Devin Townsend interview 1999 probably

I got contacted by Century Media asking if I wanted to interview Devin Townsend from Strapping Young Lad, and asked questions largely based on things I'd read in Kerrang. This was done by email probably in 1999.

He answered the same questions twice for reasons best known to himself.

Here are those things. With apologies to everyone.
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Devin Townsend is the musical madman behind Strapping Young Lad, as well as many solo things, and used to be in Steve Vai's band. And the Wildhearts. And about 6 billion other cool bands!

Lukas-:So Devin, what did the shrink think?

Devin-:*That finky wink has an inky dink, that’s what devy’s shrinky think…

Lukas-:What's the story behind the Infinity/'City'/Ocean Machine thing?

Devin-:*No story, just three great tastes that taste great together.

Lukas-:What's Ginger like then, as he's widely reported as an arsehole?

Devin-:*He’s very charismatic, and has never accepted political favors from Monica. An asshole? Only   when it suits the occasion I suppose…

Lukas-:What happened to your UK tour at the end of 1997?

Devin-:*The Wildhearts backed out of the tour, and that buggered us up… sorry!

Lukas-:Do we really need to see you naked in record shops(the cover of ‘Infinity’ shows the crazy Canadian naked)?!?

Devin-:*Do I really need to answer that question?

Lukas-:Is the HevyDevy label planning on releasing records by anyone other than you? Any contractual difficulties(as you already have a deal with Century Media I think)?

Devin-:*Having a contract means you’re going to have problems… (I think that’s in my contract somewhere) I originally was going to be greedy with my time, but it looks as though I may be releasing some other stuff now as well…

Lukas-:Anything else in the pipeline? Collaborations?

Devin-:*A symphony called ‘Worlds’ a three piece called ‘Physicist’ and the new SYL

Lukas-:Do you get time to play on games(i.e. Playstation)? If so, any favourites? I recommend Final Fantasy 7!

Devin-:*For ‘City’, by SYL it was ‘Duke Nukem 3-d,, for Ocean Machine it was ‘Crash Bandicoot’  and for INFINITY it was ‘Abe’s Oddworld’

Lukas-:What's your favourite drink(just out of interest...)?

Devin-:*Water, Fruit Calpis, Beer, Wine, Kool-aid, it runs the gamut

Lukas-:Favourite bands at the moment?

Devin-:*INFINITY (his own band-d'oh!-stupidity ed)

Lukas-:Name some influences then!

Devin-:*Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Janes Addiction, The Young Gods, Foetus, Fear Factory, Barkmarket, Grotus, Slade…

Lukas-:Amuse us with bizarre stories!

Devin-:*I think therefore I am a knot

Lukas-:Plug your stuff!

Devin-:*Please don’t buy my new record INFINITY as it will provide me with financial support to make my life cushy, then I won’t have anything to complain about and my creative juices will steam away

Lukas-:Anything else to declare?!?!

Devin-:*I’m sorry I’m such a snotty interview tonight, I’ve had a few glasses of red wine… Kampai!!!

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Version 2:

So Devin, what did the shrink think?

>Inky wink has  a wrinkly dink

What's the story behind the Infinity/'City'/Ocean Machine thing?

>I just gave my different records different titles to make them seem like

separate bands.

What's Ginger like then, as he's widely reported as an arsehole?

>He sometimes is and he sometimes isn't.  Same  as all of us I guess.

What happened to your UK tour at the end of 1997?

>Wildhearts broke up and there wasn't any money to sustain us on tour.

Do we really need to see you naked in record shops?!?

>"I does it fer da wimmens".

Is the HevyDevy label planning on releasing records by anyone other than

you? Any contractual difficulties(as you already have a deal with Century

Media I think)?

>No, it's just a vehicle for my projects at the moment.

Anything else in the pipeline? Collaborations?

>I am working with Jason Newsted and Gene Hoglan in a couple weeks for a

future record.

Do you get time to play on games(i.e. Playstation)? If so, any favourites? I

recommend Final Fantasy 7!

>sometimes I play the Playstation and Final Fantasy is very cool.

What's your favourite drink(just out of interest...)?

>mule piss and kerosene

Favourite bands at the moment?

>I listen to a lot of music but nothing that really stands out.

Name some influences then!

>Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Jane's Addiction, King's X, Grotus, Fear Factory,

the Young Gods, Metallica.

Amuse us with bizarre stories!

>"A man walks into a doctor's office and they ask him for a urine sample, a

stool sample and a semen sample. He says 'I'm in a  hurry, can I just leave

my underwear?"

Plug your stuff!

>My stuff rocks.

Anything else to declare?!?!

>Carton of cigarettes and a gallon of Jim Beam.