For me, the first Dev I ever heard was Alien. And funny story behind that....

Maybe someone read the article, but Metal Edge ran one right around when Alien came out where Dev got up half way through the interview and left. The interviewer was saying Alien was the heaviest, most insane, crazed thing he had ever heard, and that it was so much so that it freaked him out and he could hardly get through the album. Dev was saying it was what he truly felt he should be doing at that point, that he released some of that crap inside of himself with the record, that he thought it was a huge achievement for the band, etc. So the interview goes on but the interviewer seems like he can't help himself and he keeps bringing it up like every other question. Finally Dev kinda stops and says well... maybe I understood the album wrong. What if it's nothing like what I thought it was? And he gets up and leaves. Personally I think the interviewer was a dick head, but the second I read that article I said I have to get this album if its really this powerful. Bought it that very same day, and haven't looked back since Alien blew me off my feet.

As for solo Dev album, Synchestra was my first. Good way to start I think.

As far as solo/DTB type stuff, my first was Physicist, which is probably a good thing considering I was making the transition from SYL over to the solo/DTB type of stuff, probably in 2001. My first SYL album was No Sleep Til Bedtime right after it came out, I'd heard about this band and how good they were, and thought it'd be a good starting point...can't say it didn't work.

Terria was my 1st Devin Townsend cd that I got off of Ebay back in 2001 and that cd has my #1 Devin Townsend song "Earth Day" at the time. Because of me, My little brother is a fan of Devin Townsend now.

Well, it all started with CITY...if we are talking SYL too. I saw them on that Testament tour in 97. Blew my fucking hair back. i left that show feeling more invigorated than any other concert I have ever been too, because I knew my whole life was about to change.

First DEV album was Ocean Machine, also in 97. Maaaaan were those the days. It was tearjerking, gut-wrenching, and glorious all at the same time. I'll never forget it. I swore up and down that I had heard all those melodies before in a dream...

Ocean Machine and Terria.

First thing with Dev in it was seeing the video for Relentless by SYL and then buying the chicken feather album,

First solo(ish) record was Accelerated Evolution.

read good reviews of Ocean Machine and Infinity in Metal Hammer UK and knew his name from being in the Wildhearts (my favourtie band of all time) and happened to find both albums in Tower Records in Glasgow back in late 98, early 99.......was hooked right away and then realized that he had sung on Sex and Religion which I had heard years before........started investigating after that.
bought all the SYL cds and a bunch of the other dev stuff from hevydevy.com in one go in about 2001 and havent looked back!

Physicist, which I loved, and still love to this day.
I saw Dev in the support for Fear Factory, and from that day on, Fear Factory just faded away for me. A month later I had Ocean Machine, Infinity and all the SYL records, which were released until then (2001).

I was a really big fan of SYL before hearing he had a solo stuff out. so i went online to check it out and heard 2 songs from accelerated evolution. storm and deadhead. i thought they were really amazing! so i heard he was coming out with synchestra and i bought that and havent looked back now i have all his cds from ocean machine to addicted and i love it all.

Sex and Religion!

Got City in '97, the OM in '98. Hooked for life from that point onwards!

Terria for me, soon as I heard "Come iiiiiin, right this waaaaaaay, siiiiit doooowwwnnn" I knew I was going to love it.

City for me, within a week of seeing the Detox video on music tv for the first time. Just had to - one of those moments where you get stopped in your tracks by something. I think it was the combination of the track & video acting as a double punch that really made it a no-choice situation. You can't beat those unexpected moments with no hype or warning - same happened with "Birthday" by The Sugarcubes in '87 or Einsturzende Neubauten's "Halber Mensch" album in '85

In terms of his 'solo' albums (though, if honest, I see all his SYL/DT/DTB/DTP/etc work in one collection rather than fragmented apart)they've just been bought as they come out - I've never played catch-up on one yet. How can you not get them on day of release!?

Terria I think...love at first sight....lol

SYL - City

Devy - Ocean Machine

I remember seeing 'Detox' on an Australian music channel around the albums release and was hooked instantly. Soon after I become obsessed with Devin and was on a mission to buy all his albums, no matter how obscure they were.

Someone hooked me up with one song from Terria and Ocean Machine each... so I bought both albums immediately because I just "had" to have that stuff...
Guess that makes em both first... although I think Ocean Machine was the first one I heard from beginning to end...
Was the first one to give me half a heart attack right before Terria started at least...