Devo
Artist
Devo, short for “De-Evolution,” formed in Kent, Ohio, in 1973. They formed as artistic response to the May, 1970 shooting of unarmed war protestors on the Kent State campus. Founding members Mark Mothersbaugh and Gerald Casale were both Kent State students at the time, and involved in SDS, along with early collaborator Bob Lewis. The idea of “De-Evolution” was an art school joke, often at the expense of the culture around them and the bad art of fellow students. Following the Kent State shootings, the joke “became real” according to the band.
“De-Evolution,” the idea that humanity was regressing instead of progressing, remains the major focus of the group. Their lyrics often contain pointed satire at human foibles, such as greed, violence, and sexual hangups. Devo’s image was a source of De-Evolutionary satire, as well, with identical, absurdist uniforms to satire conformity, and selling equally absurd Devo branded merchandise as a tongue-in-cheek response to commercialism.
Devo first performed as the Sextet Devo, at the 1973 KSU Performing Arts Festival. The next year, Devo performed as a four-piece of Mark Mothersbaugh (synthesizer), Bob Mothersbaugh (guitar), Gerald Casale (bass, vocals), and Jim Mothersbaugh (electric bongos). By mid-1975, Jim Mothersbaugh left the group, and they recruited Alan Myers on drums. Myers’s extremely tight sense of rhythm quickly earned him the nickname “The Human Metronome” by the band. Bob Casale joined the group on rhythm guitar and keyboards the same year. With two Bobs in the group, the band quickly assigned Bob Mothersbaugh the moniker of “Bob 1” with Casale assigned “Bob 2.” This lineup would endure until 1985.
Their first single, “Mongoloid” b/w “Jocko Homo” was independently released on the Booji Boy Records label, a sub-label of Man-Ray, in 1976. It was followed by a cover of “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” in 1977, which caught the attention of Stiff Records in Europe. Stiff re-released the first two Devo singles on their label, and a third, “Be Stiff” in 1977. These three singles were later collected as the [Be Stiff EP](
) that same year.
In 1977, Devo began to play shows outside of Ohio, coming to the attention of David Bowie and Iggy Pop, who had received a demo tape on the Isolar tour. Bowie offered to produce their debut album in Tokyo, but this fell through. As labels fought over the group, Brian Eno offered to produce the debut album, Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are DEVO! in Germany, contingent on the band getting a contract. The album was released in July of 1978, and the band got their first mainstream exposure in a legendary performance on Saturday Night Live.
In 1979, Devo released Duty Now for the Future, which saw them moving in a more electronic direction. The album was not as successful as the debut, but remains a fan favorite. During this time, the band also began filming the movie Human Highway with Neil Young, who was an early supporter of the group.
In 1980, Devo released their breakthrough, Freedom of Choice, which featured the hit single “Whip It”. It showed the band moving further into electronics, and showcased an R&B influenced sound thanks to producer Robert Margouleff. The band also debuted a new look, with their iconic red Energy Dome headgear. The success of “Whip It” was a surprise, and record company insistence of creating another “Whip It” on subsequent albums made the rest of their contract difficult.
1981’s New Traditionalists featured another new look, with plastic pompadour haircuts modeled on John F. Kennedy, as well as a more synth-heavy sound. The lead single, “Through Being Cool” was a shot across the bow at their new fans who did not understand Devo’s heavy message. 1982’s Oh, No! It’s DEVO, and 1984’s Shout featured more synthesizers and drum machines, and diminishing commercial returns. In 1985, Devo lost their contract, Alan Myers left the group, and the band went on hiatus until 1987.
That year, with new drummer David Kendrick, formerly of Sparks and Gleaming Spires, Devo recorded songs for the 1987 horror flop, Slaughterhouse Rock. In 1988, Devo released Total Devo, on Enigma Records. The album was poorly received, as was its 1990 follow-up, Smooth Noodle Maps. In 1991, Devo split up again.
In 1995, the band reformed to record a version of “Girl U Want” for the film Tank Girl) and began work on an interactive CD-ROM, The Adventures of the Smart Patrol). The game was a logical extension of their interest in music video, but was not a commercial success. However, the reactivated Devo played several dates on the 1996 Lollapalooza festival tour, with new drummer Josh Freese. Devo remained a live act for most of the 90s and 2000s, occasionally releasing new music for film soundtracks. Rumors of a new album had been repeatedly quashed by the group during this period.
However, in 2007, Devo released a new song, “Watch Us Work It” as a single—while licensing it for use in a commercial for Dell Computers. The response was strong enough for the band to begin work on their 9th studio album, which was released as Something for Everybody in 2010. The album received a positive reception, though did not sell enough for Warner Brothers to continue their contract.
In 2013, Alan Myers, passed away from stomach cancer. The next year, Bob Casale, died from medical complications leading to heart failure. Following Bob Casale’s death, Devo toured to raise money for his family, performing songs from their pre-record contract period as a four piece.
