Devin Garrett Townsend (born May 5, 1972) is a Canadian singer, guitarist, songwriter, and record producer. He founded extreme metal band Strapping Young Lad and was its primary songwriter, vocalist, and guitarist from 1994 to 2007. He has also had an extensive solo career and has released a total of 29 albums across all of his projects as of 2024.
After performing in a number of heavy metal bands in high school, Townsend was discovered in 1993 by a record label who asked him to perform lead vocals on Steve Vai's album Sex & Religion. After recording and touring with Vai, he was discouraged by what he found in the music industry and vented his anger on his 1995 solo album Heavy as a Really Heavy Thing, which he released under the pseudonym Strapping Young Lad. He soon assembled a band of the same name, with whom he released the critically acclaimed album City in 1997. Since then, he has released three more studio albums with Strapping Young Lad, along with solo material released under his own independent HevyDevy Records label.
Townsend's solo albums have featured a varying lineup of supporting musicians and are a mix of hard rock, progressive metal, ambient, and new-age. In 2002, he formed the Devin Townsend Band, which recorded and toured for two of his solo releases. In 2007, he disbanded both Strapping Young Lad and the Devin Townsend Band, taking a break from touring to spend more time with his family. After a two-year hiatus, he began recording again and soon announced the formation of the Devin Townsend Project. This band began with a series of four albums, released from 2009 to 2011 and each written in a different genre. Townsend continued to record and tour under the new moniker until January 2018.
Across all his bands and solo projects, Townsend has released 23 studio albums and four live albums. His trademark production style, featuring a heavily multi-tracked wall of sound, has been compared to the styles of Robert Fripp and Frank Zappa. His vocal delivery ranges from screaming to an opera-esque singing, while his musical style is rooted in metal and his albums are written to express different aspects of his personality.
Leer más...El 5 de mayo de 1972 fue un viernes bajo el signo estelar de ♉. Era el día 125 del año. El presidente de los Estados Unidos fue Richard M. Nixon.
Si naciste en este día, tienes 54 años. Su último cumpleaños fue el martes, 5 de mayo de 2026, hace 26 días. Su próximo cumpleaños es el miércoles, 5 de mayo de 2027, en 338 días. Ha vivido durante 19.749 días, o aproximadamente 473.980 horas, o aproximadamente 28.438.830 minutos, o aproximadamente 1.706.329.800 segundos
Date: 06 May 1972
Special to The New York Times
USSR authorities expel London Times correspondent D Bonavia on May 5, accusing him of 'systematic activity incompatible with the status of a foreign correspondent'; Bonavia says press attacks concerned subject matter of his articles that dealt extensively with USSR dissidents and Soviet Jews; British Embassy spokesman says expulsion is 'totally unjustified'
Date: 06 May 1972
AEC dir C L Marshall repts on May 5 that comm declassified 'well over 650,000 documents,' HR Govt Information Subcom (Moorhead); says several changes in comm secrecy practices are being made to improve procedures in light of Pres Nixon's Exec order; says number of comm officials empowered to stamp Top Secret on information will be cut from 50 to 25
Date: 06 May 1972
Special to The New York Times
White House speechwriter P J Buchanan suggests that Nixon Adm consider antitrust legis against ABC, CBS and NBC because of what he terms their 'monopoly' on news presentation, int on WNET; denounces what he calls liberal bias of networks and says if they continue to 'freeze out' opposing points of view and opposing information they are 'going to find something done in the area of antitrust type action'; tells interviewer E Drew that statements are 'personal' view and that he is certain that Adm is not drafting legis at present time; White House press sec G L Warren says he does not know what Nixon's views are on subject Buchanan discussed
Date: 05 May 1972
By HENRY RAYMONTSpecial to The New York Times
Random House pres and Assn of Amer Publishers chmn R L Bernstein says it is time for US publishers to 'speak out to protect the freedom to publish' where that freedom is challenged, assn's annual meeting, May 4; assn's Freedom to Read Com holds public discussion on attempts by Beacon Press to enjoin Fed Govt endeavor to prosecute Beacon editors for publishing 4-vol edition of Pentagon Papers; Goodman recommends intensive effort be made to use mass media to acquaint broader spectrum of public with available books, suggesting TV as tool; is supported by E M Korry who is apptd pres of Assn of Amer Publishers effective Jul 1
Date: 05 May 1972
By HAROLD M. SCHMECK Jr.Special to The New York Times
FDA announces on May 4 plans to make available to public most of its voluminous data, transforming agency from among most secretive of Fed civilian agencies to among most open; under new policy, data will be available on safety and efficacy of thousands of products, adverse reactions to drugs and on results of factory and food plant inspections; FDA has been under pressure recently from news media and consumer advocates to liberalize its disclosure policies; lrs to FDA from businessmen and members of Cong will no longer be held confidential; P Hutt, FDA gen counsel, says that prior policy, which conferred confidential status on more than 90% of documents, will be changed to open status of all but 10% to public inspection; final statement will have force of FDA regulation in compliance with Freedom of Information Act; indus has been given 180 days to make case for keeping confidential specific data on drugs for which licensing was sought in past through new drug applications; Hutt estimates there are files on approximately 17,000 new drug applications; new policy will give interested persons access to data from these applications provided it does not reveal legitimate trade secrets of money value to owner; FDA Comr Edwards says that use of data can help eliminate duplication of costly scientific research; says FDA does not intend to make public any data from mfrs that will give competitors unfair advantage or reduce incentives for research by indus; confidential material will be maintained for mfg methods, formulas, commercial and financial information; policy places burden of proof on indus to show why some data should be kept confidential; data on drugs still under investigation will remain confidential; policy on food additives and food coloring materials will call for public accessibility 'unless extraordinary circumstances are shown'; information on plant inspections will be made available in summary form although inspectors' repts and other intra-agency communications will kept confidential; files will be kept confidential in cases where FDA is making investigation that might lead to legal action; data on adverse reactions to drugs and other products will be available only in forms designed to keep identities of individual patients and drs safe from disclosure; in cases of voluntary disclosure of adverse drug reactions, individual who provided information will have option of withdrawing it if he does not agree with FDA's decision of confidentiality
Date: 06 May 1972
ALBIN KREBS
Albin KREBS
Mrs Cox says she would like to be newspaper reporter after husband graduates from Harvard Law School in June, TV int with B Walters on Today Show
Date: 05 May 1972
By FRANCIS X. CLINESSpecial to The New York Times
Francis CLINESSpecial
NYS Assembly debates on complaints that newspaper officials are lobbying against clause in bill that would limit their ability to invest in CATV; I J Landes reads into debate record story in May 4 issue of Newsday in which unnamed legis sources rept intense lobbying by newspaper owners, including Times-Mirror Co, NY Times, Buffalo Courier-Express and Newhouse papers; NY Times vp Goddale denies paper is involved
Date: 05 May 1972
By MARTIN WALDRONSpecial to The New York Times
Ala Gov Wallace, who continues to do well in Dem Pres primaries, is facing mounting criticism over his record in Ala; critics claim he has not made much headway in alleviating state problems; Wallace is coming under increasing attack because of business dealings of some of his top aides and his bro G Wallace; several Wallace pol allies have been indicted or are being investigated by Fed grand juries; Wallace opponents note most of new indus lured to state during Wallace adm pays marginal wages; Gov Wallace and G Wallace contend Fed prosecutors are trying to smear them; Gov Wallace notes his bro has never been indicted despite thorough Fed investigations; illus
Date: 05 May 1972
Soviet Chess Fed accepts Reykjavik, Iceland, as site of entire 24-game world chess champ match between B Spassky and B Fischer; match is scheduled to begin on July 2