Devin Townsend took to Twitter to speak about his new album “Empath” and the finances behind it. It was a considerable endeavor involving many musicians in many locations. You can learn more about the whole process through a documentary series by CLICKING HERE.
Here’s what he had to say on Twitter:
Hey all. There’s been some mails to me from people who rely on my work to pay the bills about my thoughts of piracy and downloading (1)
— Devin Townsend (@dvntownsend) March 27, 2019
I feel it’s useless to fight leaks or streaming, in fact: many musicians who have done so appear petty or ungrateful. I feel resigned to it, and have probably said so in the past…
— Devin Townsend (@dvntownsend) March 27, 2019
However there’s a bunch of folks who think what I meant by that was ‘I don’t need to sell these things, so go ahead and take it’ and I guess my quotes in the past would imply that.
— Devin Townsend (@dvntownsend) March 27, 2019
Here’s the thing: I spent 170k of my own money on the album and the label have spent a ton on the peripheral part of it. I would never tell people what to do or not to do, I’m happy to just be allowed to do what I do…
— Devin Townsend (@dvntownsend) March 27, 2019
But please know if it loses a ton, it simply won’t be able to continue. The label has gotten mails saying that I don’t care if it gets taken for free, which I guess I may have said in the past, but please know lots of people have invested lots into this and now I feel foolish.
— Devin Townsend (@dvntownsend) March 27, 2019
Please support physical product if you can, I don’t care that it leaked, but if my prior actions or words justified that, then I have to retract whatever it is I said. I have a big mouth and I just like making tunes basically
— Devin Townsend (@dvntownsend) March 27, 2019
Love to you all – Dumbass Townsend
— Devin Townsend (@dvntownsend) March 27, 2019
I think my biggest problem is that I hate money, and I hate monetization of art. Yet the two have to coexist so I often have to do that stuff. I hope this makes an ounce of sense. I don’t give a shit, but I seriously need to give a shit.
— Devin Townsend (@dvntownsend) March 27, 2019
For those confused: I re-signed my entire back catalog after it came up for renewal last year for 150k, then proceeded to spend 170 on my stupid record because I am a financial genius. :))
— Devin Townsend (@dvntownsend) March 27, 2019
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