Dan's strange comment about Arjen Lucassen and Devin Townsend

[batmura]

I read in a translated interview done in December 2004 that Dan said something along the lines of, "I don't really want to work anyone else from the music business. Everyone says I should work with Arjen Lucassen or Devin Townsend, but I don't see why. Why should there be more than one brain on one album?"

This kind of seems so un-Dan to me. Dan has already sung on Arjen's Star One project before. He just did the vocals. It's not like he's some kind of a control freak or anything. He's worked with Opeth as well. It's not like Dan is the kind of guy who wants to write everything or have 100% creative project on EVERY disc he contributes to. Well someone like Devin Townsend is different. Devin won't sing on anyone's album unless he himself writes the music, lyrics and melodies. But Dan always seemed different to me. He even plays a couple of licks on demo bands' releases and everything.

So I'd like to think the interview is either mistranslated or misunderstood. Could Dan confirm/refuse whether he really made that kind of a statement? The people on the site are thinking that he might have given this answer when he was high or drunk, which again seems UN-Dan Swano-ish to me.

Hey Dan, got any words to say about this? Or anyone else from this board?

For the record, I'd love to see Dan sing on a future Ayreon release or do something together with Devin or Pain of Salvation in whatever capacity, be it production, engineering or just adding his unique touch to the songs. His impact would make all these amazing musicians even more brilliant in my opinion.

Comments?

 

[L0bster]

I think he ment writing-wise.
He have performed on Arjens "Star One" album, and Arjen has performed on his "Alive Again", which I think both enjoyd, but as much as that he obviously doesn't want to share the writing part with some other biggie in the prog-genre.

 

[Master_Debater]

Devin Townsend's brilliant and awesome and all, but I hear he's difficult to work with.

 

[Naglfar]

Dan just likes to write and perform his own music, that's all. I've heard him comment somewhere (I think it was that long interview that a thread here links to) that he doesn't really listen to much music other than his own. I'm not personally a musician but my brother is (he plays prog rock, too), and it seems the same way for him. I don't hear him listening to other bands very much anymore. I can't even remember the last time I heard him listening to someone else's music, unless it was driving around in his car.

It could very much be that Dan is a music Nazi and he eschews other people's music, but I doubt that. If you're constantly composing songs in your head all day, why would you pollute that with other music?

 

[Mountain Dew]

Devin won't sing on anyone's album unless he himself writes the music, lyrics and melodies.

I'm pretty sure that isn't true. Devin did some vocals for Soilwork in the song "Black Star Deceiver" and don't forget the whole singing for Steve Vai thing...

 

[BenMech]

I'm pretty sure that isn't true. Devin did some vocals for Soilwork in the song "Black Star Deceiver" and don't forget the whole singing for Steve Vai thing...

The fallout FROM the Vai year is why Devin won't work with other people's writings.

Steve wrote this very hairmetal AOR religiously based album of Sex and Religion.

Vai fans HATED the album (their loss), and blamed the ew element (Devin). This resulted in Devy going into the poorhouse, and depression and frustration and anger, leading into the creation of Heavy As A Really Heavy Thing

 

[Metal88]

Dan's comments make sense to me. Dan, Devin, and Arjen are all brilliant composers. In what ways would you envision them cooperating? They are all controlers. Usually there isn't room for more than one talent as big as these guys on a disc. Look at Bloodbath, for example. Lots of talent but each genius wrote their own songs.

 

[batmura]

Mountain Dew:

It was Devin's cooperation with Vai and then his subsequent contributions to several other bands' releases that got to him and he decided NOT to sing on ANYONE's music again. Arjen himself told me so and Devin says that as well. He only gave in when Arjen allowed him total creative freedom on the Ayreon disc.

As for Dan, I can see he wants to write his own music, but he DIDN'T write anything on Star One, and yet he still did the vocals. He DIDN'T write anything on the first two Opeth discs either. What I'm saying is, Dan has worked with other bands countless times without defining their sound, whilst someone like Devin will only work with you if he gets to do whatever he wants. Thus the comment from Dan got me thinking.

 

[Naglfar]

As for Dan, I can see he wants to write his own music, but he DIDN'T write anything on Star One, and yet he still did the vocals. He DIDN'T write anything on the first two Opeth discs either. What I'm saying is, Dan has worked with other bands countless times without defining their sound, whilst someone like Devin will only work with you if he gets to do whatever he wants. Thus the comment from Dan got me thinking.

It sounds like you're reading a little too much into what he said. He didn't say RAAAAAAAAAAAR STAB STAB STAB NO ONE SHALL MAKE MUSIC WITH ME UNLESS I WRITE EVERYTHING RAAAAAAAR STAB MAIM KILL!!!1!!!!111!!

He just said there's no point in having more than one brain to an album. Which in most cases is probably true. Thus his reluctance to work with guys who dominate that process. :Spam:

 

[Luz]

I think you're wrong my friend.
Mikael Åkerfeldt didn't write the lyrics for Resurrection through Carnage, he was only a sessionist, the only thing he did, was add at the final of The Soulcollector (Know me as The Soulcollector!!) nothing more. The same happened with Peter Tägtgren, and he left the band due to his projects and that's why Åkerfeldt will appear performing with Bloodbath on W.O.A the next August.

\m/

Luz.-

Look at Bloodbath, for example. Lots of talent but each genius wrote their own songs.

 

[Metal88]

I think you're wrong my friend.
Mikael Åkerfeldt didn't write the lyrics for Resurrection through Carnage, he was only a sessionist, the only thing he did, was add at the final of The Soulcollector (Know me as The Soulcollector!!) nothing more. The same happened with Peter Tägtgren, and he left the band due to his projects and that's why Åkerfeldt will appear performing with Bloodbath on W.O.A the next August.

\m/

Luz.-

For the last album, Dan wrote 4 songs, Jonas 4, and Blakkie 4. I'm not sure how you read anything about Mike into my last post. <shrug>

 

[Luz]

I was talking about the Resurrection Through Carnage album and because you said that each one wrote a few songs (or whatever, it doesn't matter anyways) and the only thing I said is that Mike and Peter didn't contribute lyrically there because they were only sessionists.

Look at Bloodbath, for example. Lots of talent but each genius wrote their own songs

For the last album, Dan wrote 4 songs, Jonas 4, and Blakkie 4. I'm not sure how you read anything about Mike into my last post. <shrug>

 

[Metal88]

I was talking about the Resurrection Through Carnage album and because you said that each one wrote a few songs (or whatever, it doesn't matter anyways) and the only thing I said is that Mike and Peter didn't contribute lyrically there because they were only sessionists.

The point was clearly (so I thought) that it doesn't necessarily make sense to throw a few geniuses such as Devy, Arjen, and Dan together and expect some brilliant collaboration where everyone works together. Bloodbath is a good example of this b/c the members each write their own songs. Peter and Mike are not members b/c they were only sessionists, as you said, and this is common knowlege. Therefore, it seems you should have understood that I was talking about the 3 "genius" band members mentioned in my second post. It's a shame that you apparently still do not, or else you'd have acknowleged that I was never "wrong" about anything in my post as you quickly (and falsely) asserted. By bringing up Mike and Peter at all you show a fundamental misunderstanding of the topic and my posts. I suggest re-reading them carefully. Let me know if I can make this any simpler for you, I will try.

Best wishes.

 

[Eyesore]

I'm pretty sure that isn't true. Devin did some vocals for Soilwork in the song "Black Star Deceiver" and don't forget the whole singing for Steve Vai thing...

Well, that's definitely not true. Devin doesn't like to sing other peoples' melodies and words. He didn't write any music for the Ayreon album, he simply wrote his own lyrics and melodies. You have to understand why he would think like this, though, his style is so severely different from others it wouldn't seem like Devin Townsend if he sang something Arjen wrote for him. Devin's vocals stand out from the rest on the Human Equation album, but that's what we'd expect from him.

This supposed comment by Dan doesn't make sense because the last few Nightingale albums have not been Dan Swano albums, the Oddysey EP wasn't solely written by Dan.

I think an album between the two would be great, I always have, but when you get two musicians like this together it may not work. Why? Ego. I'm not saying this is a bad thing, we all have egos and Dan and Devin are two musicians who basically have 100% control over their musical careers unlike most musicians. It's hard to give in a little when you have that luxury.

But, Devin has relinquished his hold on Strapping Young Lad and it's now a 100% collaborative band, so who knows.

We can pray, though. A Swano/Townsend album would kick ass. They could be called Swan Town.

 

[Eyesore]

It was Devin's cooperation with Vai and then his subsequent contributions to several other bands' releases that got to him and he decided NOT to sing on ANYONE's music again. Arjen himself told me so and Devin says that as well. He only gave in when Arjen allowed him total creative freedom on the Ayreon disc.

This is also incorrect. Who are these "several other bands" that Devin contributed to after the Vai album? He did some weekend jams with Jason Newsted back in the day that resulted in IR8, Tree Of The Sun and Blastula & The Satanitones, but none of those were ever officially released. IR8 was sent out by Newsted in demo form years ago and he just released a CD version like 2 years, but there's nothing else that Devin did after Vai.

Devin's issues with Vai were simply the fact that they were placing him in this almost sex-symbol type of position and he knew he was no sex symbol, plus he was taking a lot of the hits on the negative feedback from the album. He was only 19 years old, remember, and next thing you know he's thrust into the spotlight because it's Steve Vai. And yes, no one wanted to talk down to Vai, so they directed it at Devin.

Also, Devin refused Arjen's request at first. His response was that he doesn't sing anyone else's lyrics. Arjen then gave him creative control, Devin never "gave in." Arjen wanted the man on his album and Arjen "gave in."

 

[Luz]

Oh yes, I'm sorry I think I misunderstood your point.
My apologies.

Cheers.

The point was clearly (so I thought) that it doesn't necessarily make sense to throw a few geniuses such as Devy, Arjen, and Dan together and expect some brilliant collaboration where everyone works together. Bloodbath is a good example of this b/c the members each write their own songs. Peter and Mike are not members b/c they were only sessionists, as you said, and this is common knowlege. Therefore, it seems you should have understood that I was talking about the 3 "genius" band members mentioned in my second post. It's a shame that you apparently still do not, or else you'd have acknowleged that I was never "wrong" about anything in my post as you quickly (and falsely) asserted. By bringing up Mike and Peter at all you show a fundamental misunderstanding of the topic and my posts. I suggest re-reading them carefully. Let me know if I can make this any simpler for you, I will try.

Best wishes.

 

[thespectralsorrows]

After reading all of the posts the only clear conclusion is the that the concept of a band writing songs together seems to have disappeared for many bands. Actually the concept of a working band has disappeared for many as they just use hired hands for tours or recording. Plus like you guys have said if someone has the freedom to write all of the music and they do it well like Vai/Swano/Townsend/Schuldiner/ Mustaine and others then there shouldn't be a problem.

 

[Eyesore]

Let's also not forget that Dan wrote no music on Godsend's "A Wayfarers' Tears" album. Speaking of which, does anyone have the other Godsend album Dan worked on? I know they put out three, one of which Dan was not on. What are those albums like, if you've heard them?

 

[JESUSATAN]

Dan is too good to work with Devin.

 

[Eyesore]

Dan is too good to work with Devin.

Please! That's a ridiculous statement! They're equally talented and very different at the same time! If they ever worked together it would be nothing short of mindblowing! An album with these two guys on it would probably surpass anything they could do by themselves.