^^ Ha yeah good advice.

I can only imagine he's not the kind of person to get pissed at you if you're a bit star struck. I can't just see saying 'fuck off' and walking away... just doesn't seem right. I bet he's a nice guy. But what do I know?

You know what would happen?

I would blush for days. I blush really easily, and I would turn beet-red, and forget what I was trying to say because I'd be so aware of how flushed I was. Then my hands would get all sweaty, and if he tried to shake my hand or something, I'd put my hand my my sleeve before shaking, and he'd think I was a freak...




*whew* It would just all be bad

I was very lucky........ And please forgive......

I was in a record store one year, looking at this album artwork of a bloody feather in a lovely blood red background behind a sheet of glass. I remember that day I went to school and asked many people for a single dollar, to buy this album of which I knew absolutely nothing. I was fortunate enough to get this album, later to think of it as something my dad would listen to (who is also into Rat, Journey, Kiss, ect.) and disregarded it.

Some time later I picked up the Alien album and my view changed completely. I found myself looking backwards at Devin's SYL.... career if you will, and finding that I could relate more and more as I grew. Life spit me around a little bit and I found myself in Bend(over) Oregon staring at a lovely billboard stating "THURS: STRAPPING YOUNG LAD, FRI: BRIAN SEGAL" and had this very strong feeling to be there that day. (Mind you my love for Devin's work over the years grew and grew).

I find myself the first in line at this small venue called the Domino Room, which only 100 people showed up to. I'm sitting there, hours before the show is even scheduled, and I hear the magical voice of Strapping coming out from the door. Warm-up! YES! I feel my heartbeat increase as I know the time is coming where I will finally get to see something special. The bouncer comes out of the door, and like any fan, I ask "Hey, they need any help with anything?" The bouncer looked at me and laughed a little and said "Unless you know where they can shower around here, I know most of the guys smell" and laughs a bit more. Lucky for me, Bend is a very small town and we lived right around the corner.

The dude walks back into the venue to ask if any members of SYL need a shower..... During this time, I can't believe the possibility of actually being able to meet a band that has influenced me so much.... Expecting to see Devin and Jed and Byron and Gene come out, only Jed and some dude from Century Media come with us to shower at MY house.....

I ride with Jed, talking about fishing, Zimmer's Hole, and other projects of interest, as well as career paths, until we get back to my place. The CM dude gets in the shower first, and takes a 45 minute shower. Then Jed. The conversation was priceless. After a few photos we drove them back to the show. Now there is a line going and we went from first to last, or so I thought. This is a lesson in "what goes around comes around". We express hospitality, and in return, Jed goes walking into the bus, comes back out and opens the door and yells "Do you guys want in?"

We all go rushing past all of these jealous faces staring at us as we climb onto the tour bus. This is the first and only tour bus I've ever been on.

Hoping the time is right there..... RIGHT THERE! There he is, Devin Townsend, pacing on the tour bus as me and my friends get on. But instead of Devin doing what I've heard about so long ago, hanging and talking, Devin must have been having a tough day (From what I heard he wasn't too happy about touring Ozzfest) and got off the bus only saying "Hey guys hows it going, I'm hungry, I'll be back" and walked off.......

I got to thinking, Devin Townsend is walking around Bend alone, but I couldn't do anything about it.

I remember in the 20 minutes we were on the bus, Jed fed me 5 beers? I think it was five, I just remember I couldn't stand easily after that (I'm a lightweight, I was 18 at the time as well).

Byron was stuffing his face with a salad and then a pizza if I remember correctly, which made me laugh.

After watching the first few local bands play (This was an off day for ozzfest) SYL came on stage.... Full of, well full of.... It was nice....

At the show I kept glaring at Devin, who after noticing me a few times, finally bent over and put his ass in my face, which made me laugh so hard I almost cried. At the show as well, someone lit off a stinkbomb, and I'm sure you can think of the responses. I also go my ass kicked, and not in a mosh, someone choked me down and threw me on the ground, kicked me, kicked me, kicked me more and then let me up. I think Jed saw it because he was looking at me when I got back up. Instead of doing anything I figured I was at an SYL show, just have fun, and I did continue on with the pain and the headbanging. They put me out of the venue when the guys did it to me again, but I just came right back in when I realized I wasn't watching SYL and they were still playing.

When they were getting off the stage and walking to the tour bus I realized how tall Devin is haha. A few guys rushed up on Dev and started tugging at his shirt and telling him hes a god and what not, so he got on the tour bus and never returned. Jed explained to me what was up with that a little and gave us free teeshirts.

Was the best night of my life.

I come to find out after ozzfest he quits touring.


I was really lucky.

Having the crap kicked outta you for meeting Devin and the guys...

The envy I feel. xD

Nah, i kid, it sounds awesome. A shame Devin was feeling so broody, but I suppose he hd more than fair enough reasons.

Yeah no joke, but I do live in Oregon which is a couple hour drive from Vancouver B.C., and I hear he might have a few shows soon. I WILL be there,.

^^ Ha yeah good advice.

I can only imagine he's not the kind of person to get pissed at you if you're a bit star struck. I can't just see saying 'fuck off' and walking away... just doesn't seem right. I bet he's a nice guy. But what do I know?

You know what would happen?

I would blush for days. I blush really easily, and I would turn beet-red, and forget what I was trying to say because I'd be so aware of how flushed I was. Then my hands would get all sweaty, and if he tried to shake my hand or something, I'd put my hand my my sleeve before shaking, and he'd think I was a freak...




*whew* It would just all be bad

Haha, yeah he seems like a fair enough guy. I'm sure he'd get more annoyed if you started crying trying to hug him or something

But yeah all those symptoms are what I get, but I haven't had a bad response yet. I still blush after meeting a few people years later. Maybe we just get embarrassed to easily huh? haha

I would say plan what you want to say in advance, but I always forget. But hey it might work for you

I tried to plan what to say when I met my favorite musician, but when it came crunch time, it was him who naught knew what to say!

What a cool story - you were lucky. Jeez. Odd, I had the same compulsion and drive to buy an SYL album I knew nothing about also. I walked into the store, was drawn to the metal section, picked it up and bought it. Weird.

At the part below: WTF?

I also go my ass kicked, and not in a mosh, someone choked me down and threw me on the ground, kicked me, kicked me, kicked me more and then let me up. I think Jed saw it because he was looking at me when I got back up. Instead of doing anything I figured I was at an SYL show, just have fun, and I did continue on with the pain and the headbanging. They put me out of the venue when the guys did it to me again, but I just came right back in when I realized I wasn't watching SYL and they were still playing.

Fucking boys - I don't understand you people sometimes But seriously, why did someone randomly beat on you? At least you took it in stride. I don't think I would have been so ok with it

You know what would happen?

I would blush for days. I blush really easily, and I would turn beet-red, and forget what I was trying to say because I'd be so aware of how flushed I was. Then my hands would get all sweaty, and if he tried to shake my hand or something, I'd put my hand my my sleeve before shaking, and he'd think I was a freak...

*whew* It would just all be bad

Haha, yeah he seems like a fair enough guy. I'm sure he'd get more annoyed if you started crying trying to hug him or something

But yeah all those symptoms are what I get, but I haven't had a bad response yet. I still blush after meeting a few people years later. Maybe we just get embarrassed to easily huh? haha

I would say plan what you want to say in advance, but I always forget. But hey it might work for you

Ugh - criers. Criers are really annoying - I mean, what do you say or do to someone who's so worked up about just seeing you, that they start crying?! What can you even say to someone like that?! And grabby people suck too. No one likes being groped on (well, some people do I guess). But it seems like the best thing to do it just act normally, treat the person like a regular person, and express gratitude eloquently.

I shouldn't talk though. I never know what to say to important people. I just stand there smiling.


Oh! and blushing.

I saw strapping with arch enemy at the manchester academy in....manchester. I was stood with a few people I knew on the left side of the floor about halfway down. All of a sudden Gene walks past and everyone is putting their hands out for a shake. I was fortunate enough to get a handshake and a nod
After the show I was sat in the venue bar and gene kind of 'strolled' past and me and the girl I was with just sat there and stared like

That's the closest I've come to them hehe. Iv'e never seen Devin live with his own stuff or anything. I got into Dev just after AE and SYL came out. Literally the day the tour with Zimmer's was in manchester. I read about it in a magazine the same night I bought the AE and SYL albums, which happened to be the same night they were playing. I was gutted.

I saw strapping with arch enemy at the manchester academy in....manchester. I was stood with a few people I knew on the left side of the floor about halfway down. All of a sudden Gene walks past and everyone is putting their hands out for a shake. I was fortunate enough to get a handshake and a nod
After the show I was sat in the venue bar and gene kind of 'strolled' past and me and the girl I was with just sat there and stared like

That's the closest I've come to them hehe. Iv'e never seen Devin live with his own stuff or anything. I got into Dev just after AE and SYL came out. Literally the day the tour with Zimmer's was in manchester. I read about it in a magazine the same night I bought the AE and SYL albums, which happened to be the same night they were playing. I was gutted.

Gene gave me the nod as well, but little to my knowledge, there was a chick with huge tits hanging out walking behind me, which ended our conversation.

Also, the guys that beat me, according to some people after the show, beat me because they thought I was raping my girlfriend, who was in the front, and I was just warping my arms around her to show her that I was there....

The same guy that kicked my ass was the one leaning over the stage and pointing in Devin's face, and everytime Devin looked at the set list, the dude would point at the song he was going to play..... The same fucker stole the set list at the end...... Fucker.