Hey Dev, first of all, thanks if you're reading this,second, sorry if this question bothers you or if you don't like to talk about it, sorry again.
I don't like to look to much about the personal life of the people who influenced me somehow, but i type Devin Townsend the other day and checked your"wikipedia" biography. It says that early in your music career your music was qualified as "just noise" and your work was treated bad by the record companies (like the one who offer you a deal just for you to sing in the Vai's album, and after you went out the Vai's band the deal was canceled). And i found once in youtube an interview where you said that when people said you where a freak you pulled your head down and maked another record.
So my question in concrete is, how could you take that treatment? This is not an interview or something made to offend you or to know about your personal life, i just wanted to ask 'cause something similar happens to me and with the answer i may find some kind of advice that can help me to move on.

I don't know the answer...

But jeez, if I could make an album everyone I was called a freak, I'd be a well accomplished musician by now

[The Dev]

Yo man!

Nah, doesn't bother me too much. I'm pretty arrogant when it comes to my music...I'm usually confused when people hate on something that I know is good (Ziltoid?)

I think to be true to myself, I have to always remember that it's for ME first, I hear the stuff as a soundtrack to a particular moment in time. It's like events of emotional significance are regelated certain phrases and frequencies that appear later to document that. SO it has to be done a CERTAIN way...if people don't like it, that totally makes sense...personal taste etc. But to say it was just noise when clearly it was meant to be that way doesn't bother me too much...I'm an arrogant prick that way

Obviously, things change over time, I listen to much of the old stuff and consider it 'practice', emotionally, sonically, mix wise etc...but it's good to practice on your own stuff, good incentive to do your best if an arrogant prick ye be.

Everything I've done, save for Physicist and SYL (self titled) were 82-98% exactly the way they were intended. They would sound differnet if I did them now of course (no adats, thank god...) I think Phys would have been a pretty cool one with better mix and production, but spilt milk you know? ...that in itself documented the time. Self titled was more of the other guys record...I wrote the majority of it, but lyrically and performance wise, I was very disconnected...I was predisposed with AE, which got into the high 80's.

When people say 'Ki is boring and simple, you've lost it' I think...um, no... rather than a crushing sense of defeat.
But again, different strokes, it seems like the people who I WANT to listen, overall get from it what I do.

Thanks for asking...fuck em if they can't take a joke.

lol @ Dev 420th post

I really liked the way Physicist sounded like I know it wasn't mixed perfectly but I think it added to the sound like in Planet Rain the echoey feel with the drums and airy guitar I really loved it made me feel like I was travelling through space

Fuck what record companies think i mean they think a musical genius is fucking Kanye West... enough said

A big part is like Dev said arrogance fuck em its what us metalheads live for piss of wanks

Hey thanks very much for the answer Dev, believe it or not, it was a fucking good advice. Thank you, really, no joke.
And thanks for not being pissed off (too much) 'cause i know is a really personal issue, so, thanks again.

PS: Don't listen to the Ki reviews, some people understand some things, some not, not everybody can understand the relativity theory don't you think?
And, the last thing, maybe Phys didn't like you too much, but Kingdom to me is the hymn of my life, so you maybe didn't want to do that record as it finally was released, but know about it, it did mean something to anyone
Hails

Fuck what record companies think i mean they think a musical genius is fucking Kanye West... enough said

A gay fish?

Fuck what record companies think i mean they think a musical genius is fucking Kanye West... enough said

A gay fish?

haha!! please stop!
thats the funniest moment i ever seen in SP...

Yo man!

Nah, doesn't bother me too much. I'm pretty arrogant when it comes to my music...I'm usually confused when people hate on something that I know is good (Ziltoid?)

I think to be true to myself, I have to always remember that it's for ME first, I hear the stuff as a soundtrack to a particular moment in time. It's like events of emotional significance are regelated certain phrases and frequencies that appear later to document that. SO it has to be done a CERTAIN way...if people don't like it, that totally makes sense...personal taste etc. But to say it was just noise when clearly it was meant to be that way doesn't bother me too much...I'm an arrogant prick that way

Obviously, things change over time, I listen to much of the old stuff and consider it 'practice', emotionally, sonically, mix wise etc...but it's good to practice on your own stuff, good incentive to do your best if an arrogant prick ye be.

Everything I've done, save for Physicist and SYL (self titled) were 82-98% exactly the way they were intended. They would sound differnet if I did them now of course (no adats, thank god...) I think Phys would have been a pretty cool one with better mix and production, but spilt milk you know? ...that in itself documented the time. Self titled was more of the other guys record...I wrote the majority of it, but lyrically and performance wise, I was very disconnected...I was predisposed with AE, which got into the high 80's.

When people say 'Ki is boring and simple, you've lost it' I think...um, no... rather than a crushing sense of defeat.
But again, different strokes, it seems like the people who I WANT to listen, overall get from it what I do.

Thanks for asking...fuck em if they can't take a joke.

Dev, if your earlier stuff was practice.....then you are really reaaallly good at practicing! Esp. the Christeen (demo?) EP....I cracked up when I got that in '99 and it said "plus four demos" on the front. Ha! So is Ki practice for Addicted, Decon. and the ambient record? If so, sign me up.......

I feel you on the people who you WANT to listen thing. I find I relegate my personal solo material to a few friends, family,.....and if anyone else likes it along the way, bonus! But as far as my band is concerned.....EVERYONE gets it, because we are just showing off the whole time.....so its a big "whoa, check that out" fest. At the end of the day, I get a nice big ego stroke, but my heart isn't TRUELY there.

Also, I wanted to share another positive opinion on the Physicist album. Sure, it isn't the best production....but for THAT material (pun intended), I think it is perfect. Esp. the gallop verse in "Victim". Physicist was gray in color right? I think you nailed it.

Dan

Dev, if your earlier stuff was practice.....then you are really reaaallly good at practicing!

I'll second that, "Ass-Sordid Demos II" is one of my top players of his! As my friend Shreddie Kruger (notice the spelling) once said: "Why is it people only make these ripping shred-fests when they're young, then make chordal stuff when they're 40?" Personally, i call it a mix 'twixt angst to begin with and maturation to end, but he's the shredder and I'm the Wagnerite, so I guess you can guess how often we're at odds in this sense.

PS: People don't like Ziltoid? Maybe I'm just new here, as I'm used to being the one to introduce Devin to my friends, but no-one I've given it to hated it...some found it funny but too heavy, some found it heavy but too funny, and I loved Marvin hating the musical he was in, but disliking it? Maybe these guys need to listen to some Coil, Venetian Snares, or Stalaggh to open their heads a bit in regards to musical structuring...

And as for people disliking "Ki", well they obviously must hate my mate Pink as well. I guess it's understandable after that movement of his, but still, I'm quite surprised if the DTB lovers are in the same camp as the SYL lovers that just want metal all the time. Yeah, that was a sweeping generalisation, but I'm basing it on the fact that all my "x-core" friends like SYL but can't listen to three bars of clean guitar. Maybe I'm digressing here...

tl;dr? - Shredders shred 'cause they were young and angry metalheads, some learn later that it's the space between the notes that matters. Those that don't are normally scared of Gilmour.