Making THE PUZZLE Full Documentary 

Devin Towsend, day 1: So, I'm not too sure about this internet thing and the craze for content, what do you guys think? Devin Townsend, a week later: So, I just released half a day worth of new sounds, a one hour video for one of my last albums, and a documentary. Duuuuuuuude :D Love you man!

After hearing the album about 100 times, I would really like to hear the original ambient guitar track that the album was built on.

I was already enjoying the creative chaos and density of this album, but hearing you talk through the process makes me appreciate it even more.

The Puzzle was such a good start to my day yesterday. I'm very glad to have this start my day today. Thank you for what you do, especially explaining where your music comes from and also how much it means to you personally.

Your thought process on this album and life in general is amazing and mentally exhausting,lol. The music you create relieves my anxiety and takes me to a special place that’s only accessible in my mind. Thank you so much for the music you make, all the music you make. Your tunes are the non prescribed meds for my stress and anxiety. Thanks heavy devy!!!

I love hearing how an artist comes up with ideas and how they expand those ideas into masterpieces. Well done Devin and everyone who had an input into this 👌🥂💖

Of all artists and musicians over the past couple of years in my journey of self discovery and otherwise, Devin has been the most understandable for me. Wacky, heavy, and zany are apt descriptions for Dev and his art. Given that, the chaos still makes sense to me. The true dedication to his craft and respect for it's meaning is unlike any other person I've come across.

Just listening to the intro felt like a relaxing 30 minutes, but I looked at it, and it's only been 6 minutes in!!! That's the magic of Devin

The Puzzle rules and Snuggles is perfectly named.

15:26 I love how Ziltoid (top left) is part of the mosaic of those who collaborated. 😂

Thank you Devin. For being you. That's all

Devin, you are absolutely amazing. Thank you for everything you do.

Hey Dev. So, watching your updates, hearing your podcasts, your videos, and your musics, it’s strange to me that I can’t just pick up the phone and text you or call you. You seem so incredibly real and approachable that when I actually realize that I can’t just talk to you, it’s a bit of a bummer. Honestly, you know that age old question “If you could have a conversation with any movie star, musician, celebrity.. Who would it be?” I know a lot of people that would be on the Taylor Swift side of things or Tom Hanks or Denzel Washington or just anything like that. My answer without skipping a beat would be Devin Townsend. Not to be starstruck or oogle over your greatness or anything like that (don’t get me wrong, you very much deserve all of those things), but simply because I think we could have some incredible conversations. You are real. You are open. And you are vulnerable. And I appreciate that SO much. Thank you for being true to yourself and putting out the things that YOU like. Because I see it, and I like it too. I am currently in the process of trying to build my “brand” too. My mission is to create and exhibit art that demonstrates that beauty can emerge from adversity, embracing authenticity, vulnerability, and openness, while actively pursuing change and personal growth. Because, I know what it’s like to suffer. I am intimately familiar with anguish. With not knowing what happiness, joy, and love feel like. I know what it’s like to not want to be here anymore. I understand the struggle of feeling like life is unbearable, and I’ve been hospitalized four times due to attempted suicide. I know what it’s like to wake up and utterly dread the day and to count the minutes until I can go back to sleep so I could be unconscious again. I know what it’s like to not want to interact with absolutely anyone because people are scary and mean and dangerous. I also know what it’s like to hate myself. Not to just dislike myself, but to hate myself. To have such a negative self image that I would bypass brushing my teeth or washing my hands simply so I didn’t have to look in the mirror, because what I would see was an ugly, horrible, stupid monster. And because it just doesn’t matter anyway. I used to challenge myself to go through the day and not speak to or interact with a single person, and I succeeded many times. I know what it’s like to feel weird and different, and to beat myself up so bad because I was not “normal,” that I would make myself sick. I know what it’s like to get so in my head about not wanting to say something stupid during a conversation, that I would get so flustered and my mind would go blank in the middle of a sentence, and I would fully forget what I was even talking about. Which, of course, validated all the terrible things I was telling myself in my head, and ultimately brought me to avoid interactions with absolutely anyone at any cost. I know what it’s like to be addicted to substances simply so I could feel something, anything, different. I know what it’s like to feel like there is no hope. I know what it’s like to feel utterly alone. I also know what it’s like to change. To make the decision, either die or don’t. And I know how difficult it is to tell myself that if I DON’T die, then I need to change things drastically. I understand how hard it is to find a professional someone that doesn’t fall into the “dangerous” category enough to actually feel comfortable talking about the terrible things in my head. Then to actually talk about them.. Terrifying. And I also know what it’s like to finally feel some relief. To gain trust. To open myself up completely and not feel scared that the person I am talking to will hate me because they see “the real me.” I know what it’s like to finally start to feel like I can communicate with people. I also know the importance of getting the bottled up feelings and emotions out any way possible. For me, it was creating music, and writing, and art. I also understand that everyone is different, and I understand that “weird” isn’t a bad word. I understand how wonderful it feels to connect with another person so deeply that I can’t imagine living life without them. I now know what love feels like. I know how important it is to express feelings, to practice kindness, and to be empathetic and compassionate towards others. I know that other people struggle with the same struggles that I did. So, the reason I do the things I do, my “why,” is to show people that beauty can, in fact, come from darkness. That life isn’t always unicorns and rainbows, but things will get better if we try. I want to help people feel like they are not alone. And I want to help them feel good. I want to help people smile and laugh. To be touched by a beautiful melody or a stunning picture. I want to help show people that not everyone is scary and mean and dangerous. That life can be wonderful. And that we are all in this together. I see some of the same values in you. I see it, and I appreciate it and love it SO much. So yes, thank you for doing what you do. You are an inspiration. Watching your videos and hearing your songs helps me realize that I can, in fact, do this too. Anyway, I am so freaking excited about so many things that you’ve updated us about. I can’t wait to see your postings from Ruby Quaker, hear your new recordings in all of their Atmos glory, and every single Dream-Peace track. And just everything. But yes.. I’m going to keep doing what I am doing as well, and hopefully one day you’ll know and remember my name. One of my goals in life is to collaborate with you on a song. Until then though, please continue to do the things that you are doing, because it is helping the world be a better place. ~Mike aka: The Anthropophobia Project P.s. Safe travels to Australia and Japan. I hope your shows go well there, and I look forward to your updates from there and when you get back home.

You've been the best of helps during the pandemics. Thank you so much!

It's funny, for pretty much all the artists I subscribe to on RU-vid, I'm always wishing that they would put out some new content for me to enjoy (I know it’s selfish), but with Devin I'm almost at the point where I want to say "Hey, Devin give me a couple of days to catch up before you put out new content, I'm falling way behind!!!" 😜

Thank you for providing your insight. It's comforting to know I'm not alone in the chaos I feel, and to know that there's a way through. Ways that are as individual as the experience it's self. I'm pretty new to music production, and I'm finding inspiration in your attitude and ethos of the process of creativity.

Looking forwards to this!

Incredible work, great all of you 🤘

this was oso captivating, moving, enthralling ,and inspiring! it was also the first time ive ever seen the likes increase as I watch in real time, I was the 17th I have followed devin since I first heard his SYL demo on the fox's power drive waaaay back when , his gig in chilliwack at verges place, his small gathering at a sidestage at lollapalooza where he wasn't even using a guitar on stage yet climbing the speakers with a balaclava sounding like a true industrial madman using his vocal processor like an audio sword cutting my ears in half also where he stuck his bare ass on the head of a dude smoking out of a honeybeear bong with his back to the stage I got full view of this as bar bong dude had asked to borrow my lighter.....good times I consider Devins music to be the highlight of the various soundtracks to my life and feel like my dynamics grew with the evolution of his different incarnations of musical splendour so much that I named my 1 and only son DEVIN to pay tribute to and honour as the muthe greatest musical mind to have ever graced this realm called earth, I can't wait to hear the puzzle that I know in a small way I am a piece of, thank you Devin.

Darn you Dev! Some parts of this scared the shit out of me like it didn’t happened since the first time I heard City. Well done man!

I really appreciated hearing this. We were super excited to go to the Kansas City concert that was coming soon when the pandemic hit, and everything stopped. Please come back to Kansas city soon. We'd love to see you again.

Devin your such a creative genius. So inspiring

Superb 🖤 Thank YOU Devin 🖤

Devin is such a smart guy. I love his Art and everything involved, all his thoughts, his ideas.

This project deserves a stem player made so you can flip through the 40 odd ideas for every part. So people can find a mix of this music which hits them in the best way!

Devin Will always take us to a better place Thank you as well as this relationship between your fans and yourself is mutual ❤🤘

Amazing project!

You're the man devin! Love this song writing process! After watching this my brain is blown and now has officially turned into i pile of shit! Thank you! HAHA

Such awesome creativity Devins music 🎶 is

Looking forward to seeing the Twitch streams back!

It's a good time to be a fan of Devin Townsend! 💯

I love the puzzle film

ALWAYS INTERESTING!

Devin would you consider putting on a show at Sphere in Las Vegas? Seems like something up your alley...

This documentary is what got me interested in listening to The Puzzle. All the things I'd heard Devin say about it previously made it sound like something I probably wouldn't like, so I sidestepped it. I'm a relatively new fan, so there's a lot to explore still and I put this low on the list. But after watching this documentary I was curious. Maybe because it's been a chaotic and illogical year for me, as I navigate widowhood after 31 years of marriage, but I was surprised to find that I actually quite like The Puzzle.

Really looking fwd to this.

Ambient is the opposite of what I’m looking for when I listen to music. But hearing the fascinating way the process all came together, and how passionate you are about it, I’m not going to dismiss it as “just noise” like my unevolved ear does with Ambient and similar genres - and give it a good listen. If that’s what you were hoping to achieve with this (giving non-believers reason to give it a chance) then you well and truly succeeded, good Sir. 🫡

Just because I'm a curious person, what are you using to create your ambient bed tracks? Is this done with your guitar and you Mooer Ocean Machine pedal? Or was this done on a synth?

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Interesting shit.

🫂🫂🫂🫂💖💖💖