Metal Anarchy

During an interview with Loaded Radio, Devin Townsend opened up about working with Steve Vai. He also confirmed that the guitarist is contributing to his rock opera “The Moth.”

Townsend said the following about his relationship with Vai:

“[Steve] was just at my house for a week and a half. We have a good relationship and he’s involved with [Townsend’s rock opera] ‘The Moth’.

[Steve is] a very important person in my life for a lot of reasons. But after so many years, we can be honest with each other too. And I think that where a lot of times collaborative efforts fall apart is everybody has to pussyfoot around each other. Specifically, if you’re both even reasonably accomplished in terms of putting out material, a lot of times collaborations with other musicians end up — everybody’s very, very careful with each other’s ideas. As opposed to saying, ‘Hey, no. I listened to the idea and I appreciate it, but it’s not for me. I don’t like it.’ Sometimes that falls apart with people that don’t have these more long-term relationships. And Steve and I now are in a position where when we do get together and we do jam and we do talk about concepts, we can vet each other’s ideas from a place of more objective creative analysis. And I value that greatly, specifically with somebody who, again, is so accomplished. It’s a great experience… I think what’s important about that as well is the reason why we’re able to still communicate is because we’ve gone through difficult periods.

Another quote that I love [is] that ‘progress is only an awkward conversation away.’ And I think that if you’re in a position with somebody, if you’re fortunate enough to be in a position with somebody where you can have those difficult conversations, then that’s where real music is going to come from.

You get asked these questions when you’re younger, like, ‘Oh, could you describe what a dream band would be like?’ [You go], like, ‘Oh, okay, Jimi Hendrix on guitar, John Bonham on drums.’ But you think to yourself maybe the reason that those players were so fantastic is because the environments that they found themselves in. Maybe the reason why Jimi Hendrix is brilliant came out is because he didn’t have to answer to anybody. He just had the two players in his band and perhaps if you did put him into a ban, maybe his social anxiety would make it that the other guitar player, maybe Jimmy Page or whatever, would just steamroll him. And then by the time you’re done, you get this supergroup album that’s not as good as any of them individually. And I think a lot of the reason why that happens is the dynamic has to be established. And if you’re fortunate enough to be with musicians for many years, then you’ve worked through the arguments, you’ve worked through the ‘fuck this guy’ or the romance period even. And then at that point, when someone has an idea, you’re best suited to listen to it because why would they say it other than this person who’s brilliant has a good idea. Or an idea at least. And that’s where [Steve and I] find ourselves.”

He also added the following about “The Moth”:

“Well, I think it’s a work in progress in that what we’re working on together with ‘The Moth’ is rooted in something that I’ve already written. So when he comes here, a lot of it is just, like, he has ideas. He’s, like, ‘What if we tried this? What if the chorus was doubled?’, things like that. So in an immediate sense, ‘The Moth’, the performances that we start with, because we’re doing performances of it with the orchestra prior to the record coming out, happens in March of 2025. But then where it evolves with Steve and I — I guess the thing that is frustrating to some of the audience is I personally am in no rush with any of these things. So, the honest answer is when it’s ready, it’ll be out. And what plays into when that is, is just everybody’s so busy. There’s no direct plans, but it’s already in the process. That’s a copout of an answer, but it’s an answer nonetheless.”

[via Blabbermouth]