There are plenty of musicians that I respect and follow. Music is probably the most important thing in my world — ask me what I’ll sacrifice first: friends, animals, small innocent babies, my sex life, or music? (If you’re a friend or a small innocent baby, you’re not gonna like the answer). Music is almost always playing around me – in the car, at my desks, at the bar, in the shower.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Twi28xWoLxc]
Out of all the music I’ve ever been exposed to, no one’s work has influenced, inspired or excited me more than the collective output of Devin Townsend. Like a bunch of other people, I discovered him when he sang on the Steve Vai disc Sex and Religion — the first and only Vai disc to focus on a full-band concept instead of (primarily) instumentals. As much of a fan of Steve Vai and his guitar work as I’ve been since Flexable, Devin’s voice blew me away. A few years later, I happened to read about a new disc by a band called Strapping Young Lad (As Heavy as a Really Heavy Thing) and mail-ordered it. From there, I was sold.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Ws_h-xVI7U]
The thing that originally drew me to Townsend’s work — from his solo catalog to SYL to his guest appearances — is his voice, which is odd for me. I’ve always been a guitar guy, not terribly concerned with vocals (I certainly notice when they aren’t good or don’t fit the song, but they’ve never really stood out for me). His voice, though, has so much power, range, and emotion behind it, that I think it’s impossible to ignore.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcfDxq8Zw5A]
Devin’s also a proponent of the ‘wall of sound’ approach to recording, placing layer after layer of instrumentation and vocal on every track. This to me gives everything a huge feeling, that IMAX film sensation. Different volumes and listening environments bring out different elements of songs, and even 13 years after getting his first solo disc I can still discover new things in the tracks.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5H8p238vzUo]
His music is not necessarily widely available, but most of it can be found at Amazon or on EBay. He can be found online at www.hevydevy.com, and on MySpace as well.