I'm a casual reader of this site. Love the vast majority of dev's work and have done for many years now.. As much as i love coming here, reading his interviews blah blah, i often think that i lose something from his music as a consequence.. He seems a great guy, i've always felt an affinity to him..his humour, tastes, humility and stuff. My problem lies in the fact that now i 'know' him, i no longer have that element of mystery that adds so much to Art.. Hmm, weird one.. Paradoxically, i also realise how much of his appeal lies in how honest he is.. That's why this issue doesn't gut me as much as when i found myself pissing next to David Vincent after a gig..boy did that kill my romanticised image of the band being ancient demons with magical, esoteric abilities..(!) Much in the same way, for example, the lord of the rings film have lost this 'Thing' i'm wittering on about now i've spent hours and hours seeing how it was all made..my curiosity over the moon as my unconscious imagination withers that little bit more.. Sorry for layout, im doing this on a mobile phone n' can't seem to do paragraphs. My apologies.. One last lame metaphor if i may, to summerize: Should we be asking the magician to show us how he fools us, or should be just sit back and watch?

I think it totally depends on the person to be honest.

I personally like knowing about the artist. I enjoy hearing about how he comes to conclusions with in music, etc etc. Other's don't. I really think it's down to personal taste.

By your metaphor, the more I understand how the trick works then the more it impressed me.

I know what Devin's ass looks like. Just sayin'.

[The Dev]

Mission acomplished!

I've had years of people making assumptions based on their projections. I'm sure thats healthy for some artists, but honestly...I am SICK of people assuming that just because somebody has a proclivity in some area that they are to be revered.

Humans have this gross need to make people gods and martyrs based on our need to believe in something greater than ourselves...thats how cults are formed, it's a great racket if you've got the arrogance and balls...unfortunately when the truth comes out that you're JUST A PERSON, then tons of people with that 'need to believe' get really really hurt.

So I don't know, I'm cool being me...and I guess I've felt the need to pull the curtains back. I've had people throw words like 'god' and 'genius' around, and thats as hard to take seriously as 'schitzo, talentless douchebag'. Neither is true as far as I'm concerned.

The people who make themselves gods need that really bad. I guess I don't.

More music soon!

So in summary, we get the magician who just keeps showing us his ass.

[The Dev]

...um, sure...I guess.

Anybody who has met musicians or bands they admire know the kind of disappointment that is USUALLY the reality of such a meeting.
The way I see it is it's the music that's great. The people behind it are just people, people with the same capacity as any other to be nice or be pricks. But they probably get sick of hearing how much their music means to you.

[The Dev]

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate it...fully! it's really nice...

I've had a few people in my life get obsessed with me based on their own projections and interpretations of the music, and then the hyperbole that they begin with 'god' etc...turns to bitterness when I react to my 'human-ness' in a way that doesn't fit their illusion. Often, (and I can always see this coming) it slowly turns to them being publicly overly critical as a reaction, either that they are embarrased, or 'hmmmf, well he's not so great...in fact, his snare sound is total shit...and half his records are filler' when a week ago, (before they knew that I watched American Idol), the sun shone out of my ass and every element of my well documented metaphoric trips were things they memorized and quoted to their 'non believing friends' (who actually just think I have an annoying voice.)

I remember thinking Perry Farrell was a god when I was 19, and when I found out he was just a dude (a dude that I actaully didn't relate to) I was BUMMED... I relied upon that worship. I didn't believe in myself, and I convinced myself he had supernatural powers and answers because of his vauge lyrics. Later I found out that he just did lots of heroin and coke, and the songs that I thought were about god and metaphysics were actually about speedballs and blowjobs.

I've had people MOVE to 'be near me', then when I didn't like it...or heaven forbid, was CREEPED THE FUCK OUT BY IT, it's like I 'let them down'.

The internet is a forum for obsession as well. People who offer me services because 'I can do no wrong' until I release an album that they don't like, talk about something that they don't agree with or whatever, then I get mails from those folks saying that I 'need to wake up, and think more...because you and I are the same, and you don't understand what you are doing' ...people sending me personal messages labelled 'WE NEED TO TALK' ...and then they try and repremand me for not being congruent with their fantasy...I get it, trust me...I was there.

I had a doctor at an AA meeting describe these people as SYNCHRONICITY FREAKS...folks that are convinced that you are the same as them, and 'you need to be together'.

I get lots of religious folks who try and 'help me', and god help me, I believe in a higher power, but I just can't buy into it.(religion) None of my questions get any answers that I don't consider cop-outs. The satanists seem to have given up on me though...apparantly I'm 'too weak' to accept my true calling.

Humans are all pretty similar, the whole collective unconscious seems to take folks by surprise if they are unfamiliar with the concept. I'm artistically inclined to speak about uncomfortble topics, but I've never really fit in or was super cool, so thats what I do. Give it time though, it'll become cool I think.

I get lots of dudes who think I'm gay too. I thought about it when I was younger, and I think theres definitely a differentiation between sensuality and sexuality. I thought about it and decided I wasn't gay at a young age. And honestly, thats just my trip. I have gay friends, I have Bi friends, it's cool. Sex isn't a huge deal to me...the reason I bring it up though is a perverted comment is a perverted comment. I'll have great times with someone who's gay if they're good people, but I tell you, the amount of 'this just made me jizz', 'I just got a boner' 'I just blew a load on my keyboard' comments kind of weird me out. It's the same as a girl saying 'this just made me wet', honestly, none of the people who I'm close to as friends, women, men, gay, bi or straight say stuff like that...I don't know, it's uncomfortable.

Folks are saying how Addicted will be my 'greatest record yet' based on 20 second clips. Honestly, I haven't put it out yet because I don't know how I feel about it. It's finished, and it's really cool...but it's easy, it's 'Old Dev', maybe that will be the key? I don't know...I'm remixing it because it seemed so obvious. Watch though...folks who will feel 'let down by it' will make a bigger deal out of it than it should be. It's good though, some people close to me say 'it's the one they've been waiting for me to make' etc...


Again, without the drugs, it seems these huge human dramas that are happening 'right now!!!!!!' with conspiracies, and governments, and music etc...just don't seem to be that big of a fucking deal. Maybe I'm just too busy to spend much time worrying about things out of my control?

MAYBE I'M JUST GETTING OLDER.

I make music, and I love to play for people. I'm a ham. I like to make people happy. I like to rock the fuck out. I'm sober, almost 40. Again, I understand peoples need to have heros. Maybe I'm doing a diservice by pulling away the veil? But again, if you set yourself up as something more than you are, you are cruising for a bruising. My goal in this life is to learn what I can about being human so I can move on and find some peace. Being sober brings me peace in a way. I heard today that because life is constant problems, the trick is to learn to deal with your problems effectively in a way that suits you, so you can prepare yourself for tommorows problems.

If people think you are a god or an alien when you aren't, thats a problem that needs to be addressed if you have decided that your talent for music is one you would like to share.

to be honest i think it made my experience of Ki better "knowing" devin. made the album more powerful for me

to be honest i think it made my experience of Ki better "knowing" devin. made the album more powerful for me

I agree

It's appealing to me that Dev is a regular guy that interacts with his fans and has a sense of humour about everything, much like my other favourite "metal musician" Mikael Akerfeldt.

Just regular dudes making kickass music

and Dev regarding Addicted, we all know its genesis as pretty much a fun album that the fans are gonna love, don't remix it too much, we want the obvious Dev! (at least for this album). I thought it was supposed to be an obvious album after Ki? Ok, I'll stop talking now.

I think it's great that you are so brutally honest and open about all of this Dev. Some people just can't handle it because, as you said, it breaks their ideal of what they think you are. They might be good people, but honestly, there is something wrong (and this is purely my perception) with a lot of people.
Like your comment about OMG THAT GAVE ME A BONER. I don't know people like that, I've never met anyone like that. My group of friends and people I know must quickly weed out people like that or maybe they get subconsciously ignored because it's just fucked up to me. You are confronted with these people whether you like it or not, they seek you out. That alone is pretty fucked up to me. I know you are in the public eye, but you deserve your privacy as much as anyone. Take it as a compliment, you seem like a very cool guy, people want to hang out with you. There are going to be "creeps".
I find people like that rude to the core, like people who are late all the time

Dev, I like your music.
I appreciate its (and your) honesty.
You write tunes that trigger emotions that other artists do not.
The experience in listening to your music is mine, selfishly and uniquely mine.
You offer a product and I buy it.
I'm too old (36) to worship anything or anyone.
I find your thoughts interesting and appreciate that you share them.
What does all that mean?
Some people complicate the uncomplicated
My role here it to occasionally provide feedback to tell you that you fucking rock and I love your work.
That is all.

Should we be asking the magician to show us how he fools us, or should be just sit back and watch?

To address this, it depends on what element about Devin you're here for. I personally love his musical style; also, his lyrics are beautiful and I feel that in some weird way I can relate to them. He seems like an intelligent guy and I like how his persona has really seems to have shone through in many of his projects, I feel privileged that I was witness to his gradual metamorphosis. So basically, it's up to you what you want from him. If you want an idol, he could be that. If you just want a damn nice tune to whistle, he'll provide. Me? I'm a hanger-on because he's a nice, talented man whose skills I'm impressed by and who I know is going to do more great things.

Wow, Dev's rant was even longer than some of mine on here!

I've had a few people in my life get obsessed with me based on their own projections and interpretations of the music, and then the hyperbole that they begin with 'god' etc...turns to bitterness when I react to my 'human-ness' in a way that doesn't fit their illusion.

You've always struck me as one of these people who doesn't set out to impress anybody, but who is just such a special guy (in a non-condescending way) that you manage to excel in all categories. If you were a farmer, I'd say of you that you're out standing in your own field. I've never pretended to myself that you're not a ordinary guy who just happens to do extraordinary things. I've never put you on a pedestal and let myself in for a disappointment when you were a human being just like me, and not some thunder God reigning terror on all those who oppose you. In short, Dev is a cool guy who doesn't afraid of anything.

I've had people MOVE to 'be near me', then when I didn't like it...or heaven forbid, was CREEPED THE FUCK OUT BY IT, it's like I 'let them down'.

The internet is a forum for obsession as well. People who offer me services because 'I can do no wrong' until I release an album that they don't like, talk about something that they don't agree with or whatever, then I get mails from those folks saying that I 'need to wake up, and think more...because you and I are the same, and you don't understand what you are doing' ...people sending me personal messages labelled 'WE NEED TO TALK' ...and then they try and repremand me for not being congruent with their fantasy...I get it, trust me...I was there.

People don't have any right to expect anything from you, but try telling them that. It's impressive that you have the balls to just be yourself in spite of these dumb shits telling you to conform to their illusion. Or moving near you. That's a new level of weird.

I had a doctor at an AA meeting describe these people as SYNCHRONICITY FREAKS.

Why is that familiar? Hmmmm...

I get lots of religious folks who try and 'help me', and god help me, I believe in a higher power, but I just can't buy into it.(religion)

To be honest, it's all down to the individual and what s/he needs from their faith. I think so long as you're content with life, religion should play at the most a secondary role. Too many lives have been wasted by people who decide they need to sacrifice themselves to a cause so vague even Jeebus's miracles would look plausible.

I get lots of dudes who think I'm gay too... I thought about it and decided I wasn't gay at a young age. ... the amount of 'this just made me jizz', 'I just got a boner' 'I just blew a load on my keyboard' comments kind of weird me out. It's the same as a girl saying 'this just made me wet'... I don't know, it's uncomfortable.

To be honest, I think those generic sexual idioms are just a replacement for correct parlance and it portrays nothing but a lack of vocabulary. I think comfort in your sexuality isn't a big deal, but at the same time I don't need to know about your raging erection.

Folks are saying how Addicted will be my 'greatest record yet' based on 20 second clips... Watch though...folks who will feel 'let down by it' will make a bigger deal out of it than it should be. It's good though, some people close to me say 'it's the one they've been waiting for me to make' etc...

Ah fuck them Dev. You'll have a huge loyal fan base regardless of what you release, based on the usual incredible standard of your output.

Again, without the drugs, it seems these huge human dramas that are happening 'right now!!!!!! ...

MAYBE I'M JUST GETTING OLDER.

I make music, and I love to play for people... Maybe I'm doing a diservice by pulling away the veil? But again, if you set yourself up as something more than you are, you are cruising for a bruising. My goal in this life is to learn what I can about being human so I can move on and find some peace. Being sober brings me peace in a way. I heard today that because life is constant problems, the trick is to learn to deal with your problems effectively in a way that suits you, so you can prepare yourself for tommorows problems.

If people think you are a god or an alien when you aren't, thats a problem that needs to be addressed if you have decided that your talent for music is one you would like to share.

I don't forecast for any problems and it's part of the reason I have such a shitty life. I still like to blame everything on everyone else I can, but at least I enjoy the niceties while I can too! You seem like a smart, tuned-in guy who has recently very much come to terms with the way you want to live your life. That makes your music even more special to me. You're never going to please everyone unless you are actually some sort of benevolent celestial being. Anyone who feels personally offended by the fact that you are an individual who has a life, I say rock n' roll - deal with it.

I'll have great times with someone who's gay if they're good people, but I tell you, the amount of 'this just made me jizz', 'I just got a boner' 'I just blew a load on my keyboard' comments kind of weird me out.

Haha, I'm sorry.