Steve Vai and Devin Townsend teamed up for Vai‘s 1993 album Intercourse & Faith. The duo have since had wildly profitable careers aside from each other, however Vai nonetheless has fond recollections of working with Townsend. In a brand new interview with The Jasta Present, Vai priased Townsend for being unapologetically himself through the years, in addition to his boundless creativity.
“Devin by no means made excuses for the type of music he wished to make,” mentioned Vai. “He threw himself into it wholeheartedly. Now, when he was with me, I solely acknowledged his expertise how it might serve me in my music. And he was a singer. And he was an unbelievable singer. He might sing something.”
“And he was very entertaining and really humorous and wild and all these things. And I liked all that stuff. However I did not notice again then how really inventive he was. As a result of he did not actually have an outlet with me to do the type of factor…”
“However he went by means of my band and he most likely discovered some issues. However as soon as he had the instruments, he exploded. As a result of he needed to get that out.”
Vai additionally touched on Strapping Young Lad‘s 2005 album Alien, noting that it needs to be studied for its melodic and crushing content material. And who can argue with that? Regardless of Alien being made beneath unhealthy circumstances (with Townsend going off his bipolar dysfunction medicine), it is an unbelievable report.
“And let me let you know one thing else about Devin. His music, regardless of how intense it’s, it is not evil. Inside it, there’s this beaming want for gentle, for transformation.”
“I’ve watched him create, and I’ve watched how his music was a cathartic course of for him within the pathway to his personal sense of being centered and cozy in his pores and skin. Similar to many people, however he is distinctive in that he was capable of actually get that depth out with none excuses.
“However his melodic ear, you possibly can hear in… Although you are aware of the report Alien [by Strapping Young Lad], that report — that needs to be studied. It may be sooner or later. I do not know. It’s as intense of an providing I’ve ever heard anyplace.”
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