Devin Townsend of Strapping Yound Lad? An Aspie?

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Could Devin Townsend of Strapping Yound Lad be an aspie? Maybe so. I just read an interview with him in Terrorizer magazine. Here are some comments he himself made:

"'Skeksis' is about a math equation that was solved in 1991 and at the end of the record, the abstract bonus track, 'Info Dump', is Morse Code going through this equation, which links two mathematical modes of thinking previously unrecognizable."

"I spent months in a mental hospital not believing I have to forget what I saw [when taking drugs, apparently], stop thinking about it and go get a job. I ended up learning how to lie efficiently, like, 'I'm fine, folks!' So that's how I got isolated. I can't talk to anybody about it, but I'll never stop thinking about it, because honestly, I think it's very important. When I'm 'there' I'm home. It's peace."

"I saw the most beautiful and hellish things I could possibly imagine. And all I wanted to do was relate to somebody. I didn't know it's universal. I thought it was about me, that I was chosen. I ended up making terrible mistakes as a result of being so confused."

"The most I can hope for from an audience is for them to say, 'I can bang my head to that.' But I'm so tired of not saying anything, of pretending that I don't think. I'm so tired of being in social situations where it's uncool to think about these things and have people go, 'Dude, that's gay, life's about being an animal. It's a dog eat dog world. Get out there and experience it. It's not about brains, it's about balls.' I really do wish that was the case for me. It'd be a lot easier if I didn't just 'Ahhhhh' about everything. But I'm cursed to be me, and unfortunately for you I'm the singer and I need lyrics."

- Ray M -

Considering his somewhat eccentric hairdo and his particular brand of death metal, I have to say that I agree. On the other hand, I think that an Aspie would have problems keeping a band together.

It can be hard. After four and a half years in my last band they just had enough. But Devin has the drive, the focus, the appeal. SYL would keep going even if everyone involved loathed him, although I believe they've had more than their fair share of personnel changes?

Well that's interesting to know. Especially since I started to get into them more and more as of late (as I'll be checking them out on Ozzfest and at the behest of all of my friends that listen to that genre that have told me to check them out. I also remember hearing that he played with Stevie Vai at one time? (I remember him doing 20 questions with Sludge a few years back.)
There are a few others that I have questions about as well, In Particular the lead guitarist of Drea, Theater, Otep Shamaya(reading her journal on the bands website) Jon Davis, and David Draimen (something about him makes me think Aspie, i can't put my finger on it.

Draimen is jewish and those guys do seem to have a tendancy towards being excentric individuals. However having met the fella in person a few years back at some metalhammer award thing. He (like most famous people, particularly band members) is abit of an idiot. I dunno theres something about being in a band it turns you into abit of a muppet

I imagine there's quite a bit more that may be diagnosed and choose not to reveal it, or who may have it but refuse a diagnosis. In other case, this sort of music tends to attract eccentric individuals to begin with. It's like the one major area where a wide array of eccentricities are tolerated, which can range from being autistic-like to outright antisocial behavior.

- Ray M -