Steve Vai's singer. He was into some pretty heavy drug abuse with caffeine at the time. Last I heard he was playing dives like Royal Albert Hall. Such a shame.
The crazy thing for me is that he wasn't even bald yet, but shaved everything. He went on to have a full head of long hair on top before the male pattern kicked in.
my mate introduced me to this album with "Steve Vai must have got a bunch of different singers on it or something" and i listened to it and said "no, that's just Devin Townsend"
Two drummers, Devin's performance, the 'Hi Tracy' on his arm, that bassist and the keyboard player. Just a few things that made me really enjoy this video. Classic!
@@hexagram13 Anybody know who Vai's drummer was, here? I understand the second drummer was Jay Leno's show drummer. Terry Bozzio had left the band lineup. Who was Vai using for these appearances and the tour ?
I saw Devon and Steve at the Station just north of Orlando FL in the mid 90's. Awesome show. I had never heard of Devon. He came out wearing adult polka dot pajamas resembling a Wonder bread bag and Steve with M&M pants. Devon's range blew me away. Then on top of that, halfway through the set, he picks up a guitar and keeps up with Steve. Holy six strings !
I'm a big Vai fan and buying this album when it was first released is what kept me following Devin. I'm so glad I did with his own music being so awesome!
I was just talking to my dad about music and he said "You know that guy you dig? Devin Townsend, he sang on a Steve Vai album." I was like... what???? He rocks
Hysterical Dev, puts Jay's phone up his ass backstage before they went on and has a friend snap a photo. Priceless....Steve flips out after finding out...
Wow, Devin's so young! And shaven eyebrows? wow. This is hands down my favorite Steve Vai album, due largely to the vocals. This particular sonf is tops.
@@mutleyeng ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Jytunp3Z8ZM.htmlsi=nCWy3hd0xKSUe9b- He can but he doesn't enjoy how it sounds. He used to practice it constantly when he was younger, he loved the guitar legends like Steve and Yngwie. But I guess it just never ended up fitting in the music he wanted to make. I can take back that he shreds like Steve if you want, it was more so just a comment on how far Devin has come as a musician, from being Steve Vais guitar henchman.
I loved this album when it came out, and I loved Devin's work on it. I gotta admit this is some crazy-ass take on this song. It almost has a freaky P-Funk or maybe early Chili Peppers vibe going on (maybe Oingo Boingo?) with all the percussionists and decidedly not rock-band instruments (standup bass?? WTF?). Vai has said that this album was a difficult time in his life, filled with influences that were uncomfortable, and it certainly shows in his playing and the disconnect in the performance.
In Vai's words: "Then there was that fateful day we played The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Nothing felt right and I went against my feeling on almost every issue. Right before we took to the stage I was on the phone settling a painful and costly litigation. That night I sat in my living room and watched the show. After our performance it all came to me. I saw every blunder I made and it all stemmed from me letting my ego go against my better judgment. I fell to the floor, curled into a ball and thought, “What have I done?” It was a low point."
@@Arenow I did read it... "Devin is one of most unique talented, tormented souls, making music these days" dafuq he's right! But these days Devin doesn't give me the feeling he's tormented... It was a long way i think
Agreed, Dev was dealing with some shit, yet he still ripped through this music. I LOVE this album and this performance, even if Dev did have to force it :( !
Vai agrees. Long ago (either in a Guitar World magazine, or later interview on camera - I forget) I distinctly remember Vai saying he was embarrassed seeing the playback of that night - and further "he could see the beginning of the end" or something like that. Terry Bozzio was already long gone. Vai's whole idea of a little "supergroup" just never panned out. At least he tried. And that album was very well done, and something he can be proud of. Fantastic cuts, fantastic performances. I guess this video is making it's rounds again on the RU-vid Suggestions here in April 2020. I'm noticing hundreds of suddenly fresh comments 2 weeks or younger :) haha
I lucked out and got to see this version of the Vai band in a little bar in Detroit on this tour. Even caught a guitar pick from Steve. Have carried it in my wallet every day since. Devin played note for note with Steve on the guitar all night! His vocals were also stellar !!!! Such an odd album that worked in so many ways!!! Steve can play, but needs to leave the vocal duties to those that can deliver. You can sing better than me Steve, but please stop and leave it to the extremely gifted ones that you cross paths with.
This is a great song with a strong groove and melody. Powerful. Definitely has the Vai touch. Love hearing it with all of this orchestration going on, even if the performance was fraught with tension as it apparently was. Must have been one hell for the sound guy to mix.
He missed two callings.... starring in the remake of The Hills Have Eyes. ? and being that singer that sang "how can we sleep with the world is turning?" Beds Are Burning. that's the song I think. What band was that? dammit. one hit and I forGIT. midnight oil. ok. Had to look it up, dammit.
Please revisit and tour that band and album. Sex and Religion is Steve's most underrated and under appreciated album. Just look at the line up, freaking insane. Devin is an absolute genius just like Steve and TM.
