DEVIL'S ISLAND featuring Rick Massie
Welcome to this weeks edition of Devil's Island! Every week we maroon a band or artist on the island and see what they get up to, how they cope with being all alone on a small island in the middle of the ocean. It's not your average desert island and we'll see just how each person copes with the extreme conditions.
This week when we arrived at Devil's Island we find Rick Massie sat on the beach. The island is far from his home, so how did he end up here and how did he cope with life on Devil's Island?
Find out now...
Welcome to The Razors'e Edge and our somewhat lovely, warm desert island. Don't worry about it's name I'm sure it's not as bad as that would suggest.
You're marooned here on this island, but before you ended up shipwrecked you chose one album that you couldn't live without. Which album did you each chose and why?
Wow. This is sort of a tough one. Years ago, it would have been Ulver’s “Themes from William Blake's The Marriage of Heaven and Hell”, and I never thought that would change. However, in about 2013 I discovered Devin Townsend’s “Deconstruction”, and now I’d have to say that this CD would have to be the one I couldn’t do without. It’s got so much going on, so much to discover, even within each song. I’ve been listening to it for years, and I still find new things to appreciate with each listen. It’s heavy, atmospheric, has totally unique songs, melodies and chord progressions, and covers just about every mood imaginable. Give me a pair of headphones and I could happily waste away my life listening to this one.
Just behind that palm tree is a shack for each of you to stay in, with enough space for you to put up a poster on the wall of one album cover. What album cover do you each chose?
Well, one thing is for certain, it’s not the cover of “Deconstruction” (my favourite album, and my choice in the answer above). In fact, the cover art is probably one of the reasons I held off listening to it for so long. Not that there’s anything bad about the cover art, but as a “metal” guy, it didn’t really give off the same video I was used to seeing. My loss I suppose!
But to actually answer the question, I’d probably choose Devin Townsend in the end. But it would be “Empath”. Sure, it’s a pretty new album, but honestly, that artwork just overwhelms with beautiful fantasy. Like his music, there’s a lot to discover, a lot left to the imagination, and just the purest feeling of contentment and calmness. If I had that poster, I’d probably just throw on a Hawaiian shirt and commit myself to the deserted island for the rest of my days.
There's also a bar on this here island. But alas each of you only get to choose one drink for the entirety of your stay. What's your tipple of choice?
Sparkling water with lime-essence. Not the sweetened stuff, but the plain water with the hint of lime taste. If you’ve ever tasted this, with ice cubes, on a hot day, you’ll know there’s nothing more refreshing. And of course, I’m hoping this island is hot. Because if not, I’m just going to feel like I’m back in the Yukon, and that sounds like a terrible weather experience to me.
Your suitcases were lost when your ship sank, but you each managed to salvage one item of band merch. What’s the merch and for what band?
My Death “Symbolic” short, from the same year the album came out. It’s as old as heck and has holes and is just worn to pieces. It’s got so much nostalgia, and was such an important part of my teen years. I was probably one of the few honor roll students who wore a Death t-shirt on a regular basis. But I wasn’t compromising what I loved to try and fit into a stereotypical role of a “good student”.
Plus, just in case I get rescued from the island, it would just seem perfectly fitting to be rescued in a beyond-worn-out and faded t-shirt with the word “Death” on it.
You’re sat on the island thinking “I’m stuck here on this island with my bandmates for eternity”… who would you rather have been shipwrecked with?
I’d be stuck there alone. With myself. Which is probably not great. I’d way rather have my partner and my daughter there. We have an awesome life with lots of laughs, and great food. Plus, we all are waiting to go on an awesome tropical vacation together, so I hope this island meets our standards.
There's a walkman in your pocket, on the tape inside is the recording of the one live show that stands out for you. It could be any show, from any band, anywhere in the world. What show is on that walkman?
Devin Townsend, live in Vancouver, 2016. It was for the Transcendence tour, and as always, the performance was beyond incredible. The band was totally on fire. However, the songs and the performance aren’t the only reason. If you’ve ever been to a Devin Townsend show, you probably know it’s just as much an awkward comedy show as it is a metal show. And that is probably what puts it over the top of a few other amazing shows I’ve been to. The other shows are just great shows. Devin Townsend is a great show plus a great bunch of laughs at some awkward humour.
You're getting desperate, you decide the only course of action is to put a message in a bottle and hope someone finds it. Your message could be to any member of any band, but should be the most suitable for a rescue attempt. Who is it?
The message goes to Johann Hegg. Even if the guy isn’t a real viking, surely he has connections. And that’s who I trust most with my rescue - him and his comrades. And I heard he’s welcomed Ukrainian refugees into his home, so he’s got the heart and morals that I can trust.
The message to him is simply this: “I am currently Under the Northern Star. I am Abandoned. I fear that Valhalla Awaits Me. Warriors of the North: Raise Your Horns, and Put Your Back Into the Oar. With Oden On Our Side, we shall meet you soon.
You've been stuck here for a while and food supplies are running low. There's only one thing for it... which fellow band member gets sacrificed to help the others survive?
Being in a solo project really isn’t the best thing sometimes. I assume I’ll have to decide which limbs or body parts to eat first? Not a nice thought. But thinking logically, I assume I would start low and work my way up? Otherwise, it’s not going to be easy to expertly dice up my toes if I’ve already cut my hands off for a roast over a campfire.
Finally, when the ship sank you each managed to save one person from the wreckage. That person is the one musician that has influenced your career the most, shaped your way of thinking and your outlook on life. Who did you save?
Devin Townsend. While others have had as much (or more) influence, for longer periods of time, he’s the one who shaped my outlook on life the most.
Weird.
Self-deprecating.
Sends out positivity and light.
That’s who I’d save.
