STRAPPING YOUNG LAD
Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 at 1:30pm by Devin Townsend
Okay. I started SYL in 1993 after hearing Soul Of A New Machine. I saw Fear Factory open for Sepultura with Clutch, and I remember running around the venue telling everyone: “THAT is what I want to do, except with extra chaos…”
My creative process is directly tied to my emotional development. There are some folks that make music by picking up a guitar until they have a riff that is defined by the musical roads they choose to hone. They then sculpt it into that framework and voila, Metallica, Slayer, Priest etc. I think that’s awesome, and in some ways I’m envious of that. In many cases, if you mix that with tenacity and a certain amount of talent and luck, you can sustain a decent career.
That’s not how I create, again… as it is tied to life and circumstance, my music has generally been cathartic observations of what life presents, and each new record in many ways is a reaction to the one before. So in the most blunt of terms, I make music to better understand myself as I change.
When I was twenty-three, Strapping Young Lad was a DIRECT reflection of my state of mind. As honest as I could possibly be. I think one of the reasons people responded well to the music is because it was from the heart. A middle finger defined by a cathartic need to get through it all… (My twenties in hindsight…)
I signed a five record deal, and when I came to the second record, City, it was completely written in my bedroom… in the same ways as Ocean Machine, Infinity or Ki have been written, again, as an honest reflection of that state of mind (early twenties). And as I continue to do to this day, when I was putting the album City together, I looked for people to participate in the recording to bring life and energy that was congruent with the music.
I had cut my teeth in bands with Byron. My first tour was in his band, Caustic Thought. Strangely, I was Jed’s replacement in the band and I just played guitar… but Byron was THE MAN in our scene (and still is)… big thundering bass tone and a great confident mind for organization and business. Jed was older than us, but had that kind of aura that people gravitate to. A cool guy who everybody wanted to be with.
Gene I met in LA at an Iron Maiden show, and while we were both loaded, I convinced him to do the session for City. In fact, he didn’t remember the conversation the next day.
So to make a long story longer, we slowly became a band over the years, and the single greatest musical moments in my career to date were with those guys. I consider them brothers for life.
So I DID NOT quit SYL because of any drama bullshit. As a result of my creative process, the things that drew me to that style of music as catharsis had been resolved, in fact… it was resolved after City, and the lure of being in a kick-ass band propelled me towards reconnecting with that honest intention in increasingly self-destructive ways out of the idea of honoring the SYL muse. What ended up happening were some great albums and tours, but my original, fearless metal vibe ended up getting steeped in a kind of bizarre irony, and through excessive drug use, the intention behind the music began to be more about paranoia rather than strength.
Being a martyr for anybody reeks of cults, religion, and Kurt Cobain. So after completing the contract (and not before), I bowed out as gracefully as I could and I think we’ve left a fucking awesome legacy.
I’m incredibly proud of everything we did, and our fans, and I am honored beyond measure to have played not only with some of my oldest and most talented friends, but to have connected with one of the single most intense musical minds in metal with Gene.
I have many things I want to do in the future that I need to honor now. I want to write symphonies and I’m a total control freak (i.e., shitty to be in a band with…). You know, LSD… Lead Singer Disease.
All hail the new flesh, times change, and what I found important to sing about at twenty-three is different than at thirty-seven. Strapping Young Lad was one of the best in my opinion, and it sucks that I don’t write like a typical metal band. But I think that, in lots of ways, that’s what made SYL unique.
Be true to the muse folks, wherever it leads you… there are no original ideas, we all draw from the collective unconscious.
Here is my favorite song we ever did, “Skeksis,” from Alien.
-DT
“Be true to the muse folks, wherever it leads you… there are no original ideas, we all draw from the collective unconscious.”
The most concise summary I’ve seen to date of a sentiment many contributors to this site have attempted to express in myriad ways, and been flamed for.
+infinity
And yet certain people bag certain bands on here for making albums that express what’s happeing in their lives at the time but when others do the same thing they’re honoured for it.
Dev never came off as some guy trying to market to you though.
He just made kick ass albums and let it speak for itself, rather than rely on some image to appeal to the hip crowd.
I saw that same Sepultura/Fear Factory/Clutch tour in Newark, NJ, but the band I came away most impressed by was Fudge Tunnel.
Totally understand what you’re saying about changing as a person and your creative output changing as a consequence. I’ve never been anything but a writer, but what I choose to write about has changed RADICALLY in the 20 years between the time I started and now.
I dig the new album, btw. Here’s a link to my review.
Will you be pushing your own product all day or are you gonna give this blogging thing a try?
Hush. Don’t ruin this for me.
I’ve gotta say, I’m extremely excited to see what Burton, Dino, Gene, and Byron have come up with in Strapping Young Factory. I’d have to assume you’ve heard the whole record, Devin. Any thoughts?
Skeksis is my favorite Strapping song as well.
+1
Today is the greatest day in MetalSucks.net history. They’re gonna have a lot of catching up to do after these great posts.
Also, add me to the ‘Skeksis is the best SYL song’ list. Hard to pick one song, but if I had to, that would be the one.
I thank you for strapping young lad, one of my favorite bands, and will be forever.
It’s a pity that SYL appears to be done… I’ve enjoyed everything you’ve released under that name. ‘The New Black’ may actually be my favorite, even over ‘City’.
Question Devin…where would you put Physicist in your discography? Having discovered your music after its release, I consider it an SYL record. Maybe it wasn’t at the time, but considering the musical direction of the later albums (especially The New Black), I think it fits more with Strapping. I like to think you guys had six records. Is it still your least favorite?
Also, while I understand not wanting to make new SYL music if its not inspired, have you totally closed the door on doing a farewell tour (or even a farewell show–I can’t fathom Ozzfest being Strapping’s epitaph).
I’m with you man. Dev described it as “SYL-lite” at the time but I think CM might have had issues with that analogy. What doesn’t hold true about that claim IMO is the “lite” part – sure it’s not angry but the sheer brutality of the songs (and they ARE songs) is up there with some of the heaviest parts of SYL. When Alien was released it was like a dark version of Physicist for me. Where SYL differs I guess is the feeling that you’re being driven down into a dark place with Dev at the wheel and the band whooping and hollering like lunatics… then again that’s how I viewed The New Black.
I was in love with Physicist from the second spin and every run-through is like another day of wedded bliss for me. (Thankfully having affairs with other CDs isn’t immoral but I’m certain I could happily spend the rest of my life with Physicist alone.)
whoops, I meant to write “with Physicist you’re heading to a happy place…. then again that’s how I viewed The New Black.”
What you write above is the exact thing I’ve always felt “All hail the new flesh” was about. You know, jumping head first in the direction life is taking you. It was the first song that came to mind after my daughter was born in ‘06, and it’s a song I always seem to return to whenever I stand before one of those forks (in the road, that is).
i like syl over city and alien over all of them.
i love jamming the begining of aftermath. that shit just crushes
I really like to see Townsend live, i think peoples head would explode just being there, in a good way
Dont let your head explode, because then you’d miss Cynic and Between The Buried and Me.
THEN you can die happily.
Never expected skekis to be your favourite song. SYL is such a buzz word for me nowadays. If i see it in something, i have to read it. Thanks so much for making what is to me personally one of the greatest metal bands ever. I also second deanerheads question about a farewell tour.
Do you have any funny stories about Gene? He seems like a funny guy, and I’ve read some funny stories. Come on! Stories!
Dev, you make the comment, “When I was twenty-three, Strapping Young Lad was a DIRECT reflection of my state of mind. As honest as I could possibly be. I think one of the reasons people responded well to the music is because it was from the heart. A middle finger defined by a cathartic need to get through it all…”
With your 3rd album Deconstruction you’ve written that the album is somewhat of a return to your SYL roots, meant to be aggressive and chaotic.
Fast forward 14-15 years later you’re married, you have a child. As someone who writes based upon emotions what will your inspiration be for Deconstruction?
Holy Crap, I wish I’d been old enough to see Sepultura with Fear Factory AND Clutch.
The New Black was one of my favorite metal records of all time, Dev. SYL was a force to be reckoned with!
“Be true to the muse folks, wherever it leads you… there are no original ideas, we all draw from the collective unconscious.”
Nominated for MS quote of the year.
I believe SYL is Devin. At least the sound is ( Don’t get me wrong ALL SYL band members made the band a success). That being said if you listen to all his latest music it has many tidbits of SYL feeling. I personally would NOT want Devin to try to make music that he is not feeling at that moment. Devin gives us what he feels is his best and what his creative mind opens up for us. I don’t believe he would waste his time doing anything other than what moves his soul. I am so thankful for his honesty to himself because that is what will keep him producing such great music for all of us to enjoy.
If SYL were never to come back (which seems pretty clear from this post) then by god, this is the perfect epitaph for the band. Almost a whole history, summed up in one post by the man himself. A true, honest retrospective on one of metal’s most interesting groups. It was because of SYL that I became obsessed with sound. The way “City” was, it was just all around you. EVERYWHERE. And that was really Strapping in a nutshell: this emotional force that just took you by the neck and just completely enveloped you.
Thank you Devin. For the music, for everything.
Back when I was 15 or 16, I saw SYL live. It was like getting hit in the face with a tower flat for a full hour. To this day, I still consider it one of the best gigs I have been too.
I’m sad I never saw SYL live… and will never get the chance to. Bummer, but what are ya gonna do, right?
Well, they do have a dvd. Sadly, I never got to see them either. I think that’s the closest we’re gonna get.
Yeah, I guess that the next best thing is to see DTP on tour with BTBAM and Cynic.
Videodrome is the shit Devin – “All Hail the New Flesh”
My jaw just dropped when Dev said his favorite song with Strapping was Skeksis. I have never and probably never will hear another beautifully crushing and energetic song. My tastes vary wildly, so the only other song I can think of that I could possibly compare it to is a song by Mr. Bungle…Ars Moriendi. In all of the music world, I’ve never heard anything like those 2 songs that just shook the soul out of my body and brought me to contortions.
I meant convulsions, but I guess either word will do.
I’m glad SYL left where they did, I’m tired of bands making album after album and dwindling their original fan base.
SYL FOR LIFE!!!
Awesome post, Devin. My first SYL album was City, which I heard when I was 18 or 19 in 1997. I’ll always love the band (and Skeksis is my favourite SYL song too) but now I’m 31, I’m a dad, and the things that are on my mind are very different to where I was when City came along. It’s been awesome following your development as an artist and person in parallel with my own development and life experience. I’ll always love SYL but I don’t feel like I need new SYL – you said what you needed to say and made some kickass music with SYL but your solo/DTP/DTB/etc stuff speaks to me much more these days – I relate more to ‘that guy’ than the SYL guy.
Man, I am enjoying the hell out of Devin day!
I’d have to say that aftermath is my favorite SYL song. The atmosphere in that song is absolutely crushing.
Damn, i dunno Devy, I’m gunna have to say my two fav SYL tracks are Spirituality and AAA. booyah.
hell yeah, skesis was always my favorite…
errr skeksis….
“Shitstorm” blew me away, and it came during the lowest point in my life. It was the most pissed-off song I’d ever heard, and I never knew what chaotic anger truly sounded like ’til I heard it. From then on, I was hooked.
Dev, not sure if you’ll ever read this – but thank you. So much.
Alien is probably my favorite SYL record…favorite song though, would definitely have to be “Imperial”. It is 2 minutes of the most ball-crushingly ball crushing that I’ve ever heard, and possibly will ever hear.
Alien is by far my favorite metal record. I have to admit when I first heard it I didn’t understand it, but as I’ve gotten older and when I started listening to your full catalog I finally got it, and to me it is perfect.
Im too stoned to understand what your talking about. SYL are pretty badass.
I’m so glad I got to experience SYL live in, of all places, Davenport Iowa. The show was mind blowing.
The best part was that it almost seemed as Devin was totally unaware of what his music was doing
to the minds of everyone in attendance while he was on stage.
It seemed as though he just thought it was another show, rawk out and say some funny comments in between songs, which he did, but that show will forever be one of the best I’ve ever seen.
I don’t even remember a single other band that played that night.
Thank you Devin.
You may not be that same guy anymore, but the music of SYL will stay with us.
Oh and also thanks for not being a dick about my dumb question on how
you did that scream at the beginning of Shitstorm.
I appreciated the answer of clutching your balls as hard as you could!
Strapping Young Lad rocks my hairy anus!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZ_VBf38XUA
Damn, I wish I could have seen SYL live.
I nearly cried when you said Skeksis was your favourite song you ever did… I thought you’d said in interviews that City was your magnum opus. I’ve always maintained that Alien was a masterpiece, and I am in complete fucking awe of Skeksis. That song has something new every time I listen to it…