I'm calling it out now. I have a feeling deep down in my gut that this will be the biggest, most productive, and most prosperous year in Dev's entire career so far. Two new albums, the new guitar, Ziltoid Rock Band, Ziltoid comic, lots of touring, and new management to open many more doors. It won't take much of a push, either. Dev is an easy sell, if sold right. He's smart, funny, passionate, and extremely talented.

You know what would do it? If Dev could get an appearance on Conan O'Brien's new show. The demographic is perfect, and the exposure would be amazing. Maybe get a little Ziltoid skit on there? Just playing a song would be a huge leap, and I think of all the shows that would appreciate Dev's music and humor, Conan's is the one. Maybe we could start a letter/email/facebook/Twitter campaign or something? As much as Conan hates Jay Leno, he'd probably love Dev's "Jay's phone in my ass" story.

All Dev needs is exposure. The music and his personality would do the rest. 2011 will be the year. I feel it in my bones.

Happy Dev Year!!!

2011 indeed will be an awesome year for all things Dev. However, exposure to the mainstream (Conan) wouldn't be the best thing, because Dev will get an image he might not want. It could market only one aspect of Dev's multi-faceted music to the public, then force it upon everyone.

2011 indeed will be an awesome year for all things Dev. However, exposure to the mainstream (Conan) wouldn't be the best thing, because Dev will get an image he might not want. It could market only one aspect of Dev's multi-faceted music to the public, then force it upon everyone.

I couldn't disagree more. All that would matter would be the public's perception of Devin at that point in his career. If it helps to sell CD's, tickets, and merchandising, there is no downside. Let's say Dev gets on a show like Conan and plays a song off of 'Ghost.' People who liked that song may go buy the album. They may even research some of Dev's old stuff. They may like it, they may hate it. At least they bought 'Ghost,' which is more than would have happened before the appearance on the show. Even if it is the only Devin CD they ever buy, they still bought it. The point is to give as many people as possible the opportunity to hear the stuff for themselves and decide. They can't do that if they don't know who Devin is.

There are some people who love SYL but hate Dev's solo stuff, and vice-versa. That is why Dev is so great. His catalog is multi-faceted, and if you hate one thing he does, you can still love something else he does. IMO, you try and get as many people as possible to at least hear some of it, and let them make their choices. Touring is great for that, especially festival-type shows where you get a lot of different people coming to see their favorite bands, and end up hearing a lot of different bands they never would have listened to otherwise. Television is even better, because it reaches more people with a lot less effort.

If Devin could just get that foot in the door, I have a feeling he would at least double his sales in albums and increase ticket and merchandise sales, and that just means more money for Dev to keep doing what he is doing, with more options available to do whatever the hell he wants and keep his family fed.

Of course, Dev may not even want that kind of exposure, so this entire conversation could be pointless. lol

Fair enough, I get what you mean now.
It's all up to Dev I guess, what he wants might not be what we think he wants.

[djskrimp]

I often wonder what creative headspace Dev would get into if he reached the heights mentioned in this thread without ever making any concessions, particularly in light of his new path. Having orchestras and talents at your fingertips from it would be....hell, can you imagine?

I think it'd indeed be awesome if Devin by some miracle got the exposure, sold a lot and was given the resources to do even bigger projects. I don't know what Devin would think about appearing in a late night talkshow like Conan's or maybe Craig Ferguson's but I surely wouldn't mind. I'm sure it's not impossible either, even bands like Dungen have appeared on Conan (back in 2004 or something like that) so it shouldn't be about being mainstream either. That being said, Devin suddenly getting huge still seems impropable to me, with or without a TV appearance. Couldn't hurt though.

But I see 2011 being the year for him and his fans anyway with so much new stuff and touring.

Devin suddenly getting huge still seems impropable to me, with or without a TV appearance. Couldn't hurt though.

Dev's music is way too diverse for him to ever be "huge," there is no doubt about that. Diversity frightens most people. I don't think his name will ever be a household name, but it can definitely be a bit more widespread.

Such an interesting discussion. The Conan O'Brien show. Devin would perform amazingly - I think he would blow people away. I understand the whole "mainstream" argument. I think there are a lot of us here (yes, we are a unique group of people) who would not like to see Devin become super-popular. Super-fame can have a terrible effect on musicians and music, and Devin is so personable and close to his audience, it would be so dreadful if that were to change. On the other hand, we all want to see Devin become more prosperous and successful.

Catch 22?

Interesting discussion. Thanks.
tonya elf

[Octillus]

At last, the year of the turtle!

I also predict that in 2011 Devin will kick Beav out of the band and hire his own kid to play bass, ala Van Halen.

I think the reason a lot of commercially successful bands become shit, is because they're signed to major labels on contracts that dictate what they have to sound like (which usually is the reason that they become so commercially successful in the first place, because of the marketing available to major-label bands)

I don't think you have to sell out to be commercially successful. I think an album like Ki could be quite popular if more people were aware of it.

I don't think Devin would betray everything he believes in just to 'sell more' or be 'comercially succesfull'. He's always done what he wanted the way he wanted. He's always been honest with others and himself, that's what makes him so special. (I mean there were some very "commercial" songs in Addicted, songs that are more accessible to a larger audience than say... SYL).

Besides you don't have to be mainstream if you want success. Genious is very often considered as crazy or evil by most. Think about Elvis or Marylin Manson. Only a fraction of the audience really liked (loved) them but it didn't prevent them from becoming legen... wait for it... dary!

On the other hand, Ppinkham, I really want poeple to get to know the Dev and his work, so I'm with you on this. And I too have a feeling that 2011 wil be good indeed for him. At least I very much hope so. I've never heard about Conan O'brien or the other shows you mentionned because I live in Belgium but I know Devin has quite a large audience here in Europe. He could go to some European TV shows as well. And as you put it so well, his music and personality would do the rest.

Go Dev, rock this world!!!

Yeah, to me it is all about creating new opportunities for people not familiar with Dev and his music to get a taste, and let it go from there. Doing a talk show really is no different than doing any other interview, it just tends to reach more people.

Now, it sure would be nice if Devin had a neat little package to sell at the time, as well. Say, a compilation of his solo stuff? I know he had briefly mentioned maybe re-recording some of his older, more "commercial" songs to match the DTP vibe. I stand behind that idea 1000%. Devin doesn't need to compromise anything, ever. There just needs to be a way for more people to "discover" Dev's music. Open up every door, and see who walks in.

I know that here in the states Dev could be selling a few more albums and selling some more tickets. He is not as well known here as he is in other parts of the world. I know that can change with just the right push, at just the right time. He's to diverse an artist to ever explode over here, but there are people out there who need his music in their lives. They just don't know it yet.

there are people out there who need his music in their lives. They just don't know it yet.

Cringe.

Yeah, I may have pushed it too hard there at the end. Trying to reach that "music = life" crowd.