Dev, you said in a previous post that Ziltoid was not as funny as it seems. After reading that, I listened to 'Color Your World' and thought of how it may have attributed to your burnout and was wondering if I was hitting a homer or a swing and miss. Before the arpeggio (which in my opinion, is one of the most beautiful musical pieces ever), the lyrics discuss you conceding to life to do what is needed, and how life is nothing but bodies. This whole first half of the song, was it about how you feel that the weight of the record companies and maybe things in your personal life keep lying to you and lying ON you for support? Who's the weakest now? Did that whole section refer to you feeling that you had finally beaten the public or business demands of a musician?
Then the arpeggio part is what mainly hit it for me. The lyrics there imo, seem to suggest that your burnout was attributed not just to how you felt, but how others felt about you being gone to tour and record all the time. You tell the said individuals to say you're wasting your life and your time so you can stop doing it for a while, or "tune out". Am I right or no?

i deleted this message. It was stupid.

Wow, I can't even believe what an invasive question that is.

Even if it is about that, why do you think you're entitled to ask? Take your own meaning from the songs. You don't need to understand the exact mindset of the person who wrote the song at the time of writing. I think the not knowing adds to the appreciation, because if you don't get a definitive explanation for the poetry you analyse; its meanings change with your life.

Wow, I can't even believe you're being such a douche.

I was just asking a simple question. It depends on the person being asked whether they feel it's invasive or not, so speak for yourself when asked. I would have no problem answering a question like that if I was asked.

Yeah, I'm of the opinion that it's a pretty elaborate question. Put yourself in what I assume is Dev's position. Load of retards on his message forum asking idiotic, prying crap which I'm sure he doesn't want to have to answer. He might come here more often if he didn't feel like he was having to ignore the garbage people like you spew.

Seriously, first the "question about your finances" now the "question about your brain". Accountants and thought-stealers? Give over, seriously. I'm not trying to pretend I even remotely know his opinion on all the "Attn: Devin Townsend" threads, but I know that if I or anyone I've ever met were a famous recording artist and there were prats like you asking me questions like those, I'd be supressing the urge to shout NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS every time somebody asked me something so nosy and rude.

I'd imagine he's too nice to do that. As well as the fact that I'm sure he appreciates the fact that you listen to so respectfully and analyse so deeply the music he composes.

You're right about me being a douche though. I've wet a fair few pussies in my day.

Personally speaking, I don't see what is wrong with the question. If I had the time to answer (Assuming obviously I was in Devs shoes,) I probably would answer it.

And if I was in Devs shoes, and I didn't like it, well then I guess I'd just ignore it?

Dev said awhile ago hes not been posting much cause hes busy with Addicted (If that is the one hes working on next, I'm just guessing so) Moving house, and other things.

I'm sure just a simple question like this wouldn't drive him away. I mean, he probably gets tons of them anyway, so what's another to just glance over?

With the time he's spent in the industry, I'd take a guess that he probably knows he can answer the questions he likes, and not answer the ones he finds "stupid"

It's better than asking what his favourite type of cheese or something is. (In my personal opinion, maybe he actually loves cheese! I don't know. )

I'd answer it, if the mood struck me. None of us can ever really fathom what anyone is really thinking without persoanlly knowing them on a very deep level. So, fair enough, Zyprexa, the question may be annoying to you, and other people as well, but it is no doubt asked in innocense and curiosity, not someone trying to delve into the very mind-scape of Dev and discover and steal his being.

Chill out, man. Anger isn't the only path we can follow when presented with that which we find no pleasure.

These queries often delve into intimate aspects of Devin's life, which I'm sure he'd prefer to not have to discuss with complete strangers. If you want to be his buddy, that's great; being friends is something that should happen organically and forcing yourself on him like a fanboy isn't the way to do it.

what's another to just glance over?

I'm sick of glancing over them. I used to mostly lurk; I liked reading the content because I wanted to get updates about Dev's projects and find out the news. The userbase seemed a bit intimidating so I didn't bother to post. Now I feel like I'm the most hostile person on this dump. In the last six months there has been an unprecedented influx of spammers. If I want any information I have to trawl through reams of rubbish and "OMG LOL"s to find it.

Fair enough, general discussion threads are there for frivolous banter; I like those picturey random thoughtsy sort of threads too. But why do the proper Dev discussion forums have to be full of trillions of ridiculous threads like this, asking him about his thoughts and feelings, psychological stability, drug use, family life, future hopes, monetary setup, just because he periodically pops up and posts? It's not like I go around tut tutting while I'm here, it's just when they're so blatant, "QUESTION FOR DEV"-esque, it bothers me and I bitch. Fucking PM him if you think your question is so relevant and pressing.

Perhaps we should have one thread where a press conference setup is adopted. It would certainly cut down on the amount of shit threads for me to rage over.

Anger isn't the only path we can follow when presented with that which we find no pleasure.

I invariably find that complacency is a worthless compromise.

If you find them annoying, then why look? Surely that is just feeding your anger?

And I never said be complacent. You simply went directly into negative mode. Have you never wanted to know more about someone you thought of as an interesting person? Dev recently posted alot, so of course that encouraged alot of people to post asking him questions - And he answered a few of them, as well. The ones that were just as if not more personal than this one were not always ignored.

And if you want to ask Dev a question, where else would you ask? This is the place to discuss Devin Townsend, where he frequents most, and is known to post at. If you want a chance at being heard by him, then here it is. Yes, if there were a thread dedicated to Dev quetsions, then I would be slightly annoyed that they are here - But there isn't, and like all people we strive to be seen and heard by our betters, or to hear the opinions and thoughts of those we respect. You're reacting in a volatile way to a normal human condition.

And now I suppose I'm being volatile towards you. I apologiese. I'll leave this thread be.

When I want to know something about Dev, I look it up and draw my own conclusions. If it's worth knowing, it will presumably have been addressed in the past. If not, then it's probably more personal than is relevant to me. This "question" (and most of the others like it) isn't so much of an enquiry as it is a critical analysis of something - in this case it's Colour Your World. They're often (presumably) an attention-seeking gesture. Like you said, an attempt to be "seen or heard". I think it's pretty disrespectful to expect information like that, especially if it's just a pathetic means of being noticed.

I abhor it when people slobber over celebrity; at the end of the day Dev seems to be a regular guy who wants to write music, make money and express something; not unlike a lot of other people in the world. OK, he does it in a way that makes everybody here absolutely idolize him (understandably); but that doesn't entitle anyone to dissect him. Or so I think. He's an artist, not some sort of specimen in a tank that you scrutinize down to the last shred of dignity.

I had a choice in the response to my annoyance; either to react and express myself ("volatility"? I would've said opposition. But then again, I'm a Nazi of the English language) or to disregard it. Hostile:Complacent. Seems like a reasonable comparison to me. Unless you can conceive a middle ground.

(In my personal opinion, maybe he actually loves cheese! I don't know. )

Parenthetically, he likes processed or smoked Gouda.

Zyprexa, I don't want to insult you or anything, that's not my aim. But how you compose your sentances sometimes can be considered as rather hostile.

I'm not saying, don't say how you feel. If you're angry about something, you have the right to express that, but maybe think a bit more about what you say might be percieved, if you don't want to be seen as a hostile person. And if you don't care how you are pericieved, then whatever, I guess people will just have to take what you say with a pinch of salt.

Devin is an artist, but I think people here treat him as such. I certainly do not think he is ripped of his dignity. I'm sure if he turned around and said "Hey peeps, don't talk/ask abotu that kinda schtick" then we'd all happily oblige. But as to my knowledge, there isn't such, so people are naturally curious as to how his mind works. Some artists are completely open about there mind, and some are not. Whatever Dev decides to be is upto him. And if he doesn't want us asking questions, I'm sure he'll say so. But until that point, people will ask. It's just how people are.

I think losing all dignity would be if (For example, best one I can think of off the top of my head) this whole Jady Goody crap happened with Dev. That's exploitation, invasion, etc etc. (I know she brought a fair bit of it on herself, but the media aren't any better.)

It's not like anyone here is trying to find out infomation to destroy his career, (I highly doubt it anyway, there'd be no profit in it I imagine. It's not like Devs and A-lister.) I

It's just a little curiosity, we wouldn't learn without it, it's an important part of development. Fair enough if you keep your curiosity inside, people explore it in different ways, but it doesn't mean you need to potentially be hostile to other peole, because theythink differently from what you do.

Again, no offence to you. I know nothing about you, and how you work, I'm purely going by what you've said, and how I react/feel/whatever to that. I know what you say on the web, might not be a reflection on you as a person, so I'd have no right to judge you on "right" or "wrong."

I'm not offended; frankly I find it hilarious that my sentence structure means that people see me as hostile. All I have is words, I'm probably harmless.
React away.

I think the fact that most of the questions are stupid and irrelevant is implied by the fact that Devin didn't respond to them. Then again there's been such a tirade of enquiries since Dev began posting that no human being could possibly be expected to reply to them all. It's not that I think they're trying to "destroy his career", it's just that it would probably be more respectful of people to keep a dignified distance unless they have a spiffy question (about production or technical aspects of music), which doesn't involve him delving into the complexities of his psyche.

To reiterate, Google is your friend.

Zyprexa, if you find the questions stupid or irrelevant, simply ignore them and be thankful they're not directed towards you. It's not worth fretting over.

I think losing all dignity would be if (For example, best one I can think of off the top of my head) this whole Jady Goody crap happened with Dev. That's exploitation, invasion, etc etc. (I know she brought a fair bit of it on herself, but the media aren't any better.)

He's already got the hair...

These days we have the marvels of the internet which enables us to have physical contact with our idols. It's amazing! Naturally people have a million questions for all of these guys (on another band forum I'm on, the singer posts for the first time in 2 years just to wish someone all the best for their wedding day, then a bunch of people registered and started posting threads or posting in his thread asking a load of random questions!). You can't redicule these people, cause I guess we're all kinda like that. But at the end of the day, if they don't want to answer the question, they don't have to!

Zyprexa, if you find the questions stupid or irrelevant, simply ignore them and be thankful they're not directed towards you. It's not worth fretting over.

Exactly. Someone has a question for Dev, he's going to post it here. Dev can figure out for himself if he's going to answer it, and how. And you making a fuzz is not going to stop the next guy from asking a question, no matter how questionable the matter is in your opinion.

I can't say I'm happy with all those pointless "Hey Dev" threads, but I'm not going to make a big deal out of it.