When (and how) did you get into Devin?

[YouFoolWarrenIsDEAD]

Way back in 1997, I was reading through a copy of "Metal Hammer" magazine, and I discovered a review of "City" by an unknown band called Strapping Young Lad. After reading the glowing review, I finally tracked down a record shop that actually had a copy of the CD. Asking the clerk if he wouldn't mind me listening to it, I promtly placed the headphones around my ears, and waited for the first track to start. Well, we all know how City starts, and after the initial battering that "Velvet Kevorkian" bestowed apon my senses, the track segued into "All Hail the New Flesh", and once Devin bellowed "And I will never be afraid" I was indelibly hooked from that moment on. Greedily buying the cd there and then, I was finally the proud owner of my first Devy album, and ever since then, I have been following Devin religously, buying every cd he's released (yes, even his oft times strange side projects) and going to see him live whenever I can. So, when and how did you get into Devin?

 

[Coypu]

I asked a guy for some advice of good extreme metal bands and one of the cds he included was City so I bought it and have been hooked ever since.

 

[Pitiless Wanderer]

i heard tracks from city and ocean machine and got hooked one evening a few years ago. bought everything and followed ever since.

 

[FFfan1]

I'm a regular at the digimortal.net boards (insert shamelss plug here), and a lot of people there are Dev fans. My only exposure to SYL had been an MP3 I had heard of the song "Critic". It was really shitty quality, so it didn't really capture my interest. Everyone kept telling me to buy City, since that was one of the best albums ever made. Finally, the urge became to strong and I went for it. Ironically, the first time I listened to it, I thought it was good but it didn't make a huge impact. By about the fourth listen, I was hooked for life. I researched Dev's other projects and bought all of them. I am now an official "Dev-ite".

 

[Ketsukusa]

My brother told me about it around 3years ago, he let me borrow city, ocean machine, and infinity. and after that I found out that Devin is the greatest musician there is.

but my brother knew about Devin for a long time I think.

 

[ThePKH]

Downloaded some songs about 1.5 years ago. First I got into SYL and later into Devy's solo stuff.

 

[Jo]

In February of '96 I started working at the record company who distributes Century Media. This is when I heard Heavy As A Really Heavy Thing. Naturally I have followed Devins career with passion and he continues to amaze.

Hey, speak of the devil, the CM newsletter just appeared in my inbox;

STRAPPING YOUNG LAD w/ Nile, Dark Tranquillity, Napalm Death, The Berzerker
1/17 Fitzgerald’s - Houston, TX
1/18 Backroom - Austin, TX
1/19 Canyon Club - Dallas, TX
1/21 Bash On Ash - Phoenix, AZ
1/22 Key Club – Hollywood, CA
1/23 Galaxy Theater -Santa Ana, CA
1/25 Roseland Theater – Portland, OR
1/26 Graceland – Seattle, WA
1/28 Gothic Theater – Englewood, CO
1/30 The Quest – Minneapolis, MN
1/31 Vic Theater – Chicago, IL
2/1 Pop’s – Sauget, IL
2/2 Bogart’s – Cincinnati, OH
2/3 Agora Theater – Cleveland, OH
2/7 The Palladium – Worcester, MA
2/15 The Factory – Ft. Lauderdale, FL
More dates to be announced.

DEVIN TOWNSEND
11/16 Earthlink Live - Atlanta, GA Progpower W/ Gamma Ray, Angra

 

[lumen]

I first got into his voice and visual performance when he sang on that Vai album. (even more so after the two of them hosted the Power 30 one week)

Then when SYL came out I checked it out because of already thinking he was cool. (And liked it, of course!)

I didn't really become an addict until after Ocean Machine, I think. (it's all kind of a blur)

 

[Mikael is God]

i dont really remember how i heard it, but the first song i heard was OH MY FUCKING GOD. this was at a point where i thought i would never find an original metal band again, and that sure smacked me in the face!

by the way - "youfoolwarrenisdead" - that album (your avatar) is fucking amazing

 

[BlackBehemoth]

I got into Devin about 2 months ago. I read a review of Ocean Machine and I downloade Seventh Wave. Within 10 minutes of listening to that track I ordered Ocean Machine and Physicist.
About 2-3 weeks ago I got my order of both SYL albums, Terria, and Infinity. Devin kicks ass. I can't wait for the new SYL and Devin projects.

 

[YouFoolWarrenIsDEAD]

Yup, "34.788%...Complete" is fantastic.

 

[Ketsukusa]

Originally posted by YouFoolWarrenIsDEAD
Yup, "34.788%...Complete" is fantastic.

What is that band called, I'll check it out.

 

[YouFoolWarrenIsDEAD]

My Dying Bride. One of the best Doom bands out there. But I should warn you: The aforementioned album is a depature from their usual sound. Not that it's a band thing, but if you buy this album, as well as the older/newer ones, you may notice that they sound diferrent. Although I consider this album to be one of the most depressing, and down-ridden albumns ever composed, but many would disagree with me.

 

[Ketsukusa]

ok.thank you

 

[OceanbarD]

few years ago the host of a metal radio show i usually listen to said "listen carefully the next song is a genius one made by a genius". and he played oh my fucking god. the day just after i was at some music store taking the only copy of city that was on the shelves.

 

[coronerox]

About almost a year ago, I heard a friend of mine speaking about Devin , but at that time I didn't listened carefully to his songs, and about 4 months, I ve heard some advices, and I bought terria, and still looking for more........

 

[Djöfull]

early this year my german penpal said he was freaking out due to his music so I checked it out by bying first City, then Terria... then others

 

[KorgX3]

The first time I ever head Devin was on Steve Vai's Sex and Religion album. Being a HUGE Vai fan, I nabbed that album and thus ensued the "Good God, why the fuck did he pick this ridiculous cockmunch to sing on his album?"

That CD was filed away.

Later, Devin was asked to sing on the Rush Tribute album Working Man. He sang the most classic Rush tune: Natural Science. Again, my reaction was similar: "WTF? How could they DARE let him butcher such a classic???"

That CD was filed away.

Later that year, someone who I always respected musically was harping about a new album called Ocean Machine. I was interested, of course, until I heard it was Devin's baby. I said, "uh uh," but he told me that if I didn't like it, he would buy it from me. So I bought it.

Soon after, the Vai CD and the Rush Tribute CD resurfaced in my CD collection and MANY HevyDevy purchases ensued. The guy's been a role model of mine ever since. Weird, eh? It just took me awhile to get past his unique style and click with his approach to singing/playing/writing.

That's something weird about me, though. Many of the bands that I react so dispassionately towards at first listen become some of the bands that I favor the most.

 

[necrokerb]

I heard a bit of city back in 1997 but i didn't noticed taht much. When Ocean Machine was released, i just bought it coz of curiosity and i fell on my ass i couldn't fuckin' believe it ! I got all his work since ! Hail devin !

 

[SpeakUSAorDie]

Im a pretty new fan. I have had MP3s on my comp, and have been listening to those, but I never got around to buying an actual CD. But I came about some extra funds so I decided to finally get a record(No Sleep Til Bedtime).