Devin Townsend is surely one of the most impressing musicians in the metal scene, where he has a huge impact on, no matter if you speak about STRAPPING YOUNG LAD or his solo and producing projects. He is a hyperactive jack-of-all-trades who can’t stop working. Though, every output is full of creative ideas and innovation. Just one year passed since the release of the last STRAPPING YOUNG LAD record Alien, not to forget the latest Devin Townsend Band album Synchestra, released in January 2006. Now, the Canadian extreme sickos strike back with The New Black, probably the most accessible SYL album ever, while rumors about a burnt out and tired Townsend get louder and louder and at least a longer break seems inevitable. Time to clear up things around the master himself in his grandiose new record (that actually made to the album of the month July on Nocturnal Hall ;))…

Dajana: Hello Devin, how are ye doing? You just played a couple of dates? Will a “real” tour follow in support of your new album?
Devin: Hi Dajana, I’m doing ok, but I’m really tired. We first have to attend a huge support slot for the Ozzfest and then we will see what meets us… [in the meantime rumors say there will be a headlining European tour in early 2007… - Cal]
Dajana: I actually wanted to go to the Holland show but my fucking car broke down. So, how went the show?
Devin: It went good. We had good turnouts and fun. We were happy playing there.
Dajana: *sighs*…

Dajana: Ok, the new album… that’s the headword… Let’s talk about. What’s new about black?
Devin: It’s white… [laughing]… You know, we wanted to be little more melodic and little less chaotic. Every track on it is unique. Nothing is the same to each other, that’s what I’m happy to say. It’s exciting and fun and a lot of things. I’m happy with it.

Leo: We didn’t get any lyrics with the promo CD but while reading titles such as You Suck and Antiproduct it seems something bad has happened anytime in the run-up to the recordings? You seem to be very angry.
Devin: Yeah, I mean… I’m really sick of being in the music industry. It’s the thing between the music industry and us and the music we play, it’s about doing records and the representatives you have to deal with, you know, you suck, I suck, everybody sucks… you know. Music is something that kind of seems to me a labor in love to be in labor. So, it’s a part of me and especially Antiproduct is maybe against the music industry, against myself… like being cynical.
Dajana: Yeah, that’s what I wrote down here… cynicism, that’s pure cynicism.
Devin: I agree…
Dajana: But nothing special happened before you started the songwriting/recordings that made you so angry?
Devin: Well, you know, there were many things over the past years. And after the Ozzfest I wanna be taking a break from the music and from the production of bands. I’m really tired and I need a break.
Dajana: A break, well… there were so often rumors around that you want to take a break, but you never did.
Devin: Yes, I know, but this time I’ll do this.
Dajana: I heard you’re becoming a dad, is that right?
Devin: Yeah, that’s right.
Dajana: Congratulations!
Devin: Thank you. I mean that’s a good opportunity for me to take that break, to find out for myself what I want to do with my career.
Dajana: But, to be honest, it’s really hard to imagine that you stay back home with a little baby in your arms ;)
Devin: [laughs]…I mean, it’s something new to me too. I will see. I mean, I don’t wanna introduce everybody to my life, I’m really happy with all that.

Dajana: How long this break will take?
Devin: Well, it might take a few months; it might take a few years. I’m open to see what will happen.

Dajana: Back to the new album. I really love The New Black, it’s really great, but I guess people will have some problems with the sound, because, there are so many layers, so many styles and elements united. On the first spin it just sounds like chaos that might roll you down…
Devin: Yeah, I mean, STRAPPING YOUNG LAD is a band that is into chaos for so many years now, to that, it’s like the next step in the evolution. I can figure that people will have some problems to get into it, it’s definitely hard to put your fingers on but I’m proud of it, I’m happy the way it turned out and I hope that some people will get access to that chaos and take it the way it is.
Dajana: Yeah, it’s even much more chaos than on Alien ;)
Devin: That’s what we are doing.

Psycho: There are some new elements on The New Black. Are that trumpets in Antiproduct?
Devin: Yeah, yeah, those are trumpets. I remember that I was listening to something exciting with a big band on there. I wanted to try it out and see what happens. I think this orchestral thing added to Antiproduct made it more interesting.
Psycho: Do you think that will be the next trend?
Devin: [laughs] No, I don’t think so. It’s just a test. You know, every test is to extent your music. I like to experiment and to exercise the experimentation…

Psycho: How do you want to realize this sound live on stage?
Devin: Um… we don’t play that song [laughs]

Psycho: Listening to The New Black it feels like you would like to record albums without any metal on it. Could that be sort of a new musical beginning after your break?
Devin: Yeah, I hope so. I mean, I’m doing metal for so long, a lot of Strapping records and so on. I really would like to do something very different and now I get the opportunity to do so. I hope that I after the break can figure out what it is what I like to do and maybe come up with different perspectives.
Dajana: Already some ideas for the new stuff?
Devin: Maybe some ambient stuff, maybe music for a movie, who knows…
Dajana: Aha… a soundtrack for a movie…
Devin: Yeah, I got a lot inspiration, that’s why I want to do something different.
Dajana: What would be the perfect story to do a soundtrack for?
Devin: Oh… um… someone gets lost in a mega sound [laughs]

Dajana: Regarding what I said about the new album, you once said: “People that don’t like my music are either silly or dead, for both I don’t have any time”. Well, since it isn’t that easy to deal with your music such statement might apply to many lads out there…
Devin: Well, that must have been a long time ago. You know, I think that people that don’t like my music might have a good taste… I really apologize for that.

Psycho: Looking back, are you happy being not the chosen one as the new Judas Priest singer?
Devin: Oh yeah! Absolutely! It would have been the absolute wrong thing for me. I appreciate the fact that they offered me an audition, but… but I’ve been not the right singer for Judas Priest.
Psycho: Yeah, I mean, Ripper Owens got pretty burnt in Priest…
Devin: He was definitely the better singer for that than I am. And at least he did a good job for the time he was in there. I wouldn’t have been the right one for that band.

Dajana: You are sort of stars in the metal scene and people are crazy about you. Not because you’re selling millions of records but because you are sort of extreme music terrorists, crazy and freaky guys (and soooo nice… ;)), exceptional musicians (maybe the best) and this way something special. How does it feel being a star?
Devin: It’s a little scary. You know, I’m doing this for a long time. I’m glad that people enjoy it and I’m glad some people find value in what we do… But as for me I’m satisfied too, to do some different styles of music and that SYL is simply one of them. I still honor that people have respect in what we do, but at the same time it’s one of many things we can do.

Dajana: You played Rock am Ring, how was it to play in front of a hundred thousand people. Did they recognize you?
Devin: We played Rock am Ring and Rock im Park. Rock am Ring was really great, Rock im Park… well… 50% good.

Psycho: Composing songs is it a matter of inspiration or hard work?
Devin: I think it’s a combination of the two. You have a little inspiration and then it’s a lot of hard work to make an inspiration like reality. I’m happy to realize the music and it’s a good helping of both and other things, to make real songs.

Dajana: Apropos inspirations… where from you take them for your sounds?
Devin: You know, a part of me is fed up with the music industry that inspires me lot to make a record about how I’m fed up I was with it. It’s like taking inspiration from the inspiration.

Dajana: How was it at the studio? I can imagine that it was really hard work to get all these sounds and layers and styles and elements together that it sounds like in one piece afterwards.
Devin: Yeah, there is a distance as well… so it was hard to make all these elements come together and stage them as one thing right, you know, that’s interesting, it’s a project. But every record and anything you do in life that you want to be good takes a lot of work. I’m happy with that work and I’m proud of.

Dajana: When you are working with people on your new record. Do they try to influence you? Do you listen to them or do you do what YOU want?
Devin: Oh, I do listen. And we decide corporately ideas and production. But at the end I do what I want.
Dajana: So, you’re not a tyrant in the studio…
Devin: Maybe a little bit…

Psycho: What you like more planed chaos or total spontaneity?
Devin: I prefer both? So, for me I think doing records goes in corporate with planed chaos and then at other times with total spontaneity. I think a good record is a combination of both.

Psycho: How do you make decisions: head or belly?
Devin: I think with the belly, definitely.

Psycho: What do you do to relax?
Devin: Oh, I haven’t relaxed in 15 years.
Dajana: Never ever?
Devin: No. I mean being drunk is not really relaxing. I haven’t really spent much time to myself in many years. That’s a little bit disappointing but as I already said, after finishing the Ozzfest in America I will take some time and really relax.
Dajana: Seems to be really necessary…
Devin: Yeah I agree.

Psycho: Had you ever singing lessons?
Devin: Yes, I had lessons. I was living in Los Angeles for a while and I had lessons there. Most of my singing lessons came from my high school teacher.
Dajana: Aha… your high school teacher???
Devin: Yeah, and I’m very proud of it. Yeah, Mr. Springer helped me.

Psycho: With whom - musician or artist - you’d like to work with if you ever get the chance?
Devin: Hmm… in particular I’d like to work with Fredrik the guitarist from Meshuggah and I’d like to work with Mikael from Opeth. But there are not too many people that I think I’d like to work with.
Dajana: And outside of the music biz? Other artists, painters maybe?
Devin: Well I don’t collaborate very well. Maybe I could do some acting for somebody. That could be cool; I have no idea at the moment.

Dajana: Do you have any other talents besides making music?
Devin: I can make good coffee [laughs] and I can do some little drawings. I’m doing music for such a long time exclusively so I think I isolated my talents in other areas. But I hope in the break I take I will have some time to discover what’s left.

Psycho: What music you are listening to as a private person?
Devin: I listen to a lot of ambient stuff. I like Sigur Ros, I think that’s cool. I like a lot of school bands as well, and I do like Meshuggah and do like Opeth to name metal bands and lots of other stuff I enjoy, a little bit Abba now and then… you know.

Psycho: Some political stuff at the end. I don’t know if you already heard it or read it anywhere. But many Americans in Europe pretend to be Canadians because Europe is against all that war shit the USA instigated.
Devin: Yeah… I mean, I don’t know that much about politics and I don’t claim that much about politics. Being from Canada is something I’m happy with. But there are other people suffering everywhere and there die people everywhere, I think politically what ever you need to do to get by you do right. But I think being a good person and trying your best I think that’s a word of line.

Dajana: Thank you very much for answering these entire questions. Much power for the promotion marathon you now have to manage. Hope to see ya soon live on stage ;) Cheers!