zappa sold over 60 million albums. Sheik Yerbouti did more than 2 million alone. How would you define mainstream success?

There is no limit on an artist's potential for success, as long as the product is marketed well and hype doesn't lull. While I'm obviously being biased, I think he will be very successful in Europe and the UK (aside it being pretty easy to cover most of Europe in the same amount of time a N.A tour takes, we love weird things!) and hopefully Retinal will be an introduction to things to come. He wants big budget productions, which cannot be done if you're an underground artist. I'm guessing the reason SYL folded when they did was not because he didn't want the fame; but because he didn't want the fame for THAT.

Also, hi Jasper!

Plus, unlike SYL, Devin can release pretty much anything he wants under his solo moniker, so there's more creative freedom.

zappa sold over 60 million albums. Sheik Yerbouti did more than 2 million alone. How would you define mainstream success?

That is a wildly successful musical career. But, go poll 100 people and I would bet that less than 20% could name one album much less one song. So, I would define *mainstream* success as being well-known by a majority of people. Having songs in the Top 100 for any length of time would also be mainstream success. I see one song in the 1970's and one in the 1980's that were in the charts.

I am not trying to say Zappa wasn't successful. He was prolific, influential, and made a living as a professional musician for more than four decades. He released a shit ton of music in a variety of genres. The man was amazingly successful. But, he operated on the fringes of the industry and the majority of people have no clue who he was or the impact he had. In a way, we have to admit that Zappa gave us Devin, in a way, since it was Zappa that helped a young Stevie Vai get his start who in turn took a young Devin Townsend under his wing. So, Zappa is like a musical grandfather to Hevy Devy. Many artists would kill to have his level of success, I am sure. But, he was not a mainstream success, in my opinion.

Anyway, I love the career that Dev is having and, as Lettuce has pointed out, this is exactly the career he wants to be having. I don't think I would wish fame on him, though, or even riches. Having a lot of money and success comes with its own problems. To me, it looks like Dev has a sweet spot right here, getting to put on the shows and record the music he likes to do.

I'm totally jealous of those or you in Europe that will get to see the Retinal Circus. I am lucky to have seen Devin twice now but, you folks in the Old Country are getting all the cool shit.

There is no limit on an artist's potential for success, as long as the product is marketed well and hype doesn't lull. While I'm obviously being biased, I think he will be very successful in Europe and the UK (aside it being pretty easy to cover most of Europe in the same amount of time a N.A tour takes, we love weird things!) and hopefully Retinal will be an introduction to things to come. He wants big budget productions, which cannot be done if you're an underground artist. I'm guessing the reason SYL folded when they did was not because he didn't want the fame; but because he didn't want the fame for THAT.

Also, hi Jasper!

I'm sure Devin could have a larger draw in N.A. if he only got the right exposure. He'll never be as big in N.A. as he could be in the UK or Europe, but he could be doing much better than he is, for sure. The DTP on a late night talk show would be immense.

However, the only way to really make it big in the U.S. is to have your own sitcom or reality show. It's too bad Devin really isn't as crazy as people think he is. If he really was the bi-polar mad genius with a puppet fixation that many people believe him to be, it would make for some great entertainment.

[Octillus]

Let's not forget that the music scene out here is just... different.

Unless you made it in the 90's or earlier, you don't make it now by being earnest. Heavier music tends to not do very well unless it strikes a chord with the hot topic set, and even all of those bands have been around in the limelight for a decade.


It just is what it is.

I don't think he's interested in fame per se, just enough exposure to pay the bills and have the financial (and creative) freedom to make the albums he wants and to put on epic, spectacular shows. I don't think his type of music can ever become mainstream but he does deserve the same level of moderate popularity as any other metal band. unfortunately, metal in general just isn't that big in the states, unless it's numetal or stuff like slipknot.

It's all just Pop, Rap, Nu-metal and older rock and metal bands here. Oh how I wish I was born in London...
Edit: But yet again, all of my favorite bands do tour around that area frequently and Devy does so many shows there each year, I would not have money for anything else!

Yeah, it's all the same mainstream shit in Wisconsin/Minnesota, but Minneapolis is becoming quite the hotbed not just for metal, but pretty much every genre (including shitty bro music, but that's everywhere). There's a lot of jazz clubs and all sorts of other shit. And Devin was in the area three times in the 2nd half of 2011.

London does smell of piss though. There is that.

London does smell of piss though. There is that.

Massive Air Freshener..

You don't realise it does until you return from another city and suddenly it hits you and you mutter "pisssssssssssss....."

If the management team could pull some strings to get Devy on some big festivals around here, that could get him some exposure. It seems that proggy shit may take the place of core-y shit in the near future as the next popular form of metal. Especially with bands like Periphery recently gaining some notoriety (even though it's mostly 'djent').

Official release date is September 18th for N Am and September 24th for Europe but anyone attending the Epic Kings & Idols tour in the US will be able to either pre-purchase a signed CD + GA ticket bundle, have a signed CD included in the VIP package or simply buy an unsigned copy at the merch stand. Tour starts September 4th so that's two weeks before the official release in the US. Only the standard jewel case will be on sale earlier so Limited Edition 2CD and vinyl won't be on sale until official release dates.

Oh hi there! You wouldn't be the same Jasper from the Opeth forums, would you?

[swervedriver]

Sales would probably rocket if Dev started wearing skintight jeans.