If you've ever heard two or three records by Devin Townsend or any of his associated projects, you might be wondering what genre exactly it is the man plays. The answer is "all of 'em, and very well." But why is Townsend always hopping genres? In an interview with Belgian Jasper, Townsend gives the most logical explanation – once he's done with one record in one genre, he wants to get as far away from that as possible.
"I don't necessarily do it on purpose to appear like I'm being provocative. And it's funny: I have heard on several occasions that the interpretation of the fact that I make all these different types of music is indicative of psychosis. But I would argue that doing one thing to the exclusion of everything else, in my opinion, is much more indicative of some sort of lack of balance.
"I think, on a practical level, the reason why I tend to do various different styles is the amount of energy that I put into making any one of these albums is, frankly, so much that when I'm finished, I just don't wanna hear that style anymore. So what tends to happen is the next thing I do is very different, just because I love music so much and I love to create so much, but I get sick of it. Working Deconstruction or Lightwork or The Puzzle or Ziltoid or anything, Strapping or any of that stuff, by the time I've finished that record, I wanna be as far away from that sound for the next thing I that do [as I can get]."
Speaking of Townsend genre-hopping, we're still waiting for that cover of Aqua's "Barbie Girl" that got cut from his most recent Lightwork album… which he's assured us personally is indeed coming at some point.
