Devo (, originally ) is an American
rock
Rock most often refers to:
* Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids
* Rock music, a genre of popular music
Rock or Rocks may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...
band from
Akron, Ohio
Akron () is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Summit County, Ohio, Summit County. It is located on the western edge of the Glaciated Allegheny Plateau, about south of downtown Cleveland. As of the 2020 C ...
, formed in 1973. Their classic line-up consisted of two sets of brothers, the Mothersbaughs (
Mark
Mark may refer to:
Currency
* Bosnia and Herzegovina convertible mark, the currency of Bosnia and Herzegovina
* East German mark, the currency of the German Democratic Republic
* Estonian mark, the currency of Estonia between 1918 and 1927
* Fi ...
and
Bob
Bob, BOB, or B.O.B. may refer to:
Places
*Mount Bob, New York, United States
*Bob Island, Palmer Archipelago, Antarctica
People, fictional characters, and named animals
*Bob (given name), a list of people and fictional characters
*Bob (surname) ...
) and the Casales (
Gerald
Gerald is a male Germanic given name meaning "rule of the spear" from the prefix ''ger-'' ("spear") and suffix ''-wald'' ("rule"). Variants include the English given name Jerrold, the feminine nickname Jeri and the Welsh language Gerallt and Iri ...
and
Bob
Bob, BOB, or B.O.B. may refer to:
Places
*Mount Bob, New York, United States
*Bob Island, Palmer Archipelago, Antarctica
People, fictional characters, and named animals
*Bob (given name), a list of people and fictional characters
*Bob (surname) ...
), along with
Alan Myers. The band had a No. 14
''Billboard'' chart hit in 1980 with the single "
Whip It", the song that gave the band mainstream popularity.
Devo's music and visual presentation (including stage shows and costumes) mingle
kitsch
Kitsch ( ; loanword from German) is a term applied to art and design that is perceived as naïve imitation, overly-eccentric, gratuitous, or of banal taste.
The avant-garde opposed kitsch as melodramatic and superficial affiliation with ...
science fiction themes,
deadpan
Deadpan, dry humour, or dry-wit humour is the deliberate display of emotional neutrality or no emotion, commonly as a form of comedic delivery to contrast with the ridiculousness or absurdity of the subject matter. The delivery is meant to be blun ...
surrealist humor
Surreal humour (also called surreal comedy, absurdist humour, or absurdist comedy) is a form of humour predicated on deliberate violations of causality, causal reasoning, thus producing events and behaviours that are obviously illogical. Portrayal ...
and mordantly
satirical
Satire is a genre of the visual, literary, and performing arts, usually in the form of fiction and less frequently non-fiction, in which vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, often with the intent of shaming or e ...
social commentary
Social commentary is the act of using rhetorical means to provide commentary on social, cultural, political, or economic issues in a society. This is often done with the idea of implementing or promoting change by informing the general populace ab ...
. The band's namesake, the
tongue-in-cheek
The idiom tongue-in-cheek refers to a humorous or sarcastic statement expressed in a serious manner.
History
The phrase originally expressed contempt, but by 1842 had acquired its modern meaning. Early users of the phrase include Sir Walter Scott ...
social theory
Social theories are analytical frameworks, or paradigms, that are used to study and interpret social phenomena.Seidman, S., 2016. Contested knowledge: Social theory today. John Wiley & Sons. A tool used by social scientists, social theories rela ...
of "de-evolution", was an integral concept in their early work, which was marked by experimental and dissonant
art punk
Art punk is a subgenre of punk rock in which artists go beyond the genre's rudimentary garage rock and are considered more sophisticated than their peers. These groups still generated punk's aesthetic of being simple, offensive, and free-spirit ...
that merged rock music with
electronics
The field of electronics is a branch of physics and electrical engineering that deals with the emission, behaviour and effects of electrons using electronic devices. Electronics uses active devices to control electron flow by amplification ...
. Their output in the 1980s embraced
synth-pop
Synth-pop (short for synthesizer pop; also called techno-pop; ) is a subgenre of new wave music that first became prominent in the late 1970s and features the synthesizer as the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s ...
and a more mainstream, less conceptual style, though the band's satirical and quirky humor remained intact. Their music has proven influential on subsequent movements, particularly on
new wave,
industrial
Industrial may refer to:
Industry
* Industrial archaeology, the study of the history of the industry
* Industrial engineering, engineering dealing with the optimization of complex industrial processes or systems
* Industrial city, a city dominate ...
, and
alternative rock
Alternative rock, or alt-rock, is a category of rock music that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1970s and became widely popular in the 1990s. "Alternative" refers to the genre's distinction from Popular culture, mainstre ...
artists. Devo (most enthusiastically Gerald Casale) was also a pioneer of the
music video
A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a m ...
format.
History
1973–1978: Formation
The name ''Devo'' comes from the concept of "
de-evolution
Devolution, de-evolution, or backward evolution (not to be confused with dysgenics) is the notion that species can revert to supposedly more primitive forms over time. The concept relates to the idea that evolution has a purpose (teleology) and ...
" and the band's related idea that instead of continuing to evolve, mankind had begun to regress, as evidenced by the dysfunction and
herd mentality
Herd mentality, mob mentality or pack mentality describes how people can be influenced by their peers to adopt certain behaviors on a largely emotional, rather than rational, basis. When individuals are affected by mob mentality, they may make dif ...
of American society.
In the late 1960s, this idea was developed as a joke by
Kent State University
Kent State University (KSU) is a public research university in Kent, Ohio. The university also includes seven regional campuses in Northeast Ohio and additional facilities in the region and internationally. Regional campuses are located in As ...
art students
Gerald Casale
Gerald Vincent "Jerry" Casale ( ) ( ''né'' Pizzute; born July 28, 1948) is an American musician. He came to prominence in the late 1970s as co-founder, co-lead vocalist, and bass player of the new wave band Devo, which released a top 20 hit in ...
and
Bob Lewis, who created a number of satirical art pieces in a devolution vein. At this time, Casale had also performed with the local band 15-60-75 (
The Numbers Band
The Numbers Band (a.k.a. 15-60-75) are an American blues rock and experimental rock band formed in Kent, Ohio, United States in 1969. They are part of the "Akron Sound" that sprang forth from their home state.
Career
The original personnel we ...
). They met
Mark Mothersbaugh
Mark Allen Mothersbaugh (; born May 18, 1950) is an American composer, singer, and multi-instrumentalist. He came to prominence in the late 1970s as co-founder, lead singer and keyboardist of the new wave band Devo, whose " Whip It" was a top 2 ...
around 1970, a talented keyboardist who had been playing with the band Flossy Bobbitt.
Mothersbaugh brought a more humorous feel to the band, introducing them to material like the pamphlet "Jocko Homo Heavenbound", which includes an illustration of a winged devil labelled "D-EVOLUTION" and would later inspire the song "
Jocko Homo
"Jocko Homo" is the B-side to Devo's first single, "Mongoloid", released in 1977 on Devo's own label, Booji Boy Records and later released in the UK on Stiff Records. The song was re-recorded as the feature song for Devo's first album, '' Q: Are ...
". The "joke" about de-evolution became serious following the
Kent State massacre
The Kent State shootings, also known as the May 4 massacre and the Kent State massacre,"These would be the first of many probes into what soon became known as the Kent State Massacre. Like the Boston Massacre almost exactly two hundred years bef ...
of May 4, 1970. This event would be cited multiple times as the impetus for forming the band Devo.
Throughout the band's career, they have often been considered a "joke band" by the music press.
The first form of Devo was the "Sextet Devo" which performed at the 1973 Kent State performing arts festival.
It included Casale, Lewis and Mothersbaugh, as well as Gerald's brother
Bob Casale
Robert Edward Casale Jr. (born Robert Edward Pizzute Jr.; July 14, 1952 – February 17, 2014), or "Bob 2", was an American musician, composer and record producer. He came to prominence in the late 1970s as the keyboardist and rhythm guitari ...
on guitar, and friends
Rod Reisman
Rod, Ror, Ród, Rőd, Rød, Röd, ROD, or R.O.D. may refer to:
Devices
* Birch rod, made out of twigs from birch or other trees for corporal punishment
* Ceremonial rod, used to indicate a position of authority
* Connecting rod, main, couplin ...
and
Fred Weber
Charles Frederick Weber III is a former vocalist for the new wave band Devo in its earliest incarnation.The Devo Book
...
on drums and vocals, respectively. This performance was filmed and an excerpt was later included on the home video release ''
The Complete Truth About De-Evolution
''The Complete Truth About De-Evolution'' was the third home video release by new wave band Devo. It is a collection of Devo's music videos from 1976 to 1990. It was released on LaserDisc in 1993 by Voyager and on DVD by Rhino Records in 2003. ...
''. This lineup performed only once. Devo returned to perform in the Student Governance Center (featured prominently in the film) at the 1974 Creative Arts Festival with a lineup including the Casale brothers, Bob Lewis, Mark Mothersbaugh, and
Jim Mothersbaugh
Jim Mothersbaugh (; born January 18, 1956) is an American electronic engineer and former musician. He was the second drummer of the new wave band Devo, replacing Rod Reisman who played for only one show. Mothersbaugh joined Devo with his older ...
on drums.
The band continued to perform, generally as a quartet, but with a fluid lineup including Mark's brothers
Bob Mothersbaugh
Robert Leroy Mothersbaugh, Jr. (; born August 11, 1952), or by his stage name "Bob 1", is an American songwriter, composer, musician and singer.
Mothersbaugh's music career spans more than 40 years. He came to prominence in the late 1970s as lead ...
and Jim Mothersbaugh. Bob played electric guitar, and Jim provided percussion using a set of home-made
electronic drum
Electronic drums is a modern electronic musical instrument, primarily designed to serve as an alternative to an acoustic drum kit. Electronic drums consist of an electronic sound module which produces the synthesized or sampled percussion sounds ...
s. Their first two music videos, "
Secret Agent Man" and "Jocko Homo", which both appeared in ''
The Truth About De-Evolution
''The Truth About De-Evolution'' (full title: ''In The Beginning Was The End: The Truth About De-Evolution'') is a 9-minute short film written by Gerald Casale and Mark Mothersbaugh, for the band Devo, and directed by Chuck Statler. Filmed in M ...
'', were filmed in
Akron
Akron () is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Summit County. It is located on the western edge of the Glaciated Allegheny Plateau, about south of downtown Cleveland. As of the 2020 Census, the city prop ...
, and
Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
Cuyahoga Falls ( or ) is a city in Summit County, Ohio, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 51,114. The second-largest city in Summit County, it is located directly north of Akron and is a suburb of the Akron metropol ...
, the hometown of most members. This lineup of Devo lasted until late 1975 when Jim left the band. Lewis would sometimes play guitar during this period, but mainly stayed in a managerial role. In concert, Devo would often perform in the guise of
theatrical characters, such as
Booji Boy
Booji Boy is a character created in the early 1970s by the American new wave band Devo. The name is pronounced "Boogie Boy"—the strange spelling "Booji" resulted when the band was using Letraset to produce captions for a film, and ran out of ...
and the Chinaman. Live concerts from this period were often confrontational, and would remain so until 1977. A recording of an early Devo performance from 1975 with the quartet lineup appears on ''
Devo Live: The Mongoloid Years'' (1992), ending with the promoters unplugging Devo's equipment.
Following Jim Mothersbaugh's departure, Bob Mothersbaugh found a new drummer,
Alan Myers, who played on a conventional, acoustic
drum kit
A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player ( drummer) typically holds a pair of matching drumsti ...
. Casale re-recruited his brother Bob Casale, and the lineup of Devo remained the same for nearly ten years.
Devo gained some fame in 1976 when their short film ''The Truth About De-Evolution'', directed by Chuck Statler, won a prize at the
Ann Arbor Film Festival
The Ann Arbor Film Festival is an annual film festival held in Ann Arbor in the U.S. state of Michigan. Established in 1963, it is the fourth-oldest film festival in North America (after the Yorkton Film Festival, 1947; Columbus International Film ...
. This attracted the attention of
David Bowie
David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer-songwriter and actor. A leading figure in the music industry, he is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the ...
, who began work to get the band a recording contract with
Warner Music Group
Warner Music Group Corp. ( d.b.a. Warner Music Group, commonly abbreviated as WMG) is an American multinational entertainment and record label conglomerate headquartered in New York City. It is one of the " big three" recording companies and t ...
. In 1977, Devo were asked by
Neil Young
Neil Percival Young (born November 12, 1945) is a Canadian-American singer and songwriter. After embarking on a music career in Winnipeg in the 1960s, Young moved to Los Angeles, joining Buffalo Springfield with Stephen Stills, Richie Furay ...
to participate in the making of his film ''
Human Highway
''Human Highway'' is a 1982 American comedy film starring and co-directed by Neil Young under his pseudonym Bernard Shakey. Dean Stockwell co-directed the film and acted along with Russ Tamblyn, Dennis Hopper, and the band Devo. Included is a c ...
''.
Released in 1982, the film featured the band as "nuclear garbagemen". The band members were asked to write their own parts and Mark Mothersbaugh scored and recorded much of the soundtrack, his first of many.
In March 1977, Devo released their first single, "
Mongoloid
Mongoloid () is an obsolete racial grouping of various peoples indigenous to large parts of Asia, the Americas, and some regions in Europe and Oceania. The term is derived from a now-disproven theory of biological race. In the past, other terms ...
" backed with "Jocko Homo", the B-side of which came from the soundtrack to ''The Truth About De-Evolution'', on their independent label Booji Boy. This was followed by a
cover
Cover or covers may refer to:
Packaging
* Another name for a lid
* Cover (philately), generic term for envelope or package
* Album cover, the front of the packaging
* Book cover or magazine cover
** Book design
** Back cover copy, part of co ...
of
the Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the gritty, rhythmically d ...
' "
(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction
"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" is a song recorded by the English rock band the Rolling Stones. A product of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards' songwriting partnership, it features a guitar riff by Richards that opens and drives the song. The riff ...
".
In 1978, the ''
B Stiff
B, or b, is the second letter of the Latin-script alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is '' bee'' (pronounced ), plural ''bees''. It r ...
'' EP was released by British independent label
Stiff, which included the single "
Be Stiff
"Be Stiff" is the third single by American new wave band Devo, released in 1978 by Stiff Records. The song was taken from the sessions for '' Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!'' (1978), produced by Brian Eno. Guitarist Bob Lewis wrote the mu ...
" plus two previous Booji Boy releases. "
Mechanical Man", a 4-track 7-inch
extended play
An extended play record, usually referred to as an EP, is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single but fewer than an album or LP record. (EP) of demos, an apparent
bootleg
Bootleg or bootlegging most often refers to:
* Bootleg recording, an audio or video recording released unofficially
* Rum-running, the illegal business of transporting and trading in alcoholic beverages, hence:
** Moonshine, or illicitly made ...
, but actually put out by the band, was also released that year.
1978–1980: Recording contract, ''Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!'', and ''Duty Now for the Future''
![Devo, Atlanta, Ga](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e8/Devo%2C_Atlanta%2C_Ga.%2C_Dec._27%2C_1978_Agora_Ballroom.jpg)
Recommendations from David Bowie and
Iggy Pop
James Newell Osterberg Jr. (born April 21, 1947), known professionally as Iggy Pop, is an American singer, musician, songwriter and actor. Called the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Godfather of Punk", he was the vocalist and lyricist of ...
enabled Devo to secure a recording contract with
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...
in 1978. After Bowie backed out of the business deal due to previous commitments, their first album, ''
Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!'' was produced by
Brian Eno
Brian Peter George St John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno (; born Brian Peter George Eno, 15 May 1948) is a British musician, composer, record producer and visual artist best known for his contributions to ambient music and work in rock, pop an ...
and featured re-recordings of their previous singles "Mongoloid" and "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction". On October 14, 1978, Devo gained national exposure with an appearance on the late-night show ''
Saturday Night Live
''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock. Michaels currently serves a ...
'', a week after the Rolling Stones, performing "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" and "Jocko Homo".
The band followed up with ''
Duty Now for the Future
''Duty Now for the Future'' is the second studio album by American rock band Devo, released in July 1979 by Warner Bros. Records. Produced by Ken Scott, the album was recorded between September 1978 and early 1979 at Chateau Recorders in Hollyw ...
'' in 1979, which moved the band more towards electronic instrumentation. While not as successful as their first album, it did produce some fan favorites with the songs "Blockhead" and "The Day My Baby Gave Me a Surprize" , as well as a cover of the
Johnny Rivers
Johnny Rivers (born John Henry Ramistella; November 7, 1942) is an American musician. His repertoire includes pop, folk, blues, and old-time rock 'n' roll. Rivers charted during the 1960s and 1970s but remains best known for a string of hit sing ...
hit "
Secret Agent Man". "Secret Agent Man" had been recorded first in 1974 for Devo's first film and performed live as early as 1976. In 1979, Devo traveled to Japan for the first time, and a live show from this tour was partially recorded. Devo appeared on ''
Don Kirshner's Rock Concert
''Don Kirshner's Rock Concert'' is an American television music variety show that ran during the 1970s and early 1980s, created and produced by Don Kirshner and syndicated to television stations, initially through Viacom Enterprises, and later ...
'' in 1979, performing "Blockhead", "Secret Agent Man", "Uncontrollable Urge", and "Mongoloid". Also in 1979,
Rhino
A rhinoceros (; ; ), commonly abbreviated to rhino, is a member of any of the five extant species (or numerous extinct species) of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae. (It can also refer to a member of any of the extinct species o ...
, in conjunction with the Los Angeles radio station
KROQ-FM
KROQ-FM (106.7 MHz) is a commercial radio station licensed to Pasadena, California, serving Greater Los Angeles. Owned by Audacy, Inc., it broadcasts an alternative rock format known as "The World Famous KROQ" (pronounced "kay-rock").
The stat ...
, released ''Devotees'', a tribute album. It contained a set of covers of Devo songs interspersed with renditions of popular songs in Devo's style.
Devo actively embraced the parody religion
Church of the SubGenius
The Church of the SubGenius is a parody religion that satirizes better-known belief systems. It teaches a complex philosophy that focuses on J. R. "Bob" Dobbs, purportedly a salesman from the 1950s, who is revered as a prophet by the Church. SubG ...
. In concert, Devo sometimes performed as their own opening act, pretending to be a
Christian soft rock band called "Dove (the Band of Love)", which is an
anagram
An anagram is a word or phrase formed by rearranging the letters of a different word or phrase, typically using all the original letters exactly once. For example, the word ''anagram'' itself can be rearranged into ''nag a ram'', also the word ...
of "Devo". They appeared as Dove in the 1980
televangelism
Televangelism ( tele- "distance" and "evangelism," meaning "ministry," sometimes called teleministry) is the use of media, specifically radio and television, to communicate Christianity. Televangelists are ministers, whether official or self-proc ...
spoof film ''
Pray TV''.
1980–1982: Mainstream breakthrough, ''Freedom of Choice'', and ''New Traditionalists''
Devo gained a new level of visibility with 1980's ''
Freedom of Choice
Freedom of choice describes an individual's opportunity and autonomy to perform an action selected from at least two available options, unconstrained by external parties.
In politics
In the abortion debate, for example, the term "freedom of ch ...
''. This album included their best-known hit, "
Whip It", which quickly became a
Top 40
In the music industry, the Top 40 is the current, 40 most-popular songs in a particular genre. It is the best-selling or most frequently broadcast popular music. Record charts have traditionally consisted of a total of 40 songs. "Top 40" or " con ...
hit. The album moved to an almost completely electronic sound, with the exception of acoustic drums and Bob Mothersbaugh's guitar. The tour for ''Freedom of Choice'' was ambitious for the band, including dates in Japan, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Canada. The band used a minimalist set including large custom light boxes which could be laid on their back to form a second, smaller stage during the second half of the set. Other popular songs from ''Freedom of Choice'' were "
Girl U Want
"Girl U Want" is a 1980 single by American new wave band Devo. It was the first single released from their third studio album ''Freedom of Choice'' (1980).
Composition
"Girl U Want" was allegedly inspired by the song " My Sharona" by the Knack ...
", the
title-track, and "Gates of Steel". The band released popular music videos for "Whip It" and "Girl U Want". Devo made two appearances on the TV show ''
Fridays'' in 1980, as well as on ''Don Kirshner's Rock Concert'', ''
American Bandstand
''American Bandstand'', abbreviated ''AB'', is an American music-performance and dance television program that aired in various versions from 1952 to 1989, and was hosted from 1956 until its final season by Dick Clark, who also served as the pro ...
'', and other shows. The band members often wore red, terraced
energy dome hats as part of its stage outfit. The dome was first worn during the band's ''Freedom of Choice'' campaign of 1980. It reappeared in the 1981, 1982, and 1988 tours, as well as in most of their performances since 1997. Devo also recorded two albums of their own songs as elevator music for their fan club, Club Devo, released on cassette in 1981 and 1984. These were later re-released on the album ''
E-Z Listening Disc
''E-Z Listening Disc'' is a compilation album by the American new wave band Devo, originally released in 1987 by Rykodisc. The album is a compilation of all but one of the tracks from Devo's two ''E-Z Listening Muzak Cassettes'', which had been ...
'' (1987), with all but two of the original Club Devo songs. These songs were often played as house music before Devo concerts.
In August 1981, the band's ''
DEV-O Live'' EP spent
three weeks at the top of the Australian charts. In 1982, they toured Australia and appeared on the TV show ''
Countdown
A countdown is a sequence of backward counting to indicate the time remaining before an event is scheduled to occur. NASA commonly employs the terms "L-minus" and "T-minus" during the preparation for and anticipation of a rocket launch, and eve ...
''. Devo enjoyed continued popularity in Australia, where the nationally broadcast 1970s–1980s pop TV show ''Countdown'' was one of the first programs in the world to broadcast their video clips. They were given consistent radio support by Sydney-based non-commercial rock station
Double Jay (2JJ) and Brisbane-based independent community station Triple Zed (
4ZZZ
4ZZZ (pronounced "Four Triple Zed" or simply "Triple Zed") is an independent community radio station operating in Brisbane, Australia at the frequency 102.1 FM. As a community radio station, 4ZZZ is a member of the Community Broadcasting Associ ...
), two of the first rock stations outside America to play their recordings. The late-night music program ''Nightmoves'' aired ''The Truth About De-Evolution''.
In 1981, Devo contributed a cover of "
Working in the Coal Mine
"Working in the Coal Mine" is a song with music and lyrics by the American musician and record producer Allen Toussaint. It was an international hit for Lee Dorsey in 1966, and has been recorded by other musicians including Devo in 1981.
Lee Do ...
", recorded during the ''Freedom of Choice'' sessions, to the film ''
Heavy Metal''. They offered the song to be used in the film when Warner Bros. refused to include it on the album. Warner then included it as an independent bonus single accompanying their 1981 release, ''
New Traditionalists
''New Traditionalists'' is the fourth studio album by the American new wave band Devo, released on August 26, 1981, by Warner Bros. Records. The album was recorded over a period of four months between December 1980 and April 1981, at the Power ...
''. For this album Devo wore self-described "Utopian Boy Scout uniforms" topped with a "New Traditionalist Pomp"—a plastic half-wig modeled on the hairstyle of
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), often referred to by his initials JFK and the nickname Jack, was an American politician who served as the 35th president of the United States from 1961 until his assassination i ...
. Among the singles from the album was "
Through Being Cool
''Through Being Cool'' (typeset as ''"Through Being Cool"'') is the second studio album by American rock band Saves the Day, released on November 2, 1999 by Equal Vision. The songs on ''Through Being Cool'' were written while the band members a ...
", written as a reaction to their new-found fame from "Whip It" and seen as a response to new fans who had misinterpreted the message behind the hit song. The album's accompanying tour featured the band performing an intensely physical show with treadmills and a large Greek temple set. That same year they served as
Toni Basil
Antonia Christina Basilotta (born September 22, 1943), better known by her stage name Toni Basil, is an American singer, choreographer, dancer, actress, and director. Her song "Mickey" topped the charts in the US, Canada and Australia and hit th ...
's backing band on
''Word of Mouth'', her debut album, which included versions of three Devo songs, recorded with Basil singing lead.
1982–1987: ''Oh, No! It's Devo'', ''Shout'', and Myers' departure
''
Oh, No! It's Devo
''Oh, No! It's Devo'' is the fifth studio album by American new wave band Devo, released on October 21, 1982 by Warner Bros. Records. The album was recorded over a period of four months, between May and September 1982, at Cherokee Studios i ...
'' followed in 1982. Produced by
Roy Thomas Baker
Roy Thomas Baker (born 10 November 1946) is an English record producer, songwriter and arranger, who has produced rock and pop and songs since the 1970s.
Career
Baker began his career at Decca Records at the age of 14 and later worked as an a ...
, the album featured a more synth-pop-oriented sound than its predecessors. According to Gerald Casale, the album's sound was inspired by reviewers alternately describing them as both "
fascists
Fascism is a far-right, authoritarian, ultra-nationalist political ideology and movement,: "extreme militaristic nationalism, contempt for electoral democracy and political and cultural liberalism, a belief in natural social hierarchy and th ...
" and "
clown
A clown is a person who performs comedy and arts in a state of open-mindedness using physical comedy, typically while wearing distinct makeup or costuming and reversing folkway-norms.
History
The most ancient clowns have been found in ...
s". The album's tour featured the band performing seven songs in front of a 12-foot high rear-projection screen with synchronized video, an image recreated using
blue screen effects in the album's accompanying music videos. Devo also contributed two songs, "
Theme from Doctor Detroit
''Theme from Doctor Detroit'' is an EP by American new wave band Devo, released in 1983 by MCA Records. It includes the two songs from the ''Doctor Detroit'' movie soundtrack recorded by the band (the title song and "Luv-Luv"), plus a dance mix ...
" and "Luv-Luv", to the 1983
Dan Aykroyd
Daniel Edward Aykroyd ( ; born July 1, 1952) is a Canadian actor, comedian, producer, musician and writer. He was an original member of the "Not Ready for Prime Time Players" on ''Saturday Night Live'' (1975–1979). During his tenure on ''SNL'' ...
film ''
Doctor Detroit
''Doctor Detroit'' is a 1983 American comedy film directed by Michael Pressman with writing by Bruce Jay Friedman, Carl Gottlieb, and Robert Boris. The film stars Dan Aykroyd, Howard Hesseman, Lynn Whitfield, Fran Drescher, and Donna Dixon, with ...
'', and produced a music video for "Theme from Doctor Detroit" featuring clips from the film interspersed with live-action segments.
The band's sixth studio album, ''
Shout'' (1984), which featured extensive use of the
Fairlight CMI
The Fairlight CMI (short for Computer Musical Instrument) is a digital synthesizer, sampler, and digital audio workstation introduced in 1979 by Fairlight.
— with links to some Fairlight history and photos
It was based on a commercial lic ...
digital
sampling synthesizer, was received poorly, and the expensive music video they'd produced for their cover of
the Jimi Hendrix Experience
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942September 18, 1970) was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. Although his mainstream career spanned only four years, he is widely regarded as one of the most ...
's "
Are You Experienced?
''Are You Experienced'' is the debut studio album by the Jimi Hendrix Experience. Released in 1967, the LP was an immediate critical and commercial success, and it is widely regarded as one of the greatest albums of all time. The album feature ...
" was criticized by some as being "disrespectful", all of which caused
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...
to buy out the remainder of Devo's contract. Shortly thereafter, Myers left the band, citing creative unfulfillment.
In the interim, Mark Mothersbaugh began composing music for the TV show ''
Pee-wee's Playhouse
''Pee-wee's Playhouse'' is an American television series starring Paul Reubens as the childlike Pee-wee Herman that ran from 1986 to 1990 on Saturday mornings on CBS, and airing in reruns until July 1991. The show was developed from Reubens's po ...
'' and released an elaborately packaged solo
cassette
Cassette may refer to:
Technology
* Cassette tape (or ''musicassette'', ''audio cassette'', ''cassette tape'', or ''tape''), a worldwide standard for analog audio recording and playback
** Cassette single (or "Cassingle"), a music single in the ...
, ''
Musik for Insomniaks'', which was later expanded and released as two
CDs in 1988.
1987–1991: ''Total Devo'', ''Smooth Noodle Maps'', and breakup
In 1987, Devo re-formed with former
Sparks
Sparks may refer to:
Places
*Sparks, Georgia
* Sparks, Kansas
*Sparks, Kentucky
*Sparks, Maryland
* Sparks, Nebraska
*Sparks, Nevada
*Sparks, Oklahoma
*Sparks, Texas
* Sparks, Bell County, Texas
* Sparks, West Virginia
Books
* ''Sparks'' (Raffi ...
drummer
David Kendrick
David Kendrick (born March 23, 1955) is an American musician who is currently a member of the experimental pop band Xiu Xiu. A former member of Gleaming Spires and Devo, he has recorded and toured with Sparks, Andy Prieboy and Revolushn. He is ba ...
to replace Myers. Their first project was a soundtrack for the horror film ''
Slaughterhouse Rock
''Slaughterhouse Rock'' (also known as ''Hell Island'' in the United Kingdom) is a 1988 American supernatural horror film directed by Dimitri Logothetis, and starring Nicholas Celozzi, Tom Reilly, Donna Denton, Hope Marie Carlton, Tammara Hyler ...
'' (1988), starring
Toni Basil
Antonia Christina Basilotta (born September 22, 1943), better known by her stage name Toni Basil, is an American singer, choreographer, dancer, actress, and director. Her song "Mickey" topped the charts in the US, Canada and Australia and hit th ...
. The band released the album ''
Total Devo
''Total Devo'' is the seventh studio album by American new wave band Devo, released on May 24, 1988 by Enigma Records, just under four years after their previous album, '' Shout'' (1984). "Disco Dancer" hit No. 45 on ''Billboards Hot Dance Club ...
'' in 1988, on
Enigma Records
Enigma Records (also known as Enigma Entertainment Corporation) was a popular rock and alternative American record label in the 1980s.
History
Enigma Records launched as a division of Greenworld Distribution, an independent music importer/dis ...
. This album included two songs used in the ''Slaughterhouse Rock'' soundtrack. The song "Baby Doll" was used that same year in the comedy film ''
Tapeheads
''Tapeheads'' is a 1988 comedy film directed by Bill Fishman and starring John Cusack, Tim Robbins, Sam Moore and Junior Walker. The film was produced by Michael Nesmith, who briefly appears as a bottled water delivery man.
Plot
After losing th ...
'', with newly recorded Swedish lyrics, and was credited to (and shown in a music video by) a fictitious Swedish band called Cube-Squared. Devo followed this up with a world tour, and released the live album ''
Now It Can Be Told: Devo at the Palace'' in 1989. However, ''Total Devo'' was not a commercial success and received poor critical reviews.
In 1989, members of Devo were involved in the project Visiting Kids, releasing a self-titled EP on the New Rose label in 1990. The band featured Mark's then-wife Nancye Ferguson, as well as David Kendrick, Bob Mothersbaugh, and Bob's daughter Alex Mothersbaugh. Their record was produced by Bob Casale and Mark Mothersbaugh, and Mark also co-wrote some of the songs. Visiting Kids appeared on the soundtrack to the film ''
Rockula
''Rockula'' is a 1990 American comedy horror film directed by Luca Bercovici and written by Bercovici, Jefery Levy, and Chris Ver Weil. Dean Cameron stars as the vampire Ralph LaVie, Toni Basil plays Phoebe LaVie, Ralph's mother, and Thomas Dolby ...
'', as well as on ''
Late Night with David Letterman
''Late Night with David Letterman'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on NBC, the first iteration of the ''Late Night'' franchise. It premiered on February 1, 1982, and was produced by Letterman's production company ...
''. A promotional video was filmed for the song "Trilobites".
In 1990, ''
Smooth Noodle Maps
''Smooth Noodle Maps'' is the eighth studio album by the American New wave music, new wave band Devo. It was originally released in June 1990 and would be their last album released through Enigma Records, Enigma. The album was recorded over a per ...
'', Devo's last album for twenty years, was released. It too was a critical and commercial failure which, along with its two singles "Stuck in a Loop" and "Post Post-Modern Man", were Devo's worst-selling efforts; all failed to appear on the U.S. charts. Devo launched a concert tour in support of the album, but poor ticket sales and the bankruptcy and dissolution of Enigma Records, which was responsible for organizing and financing the tour, caused it to be cancelled part way through.
In 1990, the members of Devo, bar Bob Mothersbaugh, appeared in the film ''
The Spirit of '76''. Two albums of demo recordings from 1974–1977, namely ''
Hardcore Devo: Volume One'' (1990) and ''
Hardcore Devo: Volume Two'' (1991), were released on
Rykodisc
Rykodisc is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group, operating as a unit of WMG's Independent Label Group and is distributed through Alternative Distribution Alliance.
History
Claiming to be the first Compact Disc, CD-only independ ...
, as well as an album of early live recordings, ''Devo Live: The Mongoloid Years'' (1992).
The band played one final show in March 1991 before breaking up. In an interview with Mark Mothersbaugh concerning their 1996 computer game ''
Devo Presents Adventures of the Smart Patrol'', he explained, "Around '88, '89, '90 maybe, we did our last tour in Europe, and it was kind of at that point, We were watching ''
This Is Spinal Tap
''This Is Spinal Tap'' (also known as ''This Is Spınal Tap: A Rockumentary by Martin Di Bergi'') is a 1984 American mockumentary film co-written and directed by Rob Reiner (in his feature directorial debut). The film stars Christopher Guest, M ...
'' on the bus and said, 'Oh my God, that's our life.' And we just said, 'Things have to change.' So we kind of agreed from there that we wouldn't do live shows anymore."
1991–1996: Hiatus
Following the split, Mark Mothersbaugh established
Mutato Muzika
Mutato Muzika is an American music production company established and owned by Devo co-founder and lead singer Mark Mothersbaugh in 1989. The name is a portmanteau of the words ''mutant'' and ''potato'', a nod to Mothersbaugh's longstanding fascina ...
, a commercial music production studio, along with Bob Mothersbaugh and Bob Casale. Mothersbaugh meant to further a career as a
composer
A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music.
Etymology and Defi ...
, and the latter worked as an
audio engineer
An audio engineer (also known as a sound engineer or recording engineer) helps to produce a recording or a live performance, balancing and adjusting sound sources using equalization, dynamics processing and audio effects, mixing, reproduction, ...
. Mothersbaugh has had considerable success writing and producing music for television programs, including ''
Pee-wee's Playhouse
''Pee-wee's Playhouse'' is an American television series starring Paul Reubens as the childlike Pee-wee Herman that ran from 1986 to 1990 on Saturday mornings on CBS, and airing in reruns until July 1991. The show was developed from Reubens's po ...
'' and ''
Rugrats
''Rugrats'' is an American animated television series created by Arlene Klasky, Gábor Csupó, and Paul Germain for Nickelodeon. The show focuses on a group of toddlers; most prominently— Tommy, Chuckie, Angelica, and twins Phil and Lil, ...
'', video games, cartoons, and films, where he worked alongside director
Wes Anderson
Wesley Wales Anderson (born May 1, 1969) is an American filmmaker. His films are known for their eccentricity and unique visual and narrative styles. They often contain themes of grief, loss of innocence, and dysfunctional families. Cited by so ...
. David Kendrick also worked at Mutato for a period during the early 1990s. Gerald Casale began a career as a director of music videos and commercials, working with bands including
Rush
Rush(es) may refer to:
Places
United States
* Rush, Colorado
* Rush, Kentucky
* Rush, New York
* Rush City, Minnesota
* Rush Creek (Kishwaukee River tributary), Illinois
* Rush Creek (Marin County, California), a stream
* Rush Creek (Mono Cou ...
,
Soundgarden
Soundgarden was an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1984 by singer and drummer Chris Cornell, lead guitarist Kim Thayil (both of whom are the only members to appear in every incarnation of the band), and bassist Hiro Yamamo ...
,
Silverchair
Silverchair were an Australian Rock music, rock band, which formed in 1992 as Innocent Criminals in Newcastle, New South Wales, with Ben Gillies on drums, Daniel Johns on vocals and guitars, and Chris Joannou on bass guitar. The group got thei ...
and the
Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters are an American rock band formed in Seattle in 1994. Foo Fighters was initially formed as a one-man project by former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl. Following the success of the eponymous debut album, Grohl (lead vocals, guitar) re ...
. In the wake of Devo's dissolution, Bob Mothersbaugh attempted to start a solo career with The Bob I Band, recording an album that was never released. The tapes for this are now lost, though a bootleg recording of the band in concert exists and can be obtained through the bootleg aggregator Booji Boy's Basement.
While they did not release any studio albums during this period, Devo sporadically reconvened to record a number of songs for various films and compilations, including a new recording of "
Girl U Want
"Girl U Want" is a 1980 single by American new wave band Devo. It was the first single released from their third studio album ''Freedom of Choice'' (1980).
Composition
"Girl U Want" was allegedly inspired by the song " My Sharona" by the Knack ...
" on the soundtrack to the 1995 film ''
Tank Girl
''Tank Girl'' is a British comic book character created by Alan Martin and Jamie Hewlett, and first appeared in print in 1988 in the British comics magazine ''Deadline''. After a period of intense popularity in the late 1980s and early 1990s, ...
'' and a cover of the
Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails, commonly abbreviated as NIN and stylized as NIИ, is an American industrial rock band formed in Cleveland in 1988. Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer Trent Reznor was the only permanent member of the band ...
hit "
Head Like a Hole
"Head Like a Hole" is a song by the American industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails, released as the second single from the group's debut album, ''Pretty Hate Machine''.
Although one of the more rock-oriented tracks on the album, many elements of ...
" for the 1996 North American version of the film ''
Supercop
''Police Story 3: Supercop'' (), released as ''Supercop'' in the US, is a 1992 Hong Kong action film starring Jackie Chan and Michelle Yeoh. Jackie reprises his "Kevin" Chan Ka-Kui character, a Hong Kong cop from '' Police Story'' and ''Pol ...
''.
1996–2007: Reunion
In January 1996, Devo performed a reunion concert at the
Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival (formerly Utah/US Film Festival, then US Film and Video Festival) is an annual film festival organized by the Sundance Institute. It is the largest independent film festival in the United States, with more than 46,66 ...
in
Park City, Utah
Park City is a city in Utah, United States. The vast majority is in Summit County, and it extends into Wasatch County. It is considered to be part of the Wasatch Back. The city is southeast of downtown Salt Lake City and from Salt Lake City' ...
. The band performed on part of the 1996
Lollapalooza
Lollapalooza (Lolla) is an annual American four-day music festival held in Grant Park in Chicago. It originally started as a touring event in 1991 but several years later made Chicago the permanent location for the annual music festival. Musi ...
tour in the rotating Mystery Spot. On these tours and most subsequent tours, Devo performed a set-list mostly composed of material from between 1978 and 1982, ignoring their Enigma Records-era material. Also in 1996, Devo released a multimedia CD-ROM
adventure game
An adventure game is a video game genre in which the player assumes the role of a protagonist in an interactive story driven by exploration and/or Puzzle video game, puzzle-solving. The Video game genres, genre's focus on story allows it to draw ...
, ''
Adventures of the Smart Patrol'' with
Inscape
Inscape and instress are complementary and enigmatic concepts about individuality and uniqueness derived by the poet Gerard Manley Hopkins from the ideas of the medieval philosopher Duns Scotus.Chevigny, Bell Gale. Instress and Devotion in the P ...
. The game was not a success, but the Lollapalooza tour was received well enough to allow Devo to return in 1997 as a headliner. Devo performed sporadically from 1997 onwards.
In 1999, the ''
Oh, No! It's Devo
''Oh, No! It's Devo'' is the fifth studio album by American new wave band Devo, released on October 21, 1982 by Warner Bros. Records. The album was recorded over a period of four months, between May and September 1982, at Cherokee Studios i ...
'' era outtakes "Faster and Faster" and "One Dumb Thing", as well as the ''
Shout'' era outtake "Modern Life", were restored, completed and used in the video game ''
Interstate '82
''Interstate '82'' is a Vehicular combat game, vehicular combat video game developed and published by Activision for Microsoft Windows in November 1999.
Setting
The game is set in the Southwestern United States in an alternate version of the yea ...
'', developed by
Activision
Activision Publishing, Inc. is an American video game publisher based in Santa Monica, California. It serves as the publishing business for its parent company, Activision Blizzard, and consists of several subsidiary studios. Activision is one o ...
and released. Also that year, Mothersbaugh started the Devo side-project The Wipeouters, after their band in junior high, featuring himself (keyboards, organ), Bob Mothersbaugh (guitar), Bob Casale (guitar), and
Mutato Muzika
Mutato Muzika is an American music production company established and owned by Devo co-founder and lead singer Mark Mothersbaugh in 1989. The name is a portmanteau of the words ''mutant'' and ''potato'', a nod to Mothersbaugh's longstanding fascina ...
composer
Josh Mancell
Josh Mancell (born November 13, 1969) is an American composer and multi-instrumentalist who writes music for film, television, and video games. He is best known for his work on the ''Crash Bandicoot'' and ''Jak and Daxter'' series of video games. ...
(drums). The Wipeouters performed the theme song to the
Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon (often shortened to Nick) is an American pay television television channel, channel which launched on April 1, 1979, as the first cable channel for children. It is run by Paramount Global through its List of assets owned by Param ...
animated series ''
Rocket Power
''Rocket Power'' is an American animated television series created by Arlene Klasky and Gábor Csupó, the creators of ''Rugrats''. The series aired on Nickelodeon from August 16, 1999 to July 30, 2004.
Premise
''Rocket Power'' revolves around t ...
'', and in 2001 they released an album of
surf rock
Surf music (or surf rock, surf pop, or surf guitar) is a Music genre, genre of rock music associated with surf culture, particularly as found in Southern California. It was especially popular from 1958 to 1964 in two major forms. The first is in ...
material, titled ''P'Twaaang!!!''.
Around this same time, Devo's online fandom continued to grow, leading to 'Devotional', a Devo fan convention held annually in Cleveland, Ohio. The festival was most recently held in September 2022.
In 2005, Devo recorded a new version of "
Whip It" to be used in
Swiffer
Swiffer is an American brand of cleaning products that is made by Procter & Gamble. Introduced in 1999 the brand uses the " razor-and-blades" business model, whereby the consumer purchases the handle assembly at a low price, but must continue ...
television commercials, a decision they have said they regretted. During an interview with the ''
Dallas Observer
''Dallas Observer'' is a free digital and print publication based in Dallas, Texas. The ''Observer'' publishes daily online coverage of local news, restaurants, music, and arts, as well as longform narrative journalism. A weekly print issue circ ...
'', Gerald Casale said, "It's just aesthetically offensive. It's got everything a commercial that turns people off has." The song "
Beautiful World" was also used in a re-recorded form for an advertisement for
Target
Target may refer to:
Physical items
* Shooting target, used in marksmanship training and various shooting sports
** Bullseye (target), the goal one for which one aims in many of these sports
** Aiming point, in field artillery, fi ...
stores. Due to rights issues with their back catalog, Devo has re-recorded songs for films and advertisements.
In 2005, Gerald Casale announced his "solo" project,
Jihad Jerry & the Evildoers
Jihad Jerry & the Evildoers is the solo project of American musician Gerald Casale, best known as a founding member and "chief strategist" of the new wave band Devo. Jihad Jerry also includes contributions from fellow Devo members Mark Mothersba ...
(the Evildoers, including the other members of Devo), and released the first EP, ''
Army Girls Gone Wild
Jihad Jerry & the Evildoers is the solo project of American musician Gerald Casale, best known as a founding member and "chief strategist" of the new wave band Devo. Jihad Jerry also includes contributions from fellow Devo members Mark Mothersba ...
'' in 2006. A full-length album, ''
Mine Is Not a Holy War'', was released on September 12, 2006, after a several-month delay. It featured mostly new material, plus re-recordings of four obscure Devo songs: "I Need a Chick" and "I Been Refused" (from ''
Hardcore Devo: Volume Two''), "Find Out" (which appeared on the single and EP of "
Peek-a-Boo!" in 1982), and "Beehive" (which was recorded by the band in 1974, whereupon it was apparently abandoned, with the exception of one appearance at a special show in 2001). Devo continued to tour actively in 2005 and 2006, unveiling a new stage show at appearances in October 2006, with the Jihad Jerry character performing "Beautiful World" as an encore.
Also in 2006, Devo worked on a project with
Disney
The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...
known as
Devo 2.0
Devo 2.0 (also known as DEV2.O) was a pop group quintet, created for Walt Disney Records (with the participation of Devo), of child actors who sing, dance, and (in their music videos and photo shoots) mime playing instruments along to songs re- ...
. A band of child performers was assembled and re-recorded Devo songs. A quote from the ''
Akron Beacon Journal
The ''Akron Beacon Journal'' is a morning newspaper in Akron, Ohio, United States. Owned by Gannett, it is the sole daily newspaper in Akron and is distributed throughout Northeast Ohio. The paper's coverage focuses on local news. The Beacon J ...
'' stated, "Devo recently finished a new project in cahoots with Disney called Devo 2.0, which features the band playing old songs and two new ones with vocals provided by children. Their debut album, a two disc CD/DVD combo entitled ''DEV2.0'', was released on March 14, 2006. The lyrics of some of the songs were changed for
family-friendly
A family-friendly product or service is one that is considered to be suitable for all members of an average family. Family-friendly restaurants are ones that provide service to families that have young children. Frequently, family-friendly produc ...
airplay, which has been claimed by the band to be a play on irony of the messages of their classic hits."
![Devo](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/21/Devo.jpg)
In an April 2007 interview, Gerald Casale mentioned a tentative project for a
biographical film
A biographical film or biopic () is a film that dramatizes the life of a non-fictional or historically-based person or people. Such films show the life of a historical person and the central character's real name is used. They differ from docudra ...
about Devo's early days. According to Casale, a script was supposedly in development, called ''The Beginning Was the End''. Devo played their first European tour since 1990 in the summer of 2007, including a performance at
Festival Internacional de Benicàssim
The Festival Internacional de Benicàssim (), commonly abbreviated to simply FIB, is an annual music festival that takes place in the town of Benicàssim, in the Valencian Community, Spain. It focuses mainly on pop, rock and electronica arti ...
.
2007–2013: ''Something for Everybody''
In December 2007, Devo released their first new single since 1990, "
Watch Us Work It
"Watch Us Work It" is a single by the US new wave band Devo, produced by Teddybears. It was originally released in 2007, and was featured in a commercial for Dell. It was subsequently re-released, on vinyl, in 2008. The song was included on ...
", which was featured in a commercial for
Dell
Dell is an American based technology company. It develops, sells, repairs, and supports computers and related products and services. Dell is owned by its parent company, Dell Technologies.
Dell sells personal computers (PCs), servers, data ...
. The song features a sampled drum track from the ''New Traditionalists'' song "The Super Thing". Casale said that the song was chosen from a batch that the band was working on, and that it was the closest the band had been to releasing a new album.
![Devo two](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/95/Devo_two.jpg)
Devo performed at the
South by Southwest
South by Southwest, abbreviated as SXSW and colloquially referred to as South By, is an annual conglomeration of parallel film, interactive media, and music festivals and Convention (meeting), conferences organized jointly that take place in m ...
(SXSW) festival in March 2009, unveiling a new stage show with synchronized video backdrops (similar to the 1982 tour), new costumes, and three new songs: "Don't Shoot, I'm a Man!", "What We Do", and "Fresh". On September 16, Warner Bros. and Devo announced re-releases of ''Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!'' and ''Freedom of Choice'', as well as a subsequent tour, where they would perform both albums in their entirety.
A new album, ''
Something for Everybody
''Something for Everybody'' is the sixth studio album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley, released on RCA Victor in mono and stereo, LPM/LSP 2370, in June 17, 1961. Recording sessions took place on November 8, 1960, at Radio Recorder ...
'', was eventually released on June 15, 2010, preceded by a 12-inch single of "Fresh"/"What We Do" on June 10. Devo was awarded the first
Moog Innovator Award on October 29, during
Moogfest
Moogfest is a music and technology festival held annually or bi-annually in Durham, North Carolina that honors engineer Robert Moog and his musical inventions.
This multi-day, multi-venue event hosts artists and audiences from throughout the w ...
2010 in
Asheville, North Carolina
Asheville ( ) is a city in, and the county seat of, Buncombe County, North Carolina. Located at the confluence of the French Broad and Swannanoa rivers, it is the largest city in Western North Carolina, and the state's 11th-most populous cit ...
. The Moog Innovator Award has been said to celebrate "pioneering artists whose genre-defying work exemplifies the bold, innovative spirit of Bob Moog". Devo was scheduled to perform at Moogfest, but Bob Mothersbaugh severely injured his hand three days prior, and the band was forced to cancel. Mark Mothersbaugh and Gerald Casale collaborated with
Austin
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas, as well as the seat and largest city of Travis County, with portions extending into Hays and Williamson counties. Incorporated on December 27, 1839, it is the 11th-most-populous city ...
-based band
the Octopus Project
The Octopus Project is an American indietronica band based in Austin, Texas, active since 1999. Their sound blends pop and experimental elements, and is a combination of digital and electronic sounds and noises (including drum machine, keyboard, ...
to perform "Girl U Want" and "Beautiful World" at the event instead.
The band split from Warner Bros in 2012 and launched a new "post-Warner Brothers" website that would offer "new protective gear" and "unreleased material from the archives in vinyl disc format". In August of that year, the band released a single called "Don't Roof Rack Me, Bro (Seamus Unleashed)", dedicated to the
Republican Party presidential candidate
Mitt Romney
Willard Mitt Romney (born March 12, 1947) is an American politician, businessman, and lawyer serving as the junior United States senator from Utah since January 2019, succeeding Orrin Hatch. He served as the 70th governor of Massachusetts f ...
's former pet dog Seamus. The title refers to the
Mitt Romney dog incident
During a 1983 family vacation, American politician Mitt Romney drove 12 hours with his dog on top of the car in a windshield-equipped carrier. This incident became the subject of negative media attention and political attacks on Romney in both ...
of 1983, when Romney travelled twelve hours with the dog in a crate on his car's roof rack.
On June 24, 2013, the group's former drummer Alan Myers died of
stomach cancer
Stomach cancer, also known as gastric cancer, is a cancer that develops from the lining of the stomach. Most cases of stomach cancers are gastric carcinomas, which can be divided into a number of subtypes, including gastric adenocarcinomas. Lymph ...
in Los Angeles, California. He was 58. News reports at the time of his death incorrectly cited
brain cancer
A brain tumor occurs when abnormal cells form within the brain. There are two main types of tumors: malignant tumors and benign (non-cancerous) tumors. These can be further classified as primary tumors, which start within the brain, and secondar ...
as the cause.
One month later, Devo released their ''
Something Else for Everybody'' album, which collected "Unreleased Demos and Focus Group Rejects" from 2006–2009. Gerald Casale had earlier teased the album in a 2012 interview with ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' magazine.
2014: Hardcore Devo Tour, Bob Casale's death
On February 17, 2014, founding member Bob Casale died of heart failure at age 61. Shortly afterwards, the group, now a quartet, embarked on their
Hardcore Devo Tour, a ten-show tour across the US and Canada between June 18 and July 2, 2014.
Partial proceeds for the ten shows went to support Bob Casale's family after his sudden death. The show featured the group performing material written during 1974–1977. The June 28 Oakland show was filmed and later released as the concert film ''
Hardcore Devo Live!
''Hardcore Devo Live!'' is a concert film and live album, showcasing Devo's June 28, 2014, performance at the Fox Theatre in Oakland, California on the 2014 Hardcore Devo Live tour. The tour commemorates the 40th anniversary of the band, and ...
'', released on Blu-ray, DVD, and Video on Demand on February 10, 2015, accompanied by CD and double-vinyl audio releases.
2014–present: Current activities
After a short break, Devo continued to tour for the rest of 2014.
Josh Hager joined the band at this time, playing both keyboards and guitar. On April 29, 2016, Devo performed at
Will Ferrell
John William Ferrell (; born July 16, 1967) is an American actor, comedian, and producer. He first established himself in the mid-1990s as a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy show ''Saturday Night Live'', where he performed from 1995 to 200 ...
and
Chad Smith
Chad Gaylord Smith (born October 25, 1961) is an American musician who has been the drummer of the rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers since 1988. The group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012. Smith is also the drummer of the h ...
's Red Hot Benefit. On May 22, Robert Mothersbaugh Sr., father of Mark, Bob, and Jim Mothersbaugh, died. Robert portrayed
General Boy General Boy is a character created around 1975 by new wave band Devo. He is usually seen portrayed by Robert Mothersbaugh, Sr., the father of Devo's lead singer Mark Mothersbaugh, former drummer Jim Mothersbaugh, and lead guitarist Bob Mothersbaugh ...
in various Devo films.
On September 23, 2017, the official
Twitter
Twitter is an online social media and social networking service owned and operated by American company Twitter, Inc., on which users post and interact with 280-character-long messages known as "tweets". Registered users can post, like, and ...
account for the band's ''Are We Not Men?'' documentary film, which had been in production since 2009, stated that "the film was finished years ago" and that "mm
ark Mothersbaughis blocking its release". Jeff Winner, who was consulting producer for the Devo documentary, went on to state that he and Pemberton had "delivered the film that was contracted, and on schedule. It's now in the hands of the band to decide when/how it's released/distributed."
After a hiatus from live performances, Devo headlined the
Burger Boogaloo festival in Oakland, California, on June 30, 2018. Comedian and former
Trenchmouth
Trenchmouth was an American punk band from Chicago, Illinois, formed in 1988. Throughout its existence, the band mainly consisted of Damon Locks (vocals/percussion), Chris DeZutter (guitar), Wayne Montana (bass), and Fred Armisen (drums).
Bio ...
drummer
Fred Armisen
Fereydun Robert Armisen (born December 4, 1966) is an American actor, comedian, writer, producer, and musician. With his comedy partner Carrie Brownstein, Armisen was the co-creator and co-star of the IFC sketch comedy series ''Portlandia''. He ...
filled in for Josh Freese on drums. On October 12, 2020, Devo performed at the Desert Daze festival, with Jeff Friedl on drums.
In January 2021,
Funko
Funko Inc. is an American company that manufactures licensed and limited pop culture collectibles, best known for its licensed vinyl figurines and bobbleheads. In addition, the company produces licensed plush, action figures, apparel, accessories ...
released two Devo Funko Pops inspired by the group's "Whip It" and "Satisfaction" music videos. One month later, the band starred in ''Devolution: A Devo Theory'', a television documentary based entirely on their theory of devolution, which had been completed in 2020. In September, Devo performed a short three-date tour of the USA, including a show at
Riot Fest
Riot Fest is an annual three-day punk rock music festival based in Chicago, Illinois, at Douglass Park. It is known for booking reunions, guest performances, and full album performances. Riot Fest remains one of the largest independently owned m ...
. These performances marked the return of Josh Freese on drums, who had not played live with Devo in over five years.
Shortly afterwards, Gerald Casale announced the release of an official Devo potato-based vodka through the Trust Me Vodka brand. The packaging for the drink was themed around Devo imagery and featured original artwork. It was signed by the group's co-founders Gerald Casale and Mark Mothersbaugh, as well as Bob Mothersbaugh.
On October 24, 2021,
John Hinckley Jr
John Warnock Hinckley Jr. (born May 29, 1955) is an American man who attempted to assassinate U.S. President Ronald Reagan in Washington, D.C. on March 30, 1981, two months after Reagan's first inauguration. Using a .22 caliber revolver, Hinck ...
posted on Twitter that he had not received any royalties for Devo's song "I Desire" in 35 years. "I Desire" had been written by Mark Mothersbaugh and Gerald Casale for their 1982 album ''Oh, No! It's Devo'', inspired by a poem written by Hinckley that was published in a tabloid newspaper, following his attempt to assassinate then-current president
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan ( ; February 6, 1911June 5, 2004) was an American politician, actor, and union leader who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He also served as the 33rd governor of California from 1967 ...
. Hinckley had been adequately credited for his contributions through a co-writing credit on all releases. Casale claimed that Devo were not at fault, as it was the publishing company's duty to pay him, not the band's.
Devotional 2021, an annual convention for Devo fans, was held on November 5–6, with the annual 5KDEVO race taking place on the 7th. On November 15, it was announced that Devo would perform a one-off show at
the Rooftop at Pier 17
The South Street Seaport is a historic area in the New York City borough of Manhattan, centered where Fulton Street meets the East River, and adjacent to the Financial District, in Lower Manhattan. The Seaport is a designated historic district, ...
on May 18, 2022, in order to make up for their cancelled
Radio City Music Hall
Radio City Music Hall is an entertainment venue and Theater (structure), theater at 1260 Sixth Avenue (Manhattan), Avenue of the Americas, within Rockefeller Center, in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. Nicknamed "The Showplac ...
gig in September 2021. Tickets went on sale on the 18th.
In December, it was announced that rare images of Devo would feature in a book of rock photography from 1977–1980 titled ''HARD + FAST'', to be released on February 1, 2022. The book will also include a 7-inch single of live recordings from the band, which were also released on
SoundCloud
SoundCloud is an online audio distribution platform and music sharing website that enables its users to upload, promote, and share audio. Founded in 2007 by Alexander Ljung and Eric Wahlforss, SoundCloud is one of the largest music streaming se ...
prior to the book's release. The recordings were dated 1977, but the performances are identical to those found on an audience bootleg recorded on October 10, 1978.
Devo were nominated for induction into the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), sometimes simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum
A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and othe ...
in 2018, 2021 and 2022.
On May 14 and 15, 2022, Devo performed at the Cruel World Festival at the
Rose Bowl's Brookside golf course in
Pasadena, California
Pasadena ( ) is a city in Los Angeles County, California, northeast of downtown Los Angeles. It is the most populous city and the primary cultural center of the San Gabriel Valley. Old Pasadena is the city's original commercial district.
I ...
.
Band members
Current members
*
Gerald Casale
Gerald Vincent "Jerry" Casale ( ) ( ''né'' Pizzute; born July 28, 1948) is an American musician. He came to prominence in the late 1970s as co-founder, co-lead vocalist, and bass player of the new wave band Devo, which released a top 20 hit in ...
– bass guitar, vocals, bass synthesizer (1973–1991, 1996–present)
*
Mark Mothersbaugh
Mark Allen Mothersbaugh (; born May 18, 1950) is an American composer, singer, and multi-instrumentalist. He came to prominence in the late 1970s as co-founder, lead singer and keyboardist of the new wave band Devo, whose " Whip It" was a top 2 ...
– vocals, keyboards, guitar (1973–1991, 1996–present)
*
Bob Mothersbaugh
Robert Leroy Mothersbaugh, Jr. (; born August 11, 1952), or by his stage name "Bob 1", is an American songwriter, composer, musician and singer.
Mothersbaugh's music career spans more than 40 years. He came to prominence in the late 1970s as lead ...
– guitar, vocals (1974–1991, 1996–present)
*
Josh Freese
Joshua Ryan Freese (born December 25, 1972) is an American session drummer. He is the son of tuba soloist Stan Freese and the older brother of musician Jason Freese.
He is a member of the Vandals (since 1989) and Devo (since 1996), having forme ...
– drums (1996–present)
* Josh Hager – guitar, keyboards (2014–present)
Former members
*
Bob Casale
Robert Edward Casale Jr. (born Robert Edward Pizzute Jr.; July 14, 1952 – February 17, 2014), or "Bob 2", was an American musician, composer and record producer. He came to prominence in the late 1970s as the keyboardist and rhythm guitari ...
– guitar, keyboards, backing vocals (1973–1974, 1976–1991, 1996–2014; his death)
*
Bob Lewis – guitar (1973–1974)
*
Rod Reisman
Rod, Ror, Ród, Rőd, Rød, Röd, ROD, or R.O.D. may refer to:
Devices
* Birch rod, made out of twigs from birch or other trees for corporal punishment
* Ceremonial rod, used to indicate a position of authority
* Connecting rod, main, couplin ...
– drums (1973)
*
Fred Weber
Charles Frederick Weber III is a former vocalist for the new wave band Devo in its earliest incarnation.The Devo Book
...
– vocals (1973)
*
Jim Mothersbaugh
Jim Mothersbaugh (; born January 18, 1956) is an American electronic engineer and former musician. He was the second drummer of the new wave band Devo, replacing Rod Reisman who played for only one show. Mothersbaugh joined Devo with his older ...
– electronic percussion (1974–1975)
*
Alan Myers – drums (1976–1986; died 2013)
*
David Kendrick
David Kendrick (born March 23, 1955) is an American musician who is currently a member of the experimental pop band Xiu Xiu. A former member of Gleaming Spires and Devo, he has recorded and toured with Sparks, Andy Prieboy and Revolushn. He is ba ...
– drums (1987–1991, 1996–2004)
">/sup>
* Jeff Friedl – drums (2008–2014, 2019) ">/sup>
Touring members
* Neil Taylor – drums (2008)
* Pete Parada
Peter Parada (born July 9, 1973) is an American musician who has been a member of several bands. Parada's drumming career began in 1995 when he joined L.A. band World In Pain on a recommendation from future Korn drummer Ray Luzier and then Steel ...
– drums (2011)
* Brian Applegate – keyboards, bass guitar (2014 Hardcore Tour)
* Alex Casale – bass guitar (2014 Hardcore Tour)
* Ed Marshall – bass guitar (2014 Hardcore Tour)
* Fred Armisen
Fereydun Robert Armisen (born December 4, 1966) is an American actor, comedian, writer, producer, and musician. With his comedy partner Carrie Brownstein, Armisen was the co-creator and co-star of the IFC sketch comedy series ''Portlandia''. He ...
– drums (2018 Burger Boogaloo)
Timeline
ImageSize = width:1000 height:auto barincrement:20
PlotArea = left:115 bottom:100 top:5 right:30
Alignbars = justify
DateFormat = mm/dd/yyyy
Period = from:01/01/1973 till:01/01/2023
TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy
Legend = orientation:vertical position:bottom columns:4
ScaleMajor = increment:2 start:1973
ScaleMinor = increment:1 start:1974
Colors =
id:vocals value:red legend:Vocals
id:guitar value:teal legend:Lead_guitar
id:guitar2 value:green legend:Rhythm_guitar
id:keys value:purple legend:Keyboards
id:bass value:blue legend:Bass
id:drums value:orange legend:Drums
id:perc value:claret legend:Electronic_percussion
id:lines value:black legend:Studio_album
id:bars value:gray(0.95)
BackgroundColors = bars:bars
LineData =
at:08/28/1978 color:black layer:back
at:07/02/1979 color:black layer:back
at:05/16/1980 color:black layer:back
at:08/26/1981 color:black layer:back
at:10/21/1982 color:black layer:back
at:10/09/1984 color:black layer:back
at:05/01/1988 color:black layer:back
at:06/01/1990 color:black layer:back
at:06/15/2010 color:black layer:back
BarData =
bar:Weber text:"Fred Weber"
bar:Mmothersbaugh text:"Mark Mothersbaugh"
bar:Lewis text:"Bob Lewis"
bar:Bmothersbaugh text:"Bob Mothersbaugh"
bar:Bcasale text:"Bob Casale"
bar:Hager text:"Josh Hager"
bar:Gcasale text:"Gerald Casale"
bar:Reisman text:"Rod Reisman"
bar:Myers text:"Alan Myers"
bar:Kendrick text:"David Kendrick"
bar:Freese text:"Josh Freese"
bar:Friedl text:"Jeff Friedl"
bar:Jmothersbaugh text:"Jim Mothersbaugh"
PlotData=
width:11 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(11,-4)
bar:Weber from:01/04/1973 till:06/01/1973 color:vocals
bar:Lewis from:01/04/1973 till:06/01/1974 color:guitar
bar:Bcasale from:01/01/1973 till:06/01/1974 color:guitar2
bar:Bcasale from:06/01/1976 till:02/01/1991 color:guitar2
bar:Bcasale from:01/01/1996 till:02/17/2014 color:guitar2
bar:Bcasale from:01/01/1973 till:06/01/1974 color:keys width:3
bar:Bcasale from:06/01/1976 till:02/01/1991 color:keys width:3
bar:Bcasale from:01/01/1996 till:02/17/2014 color:keys width:3
bar:Bmothersbaugh from:06/01/1974 till:02/01/1991 color:guitar
bar:Bmothersbaugh from:01/01/1996 till:end color:guitar
bar:Bmothersbaugh from:06/01/1974 till:02/01/1991 color:vocals width:3
bar:Bmothersbaugh from:01/01/1996 till:end color:vocals width:3
bar:Hager from:08/01/2014 till:end color:guitar2
bar:Hager from:08/01/2014 till:end color:keys width:3
bar:Mmothersbaugh from:01/01/1973 till:06/01/1973 color:keys
bar:Mmothersbaugh from:06/01/1973 till:02/01/1991 color:vocals
bar:Mmothersbaugh from:01/01/1996 till:end color:vocals
bar:Mmothersbaugh from:01/01/1973 till:02/01/1991 color:guitar2 width:7
bar:Mmothersbaugh from:01/01/1996 till:end color:guitar2 width:7
bar:Mmothersbaugh from:01/01/1973 till:06/01/1973 color:vocals width:3
bar:Mmothersbaugh from:06/01/1973 till:02/01/1991 color:keys width:3
bar:Mmothersbaugh from:01/01/1996 till:end color:keys width:3
bar:Gcasale from:01/01/1973 till:02/01/1991 color:bass
bar:Gcasale from:01/01/1996 till:end color:bass
bar:Gcasale from:01/01/1973 till:02/01/1991 color:keys width:7
bar:Gcasale from:01/01/1996 till:end color:keys width:7
bar:Gcasale from:01/01/1973 till:02/01/1991 color:vocals width:3
bar:Gcasale from:01/01/1996 till:end color:vocals width:3
bar:Reisman from:01/01/1973 till:06/01/1973 color:drums
bar:Jmothersbaugh from:06/01/1974 till:11/01/1975 color:perc
bar:Myers from:06/01/1976 till:01/01/1986 color:drums
bar:Myers from:01/01/1982 till:01/01/1986 color:perc width:3
bar:Kendrick from:01/01/1987 till:02/01/1991 color:drums
bar:Kendrick from:01/01/1996 till:07/22/2004 color:drums
bar:Freese from:01/01/1996 till:end color:drums
bar:Friedl from:06/05/2010 till:12/31/2013 color:drums
Notes
* A
^ David Kendrick
David Kendrick (born March 23, 1955) is an American musician who is currently a member of the experimental pop band Xiu Xiu. A former member of Gleaming Spires and Devo, he has recorded and toured with Sparks, Andy Prieboy and Revolushn. He is ba ...
performed with Devo at several 2002–2004 shows (including their tour of Japan (commemorated on the "Devo – Live in the Land of the Rising Sun" DVD) as well as the 2004 Nike
Run Hit Wonder) due to the unavailability of Josh Freese. In addition,
Kendrick also continued to play drums on all Devo studio tracks in the late 1990s and early 2000s. This would include "It's All Good", "Are You Ready", and "Go Monkey Go".
* B
^ Ashes Divide
Billy Howerdel (born May 18, 1970) is an American musician, best known as the founding member, guitarist, backing vocalist, songwriter, and producer for the band A Perfect Circle, as well as for his former solo project, Ashes Divide. Howerdel h ...
drummer Jeff Friedl (formerly of
Eagles of Death Metal
Eagles of Death Metal is an American rock band from Palm Desert, California, formed in 1998. Founded by Jesse Hughes (vocals, guitar) and Josh Homme (drums), the band also includes a wide range of other musicians who perform both on the band's ...
and
Puscifer
Puscifer () is an American rock group formed in Los Angeles by Maynard James Keenan, known as the lead singer of the bands Tool and A Perfect Circle. Initially, Keenan was the only permanent member, and as such he considered the project to be hi ...
) performed with Devo on June 5, 2010, at the KROQ Weenie Roast in Los Angeles, and accompanied Devo on other selected dates between 2008 and 2013 due to Freese performing with Weezer. Friedl returned for several performances in late 2014 following the "Hardcore Devo" tour for similar reasons, and also played drums on a few tracks from the 2013 compilation album ''
Something Else for Everybody.''
Discography
Studio albums
* '' Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!.'' (1978)
* ''Duty Now for the Future
''Duty Now for the Future'' is the second studio album by American rock band Devo, released in July 1979 by Warner Bros. Records. Produced by Ken Scott, the album was recorded between September 1978 and early 1979 at Chateau Recorders in Hollyw ...
'' (1979)
* ''Freedom of Choice
Freedom of choice describes an individual's opportunity and autonomy to perform an action selected from at least two available options, unconstrained by external parties.
In politics
In the abortion debate, for example, the term "freedom of ch ...
'' (1980)
* ''New Traditionalists
''New Traditionalists'' is the fourth studio album by the American new wave band Devo, released on August 26, 1981, by Warner Bros. Records. The album was recorded over a period of four months between December 1980 and April 1981, at the Power ...
'' (1981)
* ''Oh, No! It's Devo
''Oh, No! It's Devo'' is the fifth studio album by American new wave band Devo, released on October 21, 1982 by Warner Bros. Records. The album was recorded over a period of four months, between May and September 1982, at Cherokee Studios i ...
'' (1982)
* '' Shout'' (1984)
* ''Total Devo
''Total Devo'' is the seventh studio album by American new wave band Devo, released on May 24, 1988 by Enigma Records, just under four years after their previous album, '' Shout'' (1984). "Disco Dancer" hit No. 45 on ''Billboards Hot Dance Club ...
'' (1988)
* ''Smooth Noodle Maps
''Smooth Noodle Maps'' is the eighth studio album by the American New wave music, new wave band Devo. It was originally released in June 1990 and would be their last album released through Enigma Records, Enigma. The album was recorded over a per ...
'' (1990)
* ''Something for Everybody
''Something for Everybody'' is the sixth studio album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley, released on RCA Victor in mono and stereo, LPM/LSP 2370, in June 17, 1961. Recording sessions took place on November 8, 1960, at Radio Recorder ...
'' (2010)
References
Further reading
*
*
* Lewis, Bob
''Readers vs. Breeders: Didactical Works re De-Evolution'', originally appearing in Los Angeles Staff, 1972
cleveland.com
* Lewis, Bob (2006).
External links
*
*
*
*
*
Devo
– encyclopedia.com
Encyclopedia.com (also known as HighBeam Encyclopedia) is an online encyclopedia. It aggregates information from other published dictionaries, encyclopedias and reference works including pictures and videos.
History
The website was launched by ...
"Devo Live Guide"
– Comprehensive guide to Devo's live performances
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