townsend is a true treasure,the man can turn anything into gold, the way his songs can go from a beautiful ambient ride to straight in your face heavy metal pummeling is just amazing
Honorable mention for being in the Wildhearts too for a brief period. Devin Townsend is at a Tim Smith level of genius.
I was introduced to Devin's work when I saw him perform in Strapping Young Lad.
It was in the 2000s with Fear Factory on headline. Soilwork and Darkane on support as well.
And SYL blew everyone away. Followed his work in DTP.
I really have always felt Devin has been criminally underrated/unnoticed. One thing not touched on in this video is Devins crazy vocal range. his octave range. harshes, cleans, all the way to operatic.
And the thing is, he can sing, while playing some of the most complex riffs, solos, scales, etc. There's numerous videos you can find on UA-cam of him just jamming and playing the craziest stuff. I really feel like he's in the top 5 of guitarists going right now. regardless of genre.
His solo stuff is pretty soft. His work on Devin Townsend Project is more of a balance of harsh/soft. And then Strapping Young Lad, while it's incredibly harsh and challenging for some, it's still some of the most important music you can listen to. Devin's ability to take chaos, and pain, and organize it into something impactful is on full display with his work on Strapping Young Lad.
Songs to check out:
Skeksis - Strapping Young Lad
Love? - Strapping Young Lad
Secret Sciences - Devin Townsend Project
Rejoice - Devin Townsend Project
Kingdom - Devin Townsend Project
Deadhead - Devin Townsend Band
Awake, Deadhead and Kingdom. Makes me feel alive! You won't regret going down the Devin Townsend rabbit hole.
I remember hearing Love one late night on mtv back in the day
My mate and I were at first amused by the crowning man with the brutal voice and quickly realised what a gnarly song it was.
I thought Devil was cool ever since
As a monitor engineer, singers playing with their mic/stand til it gets loose and droops is a big pet peeve of mine. I don't recall you doing it at all in Brisbane at FMH when I mixed monitors for you =)
Devin is a genius. I discovered his music like others on EMG TV with his playthrough of Kingdom. Unbelievable.
You'll appreciate a song like 'Why?', it's almost Rogers & Hammerstein with Disney kneaded in between the stanzas.
You'll love the version recorded at Brixton, it's a tiny snapshot of his crowd participation, and his 'relationship' with the crowd.
Humour, awareness and self deprecation are massive parts of what go into making him and his stage presence endearing, thrill rides you won't forget in a hurry.
AAAAAAH I was wondering if D T might pop up on the show :)
absolute legend.
Love Devin. Some of his stuff is seriously monumental.
Love this album and I can't wait for the Moth
Got into Devin via SYL which was... energetic, to say the least but then randomly stumbled upon one of his more ambient solo efforts (think it's called 'Coast') which led me down a SERIOUS one-man rabbit hole into the back catalogue! Seemingly limitless creativity on record and have had the pleasure of seeing him a few times live where he's a joy to behold
Love it! Definitely gives "March of the Pigs" vibes (the undertone of droning guitar and synth noise 🤘
Yasss I'm so glad you covered Devin! He's been my favourite artist and musician since I discovered him about 15 years ago. I adore that he tries things and experiments, even if they don't work out or are not my cup of tea. He's always had a strong artistic vision and that's something I respect massively. PowerNerd is a pretty good record but you can tell, compared to some of his other records, that he gave himself a time limit and didn't spend too much overthinking it.
He's also crazy talented too!
FYI Devin more often than not plays in Open tunings. I think usually Open C or Open B, and sometimes he'll have a 7th string to bring it even lower
Strapping Young Lad played at Fat Paulies in Anglia Square in Norwich many years ago, maybe 96/97. I’ve never experienced a wall of sound like it before or since, yes it was loud but that wasn’t the reason, it was more like every conceivable frequency was full and pushing at your chest. Was an amazing gig.
Also saw Devin on the Sex and Religion tour years before, that was London way but Devin is and has always been mind blowing
Awesome! Love Devin. I first heard him with SYL. And I was shocked to learn that he was Vai’s singer, and also pleasantly surprised about his other projects.
Gratitude from Powernerd is my emotional kryptonite. It wrecks me but in the best ways
I feel like Devvy is a modern Brian Wilson, He just works his ass off and what he brings into reality is beyond what most musicians are capable of. He can brake all the rules when he wants, but at the same time there is divinity and beauty that is always present.
also you said he's Omnipresent, But also Omniscient