A LOT OF things come to mind when you think of Devin Townsend. Skullets. Puppets. Farting ballbags. The Canadian is one of metal’s most unpredictable forces, but he’s unfailingly polite, warm and chatty while Hammer attempt to extricate his life lessons. Here, Devin reflects on everything from workaholism, sobriety and mental health to what artistry means to him after 50 years on this planet.
IT’S BETTER TO KNOW YOU’RE FULL OF SHIT THAN TO PRETEND YOU’RE NOT
“A lot of my youth was spent confused about fundamental emotions: anger, sadness, grief, all these things. I had kind of a stoic upbringing – overt displays of emotion were viewed as uncouth. Then the pandemic came, and I couldn’t suppress emotions in the ways that I’d been able to before. I realised, ‘Wow, you haven’t seen what you really are.’ That allowed me to participate in a