Devin Townsend to go on hiatus

[gunnar hendershow]

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermo...ewsitemID=52846

DEVIN TOWNSEND: 'I'm Going To Take A Hiatus From Making Records For A While' - May 26, 2006

STRAPPING YOUNG LAD mainman Devin Townsend has told MTV.com that he's planning on hoping to take some time off this fall to recover from the last decade of touring and recording.

"I'm going to take a hiatus from making records for a while," Townsend said. "In the past 10 years, I've put out 20 records." That includes STRAPPING, THE DEVIN TOWNSEND BAND and his own solo projects, like 2001's TERRIA. "[it's been] bang-bang-bang-bang. As soon as I finish one, I'm writing another, and when that one's done, I'm writing another. I just don't want to write records right now.

"The records I make, I'm there from the writing of the first note through the click tracks to the miking of the drums to the editing of everything to the production to the vocals to the artwork," he continued. "And it's been so many years of doing it. I won't ever stop doing what I do, I just need a break so I can go sit on a beach somewhere and drink Corona after Corona and stumble back to a hotel." [Devin and his wife Tracy are also expecting their first child in October.]

On the subject of STRAPPING YOUNG LAD's new album, "The New Black" (due July 11), Devin said, "With this record, we just set out to make a really good-sounding, riotous record to listen to, and we achieved that. It's what it needed to be. Fans will like it. I mean, considering the amount of time we had to do it, I think we did a really good job."

As for the band's appearance on this year's Ozzfest, Devin's too exhausted to be excited.

"I don't even know what the Ozzfest is all about. Everybody seems to be making a real big deal about it, and for me, it's just the next gig we're doing," he told MTV.com. "People talk about the Ozzfest and what it can do for your career, and I guess I'm just oblivious to it. ... I'm in a weird position, because there's all this rock and roll stuff [that goes on backstage at Ozzfest], and everyone's really into putting their party pants on and getting liquored up and high. I just don't fit in as well as a lot of people."

20 records in 10 years is damn impressive, especially since just about all of them have been amazing pieces of music.

[Liam]

Yeah, as you stated, the man has been busting his gut, he deserves a rest.

[Skummy]

Yeah, I'm pretty glad to hear this. While selfishly, I would obviously want the guy to carry on making fantastic music, for his own wellbeing, it's best that he doesn't and takes a break for a while. He puts so much into his music that he really needs to take time off for a bit, in my opinion, so this is good news in that respect.

[apsham]

Here's hoping that what I expect to happen will; a hiatus will be had, with a properly hyped and equally good return.