Devin Townsend says the best piece of advice he can offer people is to “learn how to fail efficiently.”
Townsend believes that not letting your failures overwhelm you is the key to success.
He tells Music Radar: “The best piece of advice I could offer anybody is to learn how to fail efficiently. You are going to fail, you are going to hurt yourself, you are going to fall.
“But, the people that succeed are the ones that learn from that and learn how to either not let it happen again or to just get up and not let the pain affect you.”
And he encourages people to ignore internet trolls who target insecurities.
“Look at the internet,” he says. “Whenever you put anything up on YouTube there are so many people out there with a vested interest in being cruel and hating you. If you pay attention to that it will affect you. You have to be stronger than your insecurity.”
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Discussing his relationship with the guitar, Devin Townsend says his lack of natural connection to the instrument has been his biggest strength as a musician.
He says: “My biggest weakness as a guitar player is that I am not truly connected to the instrument. I have viewed it as a tool and a means to an end from the very beginning.
“So when I see players like Jeff Beck, guys for whom the guitar is an extension of their personality, that is something that I don’t have.
“For me my connection to the instrument is that it is like a pencil to me. That led to my biggest strength as a guitar player which is that my vision musically is singular enough that when I have an idea I can get it out.”
The Devin Townsend Project commence a European tour in January.
Devin Townsend Project 2017 European tour
Jan 28: Antwerp Trix, Belgium
Jan 30: Esch-Sur-Alzette Rockhal, Luxembourg
Jan 31: Paris Le Bataclan, France
Feb 01: Bordeaux Rockschool Barbey, France
Feb 03: Madrid La Riviera, Spain
Feb 04: Barcelona Razzmatazz 2, Spain
Feb 05: Marseille Le Moulin, France
Feb 07: Milan Live Club, Italy
Feb 08: Pratteln Z7, Switzerland
Feb 09: Stuttgart LKA Longhorn, Germany
Feb 10: Munich Backstage, Germany
Feb 12: Zagreb Tvornica Club, Croatia
Feb 13: Budapest A38, Hungary
Feb 14: Vienna Arena, Austria
Feb 16: Prague The Roxy, Czech Republic
Feb 17: Leipzig Taubchenthal, Germany
Feb 18: Krakow Kwadrat, Poland
Feb 19: Warsaw Stodola, Poland
Feb 21: Hamburg Grunspan, Germany
Feb 22: Arhus Voxhall, Denmark
Feb 23: Gothenburg Pustervik, Sweden
Feb 25: Bergen Blastfest, Norway
Feb 26: Oslo Sentrum Scene, Norway
Feb 28: Helsinki The Circus, Finland
Mar 01: Seinajoki Rytmikorjaamo, Finland
Mar 03: Stockholm Berns, Sweden
Mar 04: Malmo KB, Sweden
Mar 05: Copenhagen Amager Bio, Denmark
Mar 07: Berlin Columbia Theater, Germany
Mar 08: Dortmund FZW, Germany
Mar 09: Tilburg 013, Netherlands
Mar 10: Amsterdam Melkweg, Netherlands
Mar 12: Bristol Colston Hall
Mar 13: Manchester Academy
Mar 14: Glasgow Barrowlands
Mar 16: Birmingham O2 Institute
Mar 17: London Hammersmith Eventim Apollo
Mar 18: Nottingham Rock City
