DEVIN TOWNSEND Explains Why He Writes And Performs Music In So Many Different Styles

Canadian singer, songwriter and producer Devin Townsend, who has spent his entire career making unique inroads with many styles of music, always following his particular muse in any way it leads him for almost three decades, spoke to Belgian Jasper about why he feels the need to pursue so many different genres with his albums. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I don't necessarily do it on purpose to appear like I'm being provocative. And it's funny: I have heard on several occasions that the interpretation of the fact that I make all these different types of music is indicative of psychosis. But I would argue that doing one thing to the exclusion of everything else, in my opinion, is much more indicative of some sort of lack of balance.

"I think, on a practical level, the reason why I tend to do various different styles is the amount of energy that I put into making any one of these albums is, frankly, so much that when I'm finished, I just don't wanna hear that style anymore," he explained. "So what tends to happen is the next thing I do is very different, just because I love music so much and I love to create so much, but I get sick of it. Working 'Deconstruction' or 'Lightwork' or 'The Puzzle' or 'Ziltoid' or anything, STRAPPING [YOUNG LAD] or any of that stuff, by the time I've finished that record, I wanna be as far away from that sound for the next thing I that do [as I can get]."

Devin released his latest album, "Lightwork", on October 28. Assembled from a barrage of material written during the pandemic, the LP — and its companion album of B-sides and demos, "Nightwork" — represents Devin at this stage of his life, post pandemic, and his reflections on what he (and many of us) all gone through.

For "Lightwork", Devin decided to see what would happen if he included a producer (an experiment he has been excited to attempt for some time) to help guide this selection of material. He chose longtime friend Garth "GGGarth" Richardson to help bring this idea to fruition.

Devin began his professional career straight out of high school when he was discovered by a record label and asked to provide lead vocals on Steve Vai's album "Sex & Religion". After touring and recording with Vai, Townsend became discouraged by what he found in the music industry and went on to produce several solo albums under the pseudonym STRAPPING YOUNG LAD. Since then, Devin has recorded many more successful albums and performed all over the world.

"I've rarely done the same things twice," Townsend previously said, "but as I've grown as a musician, one of the things I've learned is that it should be possible to make different genres 'play ball' with each other while illustrating a common theme."

Devin will embark on a European headline tour in early 2023.