Hey guys...
I've been a fan of Dev for since my last year of highschool in 1998. City blew my mind - still does. Then Infinity made me piss my pants. Guess I could relate to my hero so much given the fact that I have a mental illness. Not bipolar, but the other equally scary one that causes auditory and visual hallucinations. Being medicated for how long and living with it, makes you more "self-aware" of your own thoughts, feelings and emotions. Also, being hyper-sensitive to F*CKING EVERYTHING can make life a little difficult to understand and grasp at times and confuse the living shit out of me. I guess I used Devin as a shelter and guide in life in general - and an emotional outlet. At 34, looking back I guess I just didn't have the balls to creatively expel all that emotion into an art like Dev has. But I can honestly say, I survived and thrived in parts. Mostly, through lots of psychotherapy, experimentation with reality and of course a heavy dose of Devin Townsend.
I'm still scared shitless about reality, but sort of come complacent with the fact that well, life is life. We're awake, or either we're asleep. There's a myriad of different experiences to be had at any one time, I've chosen to ignore 99% of them, otherwise I feel like I'm the middle of the Coliseum, naked with 10 lions at every exit facing me. I can relate to the fact that I was "Forcefed" to this world, by reality and all the shits and giggles that go with it. I've seen some fucked up things that could turn a black man white, even been on a Demon-killing spree in the Forest, in my jocks, at 3AM after smoking a considerable amount of marijuana. I've tried and failed at religion. (I tried damn hard, too). There's no black and white, everything is a mixture of shades of grey. Life is just an experience. We either choose to ride it out, or we can put up a damn fight and experience a lot of friction and get chaffing as you get kicked down the hallway and your arse skids across the floor.
I have a drawing in our living room I got from a girl for my 21st birthday. Part of it states "Why am I blessed and cursed to hear colour and see sound?" And that my friend, is the nuance of my existence. (And all the distractions that go with it, and get in the way.)
/rant over.
Anyway....
I was a member of this forum a long time ago, and I think it went down for a while, and I forgot about it. (That was years ago). I actually remember saying a comment about the "Life" film clip, and how I didn't like it or something, and Tracey out of all people responded, and I think I accidentally insulted her!
I've met Devin 3 or 4 times, got all my shit signed, and I'm really gutted I missed Casualties of Cool on vinyl. (I think I spent like 8 weeks just listening to it non-stop). Looks like I missed out on the Z2 vinyl releases, too. Does anyone know where I can go on a notification list about Devin's releases so I DON'T F*CKING MISS OUT ON THEM AGAIN?! lol.
I'm a friendly and approachable guy, and although my introduction may seem a little crazy, it's not all like that. I've got a sneaking suspicion that this community kinda embraces that sort of eccentric style anyways...
Peace!
