Dev, you could blabber on as much as you want here. It only helps us better understand your process and mind-set while going through these four albums. Personally I feel more connected to the albums with the chance to read, hear and see the pains and pleasures you are going through creating them.

...being a poser (also not album shots) :

HOLY CRAP! what kind of guitar is that? I have a love for clear finished guitars. like that one, or my esp FX series.

[The Dev]

It's a Peavey...the photo doesn't do it justice though, it's actually not as small as it looks, there a heavy radius on it that goes into black, so on a black outfit, all you see is the top...which is spalted maple and really cool...

Glow in the dark side markers, coil tap in 2 and 4, some fancy hand wired pickups...alder body, 25.5 scale tuned to open Bb, input jack on the side...

I'm working on lots of ideas with Peavey, I get a grey and black 7 string V tommorow for Deconstruction....

Just narrowing the ideas down...still going to be a while till we get it...I'm very lucky and honored to be with them.

[djskrimp]

Haven't done the real photos yet...will probably be a little more like the second shot.

Addicted won't hold the same appeal for some folks as Ki, for sure...Ki is an introspective record that documents a kind of 'break through'...Addicted is a bit of a throwback to an earlier style, yet done with new techniques. ...and it's a 'celebration' of sorts, it's not really a grower, it's pretty immediate...but theres a time and place for that I believe. Humans respond to rhythm and positivity...we're in a bleak-ish time, and I really feel a cool sense of joy making this record, really warm summery vibe, it makes me laugh every now and then.

This whole 4 record process is really a search for myself. I suspect I'll not be suprised when I do meet me, but this process really explores all avenues.

Addicted is really heavy, and strangely relentless...the style it is based on (big, pretty hard rock and metal with symphonic elements, echos, keys, dance-y tempos and a mix of strong singing, 'snorty-oink' and abba ish vox) is something that I've ALWAYS been interested in and done...and writing it comes very naturally to me...compared to Ki, it's a pretty 'obvious' Dev record, (O.M, parts of A.E) but when it catches me in the right mood, it leaves me breathless. When I'm not in the right mood, it's relentless and taxing. (It's a party atmosphere, and I rarely party so...) But I've kind of refined this style to a point where it's really really natural to do...I have always loved this style, and this summarizes it.

By exploring each style, I'm checking off the things I take and leave from each...Ki's a beauty, but there is still some crazy conflict on it...Addicted is euphoric, but deluded in a sense...it ends with that realization, which brings us to Deconstruction...which is pure freedom to a fault, literally... then the fourth album, (Rain Song, Reconstruction, Folk In A) whatever...is a reflection on them all and where it has lead.

Everywhere and nowhere, but all the better for it. Faith by definition seems hard to prove or confirm.

just talking more shit...just hypothesis.

Is it possible to reach self-actualization, tear yourself down and rebuild yourself just to reach a new self-actualization? I seriously think that you're doing this. Either way, I am in total awe in how honest you are in this endeavour.

Hey there Max, my favorite album? ...um, whatever one I'm working on at the time!

I'm trying to set up some 'clinic tours' I've talked to some folks in Aus, I'll keep you posted.

That would be amazingly cool. If you did it, I'd be there.

Those are great pictures, Devin. Really really classy - black looks good one everyone, it's true.

Do you have doubts that this album will resonate with people? I would hope not, it sounds like it touches on lots of bases; and if people are expecting another Ki ... well, they've been living under a rock. Bring it mang!

[The Dev]

Actually... i think Addicted will resonate with more people than any of them...specifically folk who have never heard what we do.

Ki is a very personal record, Addicted is a very public record, (if that makes any sense) It's like a big cake.

Been reading for a while though been on somewhat of a posting hiatus due to well.....life. Probably not put finger to keyboard on here since the last days of SYL and your heading into the hills. After spinning Ki to the point of obsession I've been catching up on this Addicted thread. No quick act.

Loved that last long post of yours, Dev - as others have said there's something both interesting and inclusive about seeing behind the curtain when an album gets made. Some friends are of the opposite opinion and prefer to never know anything beyond the music they here for fear of colouring the listening experience but, for me, reading things like your Tweets and your discussion on here ARE part of the whole experience. My anticipation for Addicted is greater than it was for Ki which is crazy really if you think about the relative lead time in both cases. Just shows you must be doing something right.

I'm also glad, in a way, to hear you say that it's different enough from Ki to maybe not please the same people - one of the things your work has done from the start is to throw in some curveballs from time to time - stuff that's still very much you but from a whole different angle. If the change-up from Ki to Addicted has an element of this then all the better. It means you're making the albums you want (or maybe need) to and that's got to be the best way to do things, right?

Some folks didn't like Ki and others, myself included, have it down as album of the year so far. I'd not be surprised if this second disc has the same polarising effect to a degree. I think that's actually a sign of doing something right - if you made a disc to please 101% of your fans then it'll either be so generic as to be pointless or a meisterwerk to paint yourself into a corner.

Ah, I'm babbling now - a green tea is needed to focus things. Just wanted to express my appetite for Addicted and got off track.

Oh, one last question - if "Contact" was the film that partly flavoured Ki (bass tracking vid) has there been one around the time of doing Addicted that helped to flavour the cake?

[The Dev]

Yup, Addicted will be polarizing. It's all honest though, so I'm confident. I seem to do one style till I'm sick of it, then another comes along that piques my interest because of it being the antithesis. (Alien into Hummer etc...) I did Ki until the quiet tension that so drew me into it became too frustrating, then I wanted to just go to a party and dance, get rid of that tension, sex, excercise, a clean release...no drugs or booze of course, Ki was threatening to go in a number of ways, and a celebration seemed the most fitting.

After the party though, sometimes at the end of the night, after dancing your ass off...having glorious meaningless conversations and laughing to you cry, you're sick of it and have a headache...then you get grumpy.

Deconstruction is truly an angry record...but the point of why it is what it is is based on WHAT it's angry about...and the typical 'mad at god , mad at satan, mad at the universe' stuff, which sells lots of shirts and ipod skins, is NOT what this is about.

The movies that were in constant rotation for Addicted are :

Planet Earth, The Elegant Universe, The Universe, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Bulletproof Monk, Hellboy, Evil Dead, Zoolander, and the UK version of the Office.

Dev, you should look into young musicians for Decon. And have someone like Gene or Stef Broks from Textures on drums. Would be interesting.

yeah, young musicians, like me HINT HINT!!

Psh, I've been in line for this position for months!

Strange, since I do seem to remember that I was in this position. Or wasn't I?

Anyway, about guest appearances. Peter Tägtgren would be one interesting person but someone else from Sweden would also be great : Dan Swanö. He's also a multi-instrumentalist and great at mixing, mastering and producing. Plus the fact that he also makes music in many different styles. From black metal, death metal to progressive rock/metal, ...

Evil Dead, Zoolander, and the UK version of the Office.

Heh, separately they're already crazy. All combined must be something extraordinary

It's a Peavey...the photo doesn't do it justice though, it's actually not as small as it looks, there a heavy radius on it that goes into black, so on a black outfit, all you see is the top...which is spalted maple and really cool...

Glow in the dark side markers, coil tap in 2 and 4, some fancy hand wired pickups...alder body, 25.5 scale tuned to open Bb, input jack on the side...

I'm working on lots of ideas with Peavey, I get a grey and black 7 string V tommorow for Deconstruction....

Just narrowing the ideas down...still going to be a while till we get it...I'm very lucky and honored to be with them.

That looks fantastic! Any chance of pics of the new 7 too? Is the 7 gonna be baritone?

i havent posted for a little bit so i think i should

anyways

i reli like the style of the 2nd picture, its like cool but still has the dev humour in it.

also someone said about how you posting on here and such enhances the listen, i agree i think it made ki alot more personal. as if i was listening to the work of a friend (well not friend but you know what i mean)

reconstruction (if you do choose that) is an awesome name for the 4th album.

and also is that planet earth as in the david attenborough series (although i think the north american version has a different narrator) as in one of the greatest things ive ever seen.

im super excited about addicted cant wait for more news

nothing beats Zoolander for a good laugh at the model industry and modern life (ala disconnected from nature).

Hey Devin, did you ever take a liking to Trailer Park Boys? On the general idea of addiction i believe there is a lot of that in the show!

It's a Peavey...the photo doesn't do it justice though, it's actually not as small as it looks, there a heavy radius on it that goes into black, so on a black outfit, all you see is the top...which is spalted maple and really cool...

Glow in the dark side markers, coil tap in 2 and 4, some fancy hand wired pickups...alder body, 25.5 scale tuned to open Bb, input jack on the side...

I'm working on lots of ideas with Peavey, I get a grey and black 7 string V tommorow for Deconstruction....

Just narrowing the ideas down...still going to be a while till we get it...I'm very lucky and honored to be with them.

Dear god, I want one! Why did I just have to go and buy a new guitar recently

Yup, Addicted will be polarizing. It's all honest though, so I'm confident. I seem to do one style till I'm sick of it, then another comes along that piques my interest because of it being the antithesis. (Alien into Hummer etc...) I did Ki until the quiet tension that so drew me into it became too frustrating, then I wanted to just go to a party and dance, get rid of that tension, sex, excercise, a clean release...no drugs or booze of course, Ki was threatening to go in a number of ways, and a celebration seemed the most fitting.

After the party though, sometimes at the end of the night, after dancing your ass off...having glorious meaningless conversations and laughing to you cry, you're sick of it and have a headache...then you get grumpy.

Deconstruction is truly an angry record...but the point of why it is what it is is based on WHAT it's angry about...and the typical 'mad at god , mad at satan, mad at the universe' stuff, which sells lots of shirts and ipod skins, is NOT what this is about.

The movies that were in constant rotation for Addicted are :

Planet Earth, The Elegant Universe, The Universe, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Bulletproof Monk, Hellboy, Evil Dead, Zoolander, and the UK version of the Office.

I totally agree with the way everyone feels about this being a personal experience i.e.- reading your tweets, reading your posts and your responses to our questions...all of this makes these releases mean so much more. I too am now insanely excited for Addicted, more so than Ki. I love Ki. LOVE it. But man, I am impatient...and my moods change frequently. By the hour sometimes! Ki IS my album of the year so far, but I can't wait to give Addicted the chance to be number one. I hope this doesn't sound like I am dissing Ki. No way.
Those pics give me the chills (not the funny ones lol). It brings me back to 1998 when I first bought Infinity, or way back in 1993 when I first saw pictures of you with Vai and was thinking "Who is this asshole? He is totally gonna ruin my favorite guitarist!" hahahaha. Turns out your voice is the only thing I took away from that record (Sex and Religion).
YESSS...The Universe!! Best show ever. I watch reruns of it and still can't seem to get sick of it. You might also like Naked Science, and I am sure you have seen the Cosmos series. Wicked inspiration!
Oh yea....that guitar is f-ing gorgeous. Will they be for sale?
Dan