Devin Townsend Blames Mötley Crüe for Metal Being “Undervalued” by the Industry

While it takes decades for some to find their true calling, Devin Townsend knew from an early age that his home was in heavy metal. With Townsend inspired by groups like Judas Priest, Jane’s Addiction, and Morbid Angel, the singer added ABBA to that list. But when it came to musicians, nobody compared to Paul Horn and Ravi Shankar. Carrying a love for heavy metal throughout his career, the musician explained how groups like Mötley Crüe did little to help the genre in the music industry.  

Videos by American Songwriter

Although selling over 100 million albums, Townsend labeled Mötley Crüe as one of the main causes for the genre’ being undervalued. “Metal is a dynamic that I feel was undervalued by the music industry at large because it was tied to the aesthetic of Mötley Crüe and all that s**t.” While putting Mötley Crüe and “s**t” in the same sentence, the singer didn’t expand on the statement.

[RELATED: Sammy Hagar Reveals Supergroup-Style Collaboration With Members of Nickelback, Mötley Crüe, and Anthrax] 

Devin Townsend Found Friendship Thanks To Judas Priest

Not wanting the interview to surround his thoughts on Mötley Crüe, Townsend looked back at his own development in the genre. Drawn to how music allowed him to express himself, he explained, “My fascination with music became more practical than anything else because I could express myself in a way that wasn’t gonna get me in trouble from my parents at least.”

Besides finding an outlet that resonated with him, Townsend also found friendship thanks to heavy metal. “We’re all in the metal shop and we’d be making whammy bars and everybody passing around tablature for Eruption and everything.” He added, “ I remember hearing these kids in the back room saying, ‘Well I think that kid out there knows how to play guitar.’So I came in and played a bunch of Judas Priest riffs and all of a sudden these dudes were like, ‘Okay, you can be our buddy now.’”

Again, while Townsend appreciated other genres of music, he placed heavy metal in a category of its own. “I do find that it’s visceral in ways that other music isn’t, and it managed to scratch an itch, but as a dynamic, as a texture.”

As Townsend continues to explore new musical horizons, his reflections remind fans that the true power of heavy metal has always been in the passion and authenticity of those who live it.

(Photo by Mariano Regidor/Redferns)