MOTH Update #10

First week of real writing... jarring to start, but it's starting to feel more settled. The fantasy is different than the reality, but ultimately Ill choose the reality =) Hope youre well... - Dev

[@MrCold012]

Dev rambling, explaining, opening, giving insight, updating. Its a whole package of communication and I love it.

[@BearOfStone]

The Strapping Young Lad grew, evolved, mellowed into the Measured Older Gentleman.

[@Cadmeus]

So excited to hear that there's going to be more Casualties of Cool. Devin and Ché together are such a vibe ❤

[@adrenakrohm]

Dev, I've met you a couple times at shows but understandably you would have no idea who I was should we pass in the street, and yet somehow, it feels as though you're one of my best friends. The way you invite us in is astonishing. Love ya, man.

[@SYLRMHA]

Parasocial relationships are a helluva thing...

[@adrenakrohm]

​@@SYLRMHA Lucky I'm sensible enough to understand reality then.

[@snail415]

Exact same story for me. Cheers.

[@Starcoma]

I don’t know why, but this series is helping and inspiring me to push through with my own writing. Thank you, Devy.

[@mfergel]

Likewise

[@Starcoma]

@@mfergel Hell yeah! Finish that project! 🤟

[@Roddrummer]

Heavy, elegant, melancholy....this makes me VERY excited!

[@TheNovaWollf]

This series is pure gold for anyone that is a creator in any sense

[@Liz-cmc313]

Devin's music touches my Soul. No one else can claim that. I appreciate his music,his gift for gab,his thoughtfulness,his ability to actually listen and be in the moment. Much love and respect Devin. And it's guaranteed I'll be repeating this sentiment until I die.

[@saltedpeanut5571]

Your last two updates have both struck a nerve with me. In a way, being alienated and attacked for a work you have created. A few years ago I wrote a book which aroused quite dramatic feelings among my closest friends. Simply described, the book is about my inner darkness and suffering therein being self-inflicted if I continue to operate in it and cannot separate myself from it; and therefore and lastly eliminate it, my own reflections and perceptions (the moth is actually represented in the book, and has a significant meaning). A few of my friends thought it was one of the best things they had ever read and were beyond excited. Most of my other friends became angry, felt personally attacked and took a misunderstanding position towards my book. I found that by explaining myself, I negated the intention of the book for others, for the recipient. In those who got mad at me, there was clearly an unrealized selfishness present, and it was not nice to experience, but I was happy with my book and I did not apologize for anything. The book was not published.

[@nigelbentonakauapoap3691]

Once again you're echoing my current state... I've been writing and recording my stuff, mostly for my own entertainment, for years now... and as I've improved in my basic production skills and/or have added new plugins, apps etc... I'm now re-working my 'back catalogue' to kind of bring it more in line sonically with what I'm doing now... the result... chaos!! However, it's a good kind of chaos as it's helping (or rather forcing) me to rethink some of the poor production choices I made previously simply because I didn't have the experience or the skills I have today... it's a process that will never end, until of course I do! Thanks again, love this time! 🖖😎

[@howardhavardramberg333]

This is really good. I’ve struggled with the same thing but with writing stories. Once you resolve yourself, your creativity thrives. Keep doing the great work!

[@lost_fiction]

damn the background music makes this even more wholesome. This video series has become like my weekly sermon , to be really honest :)

[@trapset1539]

God bless you Devon, you've opened new doors of music for me that sooth my soul. Thanks

[@aerahtv0000]

His name is Devin. Devon is a prnstar

[@maelss]

@@aerahtv0000 you mean to tell me this isnt Devon Toonsend?

[@malcolmtucker5225]

Bless you Devin you are a treasure!!!!!!

[@Fraeg]

Sick as a dog in Madrid, and now in Northern California and still sick, this series of podcasts has been a wonderful thing to dig my teeth into while I get healthy.

[@rorytucker5055]

I don't really listen to your music Dev but these casual and honest chats you're uploading are a real comfort, cheers mate!

[@lyricbread]

Fuck yeah new Casualties album incoming! ❤

[@PrimitiveInTheExtreme]

Hearing you speak, listening to your reflections, makes me feel good ✨

[@jaredmulconry]

Thanks for taking time out to make these, Devy.

[@vambo08]

I had a similar experience moving from Logic and Cubase to Reaper. Same quality of material, but productivity and workflow much improved. I think, because Reaper seemed to do things in the same way that I wanted to do things, it made it easier to concentrate on the writing. Not saying that any daw is better/worse, just that when you find one that suits your process, it can make life much more pleasurable!

[@snail415]

FL Studio. 18 years and counting. Zero complaints.

[@themeltingJason]

Listening to you talk and think out loud is such a nice thing. Thanks for doing this.

[@SlobodaBalint]

Thank you Dev! The thing you said about writing about the things we know resonates with me so much. I've been writing a song for the last 3-4 months and for the last month I couldn't write a single word for the verse. I have a vision for it but I couldn't place myself into it. Last night I found out how I fit into it and so many ideas started flying.

[@HeavyDude3000]

Listening to Devin speak is somehow weirdly good for my soul. Like listening to a very wise person (which Devin clearly is), maybe like the Dalai Lahma or so, always gives me some kind of inner peace. Love you ❤😊

[@jacobhanlon-dunn6254]

NEW CASUALTIES OF COOL

[@AetherworksAudio]

Thank you so much for this update, Dev. For letting us in further and for sharing your journey!

[@001TheKarl]

Dev this is the best thing I’ve watched in ages. You make a lot of sense. Thank you!

[@dustinparker9456]

Just Write what you feel and let it flow. Then find a place for it. Just let go. Feel the force around you. You, me, the trees, the rock, and the ship.

[@Pygmyer]

Ché would be an amazing guest for the podcast. Really looking forward to the new causualties of cool!

[@christophermorrison2]

MOST presumptuous comment you'll ever see. I'm a professional writer (and director) with produced plays, features, shorts, VR/XR, and video games. My work has been seen on five continents and over 20 countries. I'm also a fan of the music and seen you play multiple times and I've been following this spectacular series with great interest and found it insightful and helpful in my own journey. I know that you are working with amazing playwrights, and I'm sure ya'll's workflow is awesome. I'd just like to propose one thing... that you and your work (to my artistic ear) does not follow the traditional 3-act structure and/or the bog-standard Hero's Journey stuff that makes up most of Western writing. And when you say your ideas sound "crazy" to these folkx it just may mean you are working in a different kind of structure... or, ya know, they are crazy ideas. BUT I just want you to know that there are different forms that are VERY STRUCTURED forms beyond "beginning, middle, and end" that are NOT as insane as Alejandro Jodorowsky's Holy Mt. I've spent the last two years starting to learn, experiment with and teach these structures... and MAN I'd love to share some of that info with you as, after listening to this update, it may be VERY relevant to your work. I'M NOT SELLING anything :) Well, if I am it isn't MY work... if we can't chat... or others are interested please, please read/pick-up Jane Alison's book Meander, Spiral, Explode (a fellow Canadian who is a novelist) who lays down some AMAZING writing structures gleaned from nature and not Aristotle. Great new ways to organize your thinking about story that service things that are not allowing the "norm". She's talking about novels but I've found them an a=b equation when working with other media. Okay... man, this is super scary putting this out there... BUT kinda had to after hearing this. I felt compelled b/c I'm obsessed with the creative process and couldn't keep my mouth shut after hearing where you are in this process and that this info might be useful Here's the receipts on my career: www.realityplus.org www.imdb.com/name/nm1392571/ www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-morrison-21267b5/ Super brief bio: A writer-director who has worked on over 150 films, plays, TV, VR, videogames. His feature ‘The Bellwether’ was released in 2019. His branching narrative VR “The Werewolf Experience” played Cannes and primers in Japan in Feb '24. Cirque du Soleil has called him “A huge asset to the creative process.” He's an Immersive Mentor for SXSW festival, and spoke on modern storytelling to the House of Lords in the UK. For everyone who are fans of this amazing series: I wish us all creative and happy endeavors for the new year!

[@Benskingdom]

Hi Devin, I really appreciate the time you take to give us these personal updates. being someone who recently lost everything, I take solace in your words. I am starting everything from the ground up. 25 years of digital recording archives gone. Thanks Devin, you are my inspiration 🙏

[@kornfreak78]

Looking forward to hearing your new stuff.

[@ehoc42]

14:33 I like how Devin thinks he only used to be crazy….listen to empath and the puzzle my man 🤪. It’s ok Devin your brain is certainly beautiful and one of a kind ❤

[@doorknobdave9410]

nice update dev hope you have a doorknob day! love - door knob dave

[@Thidavann_Soth]

💖

[@Johnny38315]

I could listen for hours 😊 looking forward to see the podcasts 🎉

[@diarrhea_splatter]

Oh man, lots of new stuff coming down the line. And we're getting variety, I can't wait!

[@PenguinDT]

That's likely my fave thing about his music; there's something for every mood.

[@ulfingvar1]

I think this man is only rivalled by Frank Zappa by how much he works/writes..

[@jammo1031]

I've been loving the Dream Peace music, it's worked wonders for helping me sleep. Looking forward to the new releases!

[@wrimbles]

Always go full artsy-fartsy. You can always make hybrid version after if it calls you. Very glad to hear you letting go of apologizing. It's very hard to do when its deeply engrained in your identity and history, I share that struggle. If it's one thing I've learned in 2023, it's the importance and value of letting go and trusting the universe (other people, nature, etc) to do its thing. Trusting that I am capable of reacting in the moment in a way that keeps me safe. Practicing the act of "be here now", resisting that compulsion to put in the preemptive extra credit work to try to influence the outcome, a product of that self-protective logic that says "if I don't play it safe I'll regret it in the future and it'll be 'my fault'", that whole thing. It's scary as hell, it's always a work in progress, but man... when you can get to the point where you could walk into a restaurant and rip a huge fart and genuinely laugh about it rather than feeling crippling haunting judgment and failure for decades, that's like... Buddha-level peace within yourself. If I can get just a slice of that inner liberty in my daily life, I think it's worth working towards. Thanks for the introspection and inspiration, as always. Much love, brother.

[@nobotious]

love it man, all of us are just making it through life in our own little ships packed with our own baggage / expectations / hopes / whathaveyou. Its cool to get a little insight into yours.

[@burnbacktime]

Sometimes I run a popsicle under some water to get past that first stage of suck. Not sure how that translates here but there ya go.

[@skylilly1]

I always do that, too 👍

[@burnbacktime]

@@skylilly1 🤘😁

[@GregorySkidmore]

You're a massive inspiration, Devin. Thank you for your honesty and vulnerability as a person and artist. Your trip is valuable and relatable. ❤

[@bananahammock334]

love the insight to your mind at this moment

[@roobydoobie897]

Literally the motivation I needed, thank you Heavy Devy love you and much respect to you and tour process!!❤

[@claytonjohn6473]

Imagine a displaced spirit. On one hand knowing the mysteries from almost the start of time, on the other hand knowing can never go home and thousands of years of anguish. The term gnashing of teeth. The greatest lie is that it never was.

[@Scott_Alexander]

New Casualties - Wooooo!!

[@jameswyatt6076]

"This is the story and some people are like 'we don't get it'." That's the lightbulb that should go off when you're on to something

[@CarlosmanuelChavezayuso-gi5qy]

Hi friend Davin wishing your so much success more hope your have a great day Greats 👋

[@mikemaas9944]

New casualties of cool? Now THATS what I’m here for!!!

[@claytonjohn6473]

If I heard you correctly, your aim was finding ways to make a thread that people can relate. The phrase nothing new under the sun has always sat funny w me. The more i think im unique or gone thru stuff others havent, im antisocial. I like my time alone sometimes with no responsibilities. Ive noticed others dont bring up struggles. I seem to process things different. i dwell then leave it behind. Through a veh homicide my best friend died. Ive learned i must forgive myself

[@janhavelka5081]

That ambient guitar sounds soo good

[@stinkfloyd1]

The best creation is the antithesis of the common. Everything is about speed and technicality. Slow and discipline...RISE!

[@RubyRoks]

I totally get you on the appearance and workflow of certain DAWs causing writing differences. I've been trialing Ardour/Harrison Mixbus and the things i write, the way things sound when i mix them, and my workflow in its entirety is completely different compared to my main DAW of Reaper. Even changing my Reaper theme has this effect on me. I'd gone from an analog console themed one to a 90s/00s cyber bubble aesthetic one and immediately started writing DnB and other electronic music

[@pinkenbajedi2119]

As part of my own healing process recently, which all started around the same time is these updates, you gotta stop saying sorry, just change you vocabulary and the mindset will change. My wife pulls me up now when I say sorry, which I actively change now to Thankyou or I will endeavour to grow from this instead of sorry. Subtle change but massive shift in your head about your internal perspective. Stop saying sorry and start saying thank you! ❤

[@macdietz]

Dev, our Man Of The Hour

[@berend_dijk]

Thanks again for your updates ❤

[@CarlosmanuelChavezayuso-gi5qy]

Your have a great Talent my friend. 🎸🎹😎🤘☀️🌈 Congrats 👏 👋

[@theddrums2083]

Thank you Devin.

[@jameswyatt6076]

I sort of, on some level, relate to what he/you mentions in the first 3 minutes (depending on who is reading this). After leaving my old band and wanting to do my own thing, setting up a home studio in my father's basement, I find myself wanting the build to continue. But when I actually sat down to do drum takes, it feels so alien. I also don't have a vision or known who I am as an artist yet. Which is the difference lol - I don't know how to start much less where.

[@soni7412]

Nothing wrong with a little crazy, I love love love that I can delve in and find something that soothes every possible mood and emotion in your music. The range is phenomenal. Never apologize for it ❤

[@PhantomDrums917]

Making the world a more tolerable, warm place to be just by being you. Thank you Devon. It was an honor to discover your music.

[@nmatheis]

Love these updates, Dev. So calming and helpful. Much appreciated!

[@adventurebonsai6532]

Thank you, truly, for doing these. After entirely too long of WANTING do sit down and create music, you, your music, and these videos have been a push I needed to make it a reality. Its okay to question yourself and try to find what feels right - humans are complex. I can say, though, even if you go full artsy-fartsy you have a plethora of people that would like to it regardless. :)

[@Squattingtiger9]

So glad there is some sort of "Ambient" music in the background.......Just, with everything else he's going through...(....), makes listening to Devin ....So much more soothing....Does that seem weird?.....

[@happydeux2254]

Having spent half my working life in manual labour jobs, I get what you're trying to say. Not a day goes by I can't relate something shitty or positive or in between to something I experienced on a job. Those days sometimes sucked, but now looking back, they were all gold. I feel like everyone should do 6 months as a plumber and 6 months as a dry wall installer.

[@Rainybliss]

❤❤❤

[@zeropizza]

Thanks for the update again Dev, I love these! Keep going 💪

[@FanaticDrummer]

These videos are so important. Not just to better understand Dev’s growth and process. But to better relate as this is something so many creative minds, music or not, feel in todays world. There is immense tribulation and pressure, just to survive and to focus on what YOU want to say without the social narrative and drama influencing you to not be yourself. Its so relatable. So its important for upcoming and existing musicians to see the process and outlook from a seasoned and revered professional. You wont ever see this content from pop icons, vanity artists or self loathing shredders who literally make music to sell and not say anything. I think these commentaries are important. Too many artists shut themselves off because of the PC bs and too afraid to have opinions or thought. They wont even post vids like this because it doesnt “sell”. But these videos help promote the product and artist as an individual. Not a brand.

[@LeeCarlsonguitar]

"the look of Logic sounded different to me" Totally get it! That is exactly what happened to me, that's how I felt.... I took time to learn Logic, but ended up back on Pro Tools... it's weird but true...

[@Imfreehowaboutu]

Thank you Devin ❤️

[@DonTheMoron716]

I love this man. He is brilliant!

[@digibirder]

Thanks Dev. I hope this is helping you as much as its helping me.

[@carolynway850]

I love you man! You keep loving yourself. ❤

[@eattheheat1919]

I get excited for these updates

[@iowadrummer79]

Thanks Devy. I WAS paying attention. If you want to see the world's largest wooden nickel, it's in Iowa City, IA. You should come and play here while you're at it.

[@pinkenbajedi2119]

No one who matters thinks you are crazy, it’s just your hang up. We love everything you do, get over it! Speaking to myself as much as you buddy 😂

[@danieleb6863]

Thx Dev

17:20 Holy Mountain might even make Yngwie think that sometimes a bit less is more

[@alcoholergicDwarf]

This is amazing and helpful in so many ways. Thanks! Good luck with being disciplined

[@KnoxParanormal]

Find a way to translate your story. Listen to yourself. You’ll put out the best thing you’ve ever done. Can’t wait to hear it.

[@JockeLundgrenTV]

Thank you!! 🙏🏼

[@cmschuller]

Dev, I am enjoying our Sunday conversations.

[@DadRockProject]

Cant wait for the podcast guests!

[@E3Rappa]

Love you Dev ❤

[@CarlosmanuelChavezayuso-gi5qy]

I'm waiting your new álbum Soon .Greats 👋

[@Geoluhread]

twenty four minutes in dev realizes that being healed can low key suck and you end up missing certain pains

[@lexandrosphynx1049]

Wrt your comment about apologizing for your work: I've said it before, I'm saying it now, and I'll say it every time henceforth: You've never done wrong by us. Thank you for inviting us along for the ride.

[@michaels5079]

So excited!!!

[@Mezolozyde]

Inspiring as always ⚡⚡⚡

[@PenguinDT]

I can confirm that the analogy of Pro Tools works on all creative software. I had the same exact route trying to get rid of Photoshop in my work last year, trying different things and loving aspects of them... only to go back to the thing I 'despise' as much as I love it. May I ask if the orchestrator you mentioned is Florian 'Morean' Maier again? He did an amazing job with Dark Matters and Deconstruction. 👍

[@SuperBlazeomatic]

NEW CASUALTIES YES!!!!

[@carolynway850]

I would love to do a ufox space with you. Your understanding of consciousness is profound.

[@Geddylee2000]

Logic is awesome imo. Great episode

[@TheRealmRover]

powernerd....yaaasss

[@snail415]

Re: keeping flippant riffs for later…can be tricky. Listen to Bad Devil, and then Radial Highway. 😉 Always a pleasure listening to these. Cheers.

[@MSKH602]

Would be awesome to get Mike Martin - 2 of 5 on the podcast as he was on steve vai's record label

[@rtollisen]

Nice one. You're probably using F2/F3 on your camera. Try F5/F6 and zoom out a little bit. But it's fine already really. Feels like a face to face chat :) Your audience is already ahead of the game, so don't worry about compromising creativity. Most people listen to rubish music! And like you said, proof of your own ability preceeds.

[@tryste_mx]

Thanks for the trans/nonbinary shout out, Dev. Good to see you and good to be seen.

[@carpentemusic]

DAWs are usually configurable in color and placement. I know video editing programs sometimes have competitor layouts to select.

[@DonTheMoron716]

I’m a DAW

[@seeminglybadguy]

Dude I was all over your work from Ocean Machine up to Transcendence, and then suddenly lost touch completely. It just wasn't for me anymore, couldn't resonate with them. I found myself wondering about what's going on with you, just about when you started doing the weekly update videos. I feel like can connect with what you have to say again. Looking forward to the things you come up with the next few years!