Open main menu
Home
Random
Recent changes
Special pages
Community portal
Preferences
About Wikipedia
Disclaimers
Incubator escapee wiki
Search
User menu
Talk
Dark mode
Contributions
Create account
Log in
Editing
Devo
(section)
Warning:
You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you
log in
or
create an account
, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.
Anti-spam check. Do
not
fill this in!
=== 1973β1978: Formation === The name ''Devo'' comes from the concept of "[[Devolution (biology)|de-evolution]]" 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]] of American society.<ref name=bio>{{cite web |url=http://www.clubdevo.com/mp/bio.html |title=Devo Bio |website=Clubdevo.com |access-date=September 11, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011183248/http://clubdevo.com/mp/bio.html |archive-date=October 11, 2007}}</ref> In the late 1960s, this idea was developed as a joke by [[Kent State University]] art students [[Gerald Casale]] and [[Bob Lewis (musician)|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]]). They met [[Mark Mothersbaugh]] around 1970, a talented keyboardist who had been playing with the band Flossy Bobbitt.<ref name=thoughts /> Mothersbaugh brought a more humorous feel to the band, introducing them to material like the pamphlet "Jocko Homo Heavenbound",<ref>{{cite web |url=http://fw_alden.tripod.com/id1.html |title=Jocko-Homo Heavenbound |website=F. W. Alden (1873β1955) |access-date=August 19, 2011}}</ref> which includes an illustration of a winged devil labelled "D-EVOLUTION" and would later inspire the song "[[Jocko Homo]]".<ref>Wengrofsky, Jeffrey, [https://coilhouse.net/2008/06/a-conversation-with-mark-mothersbaugh-of-devo/ De-evolution in the 21st-Century: The Avant-Garde as Derriere-Garde: In Conversation with Mark Mothersbaugh] Coilhouse Magazine |Retrieved on May 20, 2020</ref> The "joke" about de-evolution became serious following the [[Kent State shootings|Kent State massacre]] of May 4, 1970. This event would be cited multiple times as the impetus for forming the band Devo.<ref name="WaPo">{{cite news |last=Sommer|first=Tim |title= How the Kent State massacre helped give birth to punk rock |url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/how-the-kent-state-massacre-changed-music/2018/05/03/b45ca462-4cb6-11e8-b725-92c89fe3ca4c_story.html |newspaper= Washington Post |access-date=May 3, 2018 |date=May 8, 2018}}</ref> Throughout the band's career, they have often been considered a "joke band" by the music press.<ref>{{cite news|last=Christgau|first=Robert|author-link=Robert Christgau|date=1981|title=Devo Take a Stand|newspaper=[[The Village Voice]]|url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/rock/devo-81.php|access-date=May 23, 2017|via=Robertchristgau.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Kaufman |first=Gil |title=Devo Reveal Truth About De-Evolution |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/508115/devo-reveal-truth-about-de-evolution/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160316065933/http://www.mtv.com/news/508115/devo-reveal-truth-about-de-evolution/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 16, 2016 |website=[[MTV]] |access-date=May 23, 2017 |date=August 21, 1996}}</ref> The first form of Devo was the "Sextet Devo" which performed at the 1973 Kent State performing arts festival.<ref name =thoughts>{{cite web |last=Lewis |first=Robert |author-link=Bob Lewis (musician) |title=Some thoughts on Devo: the first Postmodern Band |year=2006 |website=devo.devaluate.com |url=http://devo.devaluate.com/Devolution.doc |access-date=January 21, 2011 |quote=Let me be plain about this: contrary to popular belief Devo was not and is not a phenomenon of Akron, Ohio. It was rather a logical extension of a series of inexplicable forces that made Kent State University a mass culture nexus for a brief and shining moment. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060207091108/http://devo.devaluate.com/Devolution.doc |archive-date=February 7, 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://devobook.com/sextet.html |title=Sextet Devo |date=2003 |first=Jeff |last=Winner |website=Devobook.com |access-date=February 5, 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110814135057/http://devobook.com/sextet.html |archive-date=August 14, 2011 }}</ref> It included Casale, Lewis and Mothersbaugh, as well as Gerald's brother [[Bob Casale]] on guitar, and friends Rod Reisman and Fred Weber 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]]''. This lineup performed only once.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Eyeballs |first=Slicing Up |date=2023-04-19 |title=Devo played its first gig 50 years ago today β here's some really grainy footage |url=https://www.slicingupeyeballs.com/2023/04/18/devo-50th-anniversary-video/ |access-date=2023-04-26 |website=Slicing Up Eyeballs |language=en-US}}</ref> 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]] on drums. <!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:Devo Jocko Homo Mongoloid.jpg|thumb|right|Front and back covers of Devo's first release, the [[Phonograph record|45 rpm]] [[single (music)|single]] "[[Mongoloid (song)|Mongoloid]]" backed with "[[Jocko Homo]]" (1977), released on the band's [[Booji Boy#Booji Boy Records|Booji Boy Records]]]] --> The band continued to perform, generally as a quartet, but with a fluid lineup including Mark's brothers [[Bob Mothersbaugh]] and Jim Mothersbaugh. Bob played electric guitar, and Jim provided percussion using a set of home-made [[electronic drum]]s. Their first two music videos, "[[Secret Agent Man (Johnny Rivers song)|Secret Agent Man]]" and "Jocko Homo", which both appeared in ''[[The Truth About De-Evolution]]'', were filmed in [[Akron, Ohio|Akron]], and [[Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio]], 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 [[Characters in Devo music videos|theatrical characters]], such as [[Booji Boy]] and the Chinaman. 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.<ref name=bio /> Following Jim Mothersbaugh's departure, Bob Mothersbaugh found a new drummer, [[Alan Myers (drummer)|Alan Myers]], who played on a conventional, acoustic [[drum kit]]. 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,<ref>Liner notes to Devo, "Mongoloid" backed with "Jocko Homo". [[Booji Boy Records]], 1977, which say {{"'}}Jocko Homo' β from the soundtrack of 'In the Beginning Was the End... (the truth about De-Evolution)' ''a film by Chuck Statler''." (emphasis added)</ref> won a prize at the [[Ann Arbor Film Festival]]. This attracted the attention of [[David Bowie]], who began work to get the band a recording contract with [[Warner Music Group]]. In 1977, Devo were asked by [[Neil Young]] to participate in the making of his film ''[[Human Highway]]''.<ref name="vermontreview-Casale">{{cite web |url=http://vermontreview.tripod.com/Interviews/devo.htm |title=Oh Yes, It's Devo: An Interview with Jerry Casale |last=Knight |first=Brian L. |website=The Vermont Review |access-date=October 31, 2016}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web |last=Zulaica |first=Don |url=http://www.livedaily.com/news/2987.html |title=liveDaily Interview: Mark Mothersbaugh on soundtracks, surf and Devo |date=April 25, 2001 |website=LiveDaily.com |access-date=September 5, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930201817/http://www.livedaily.com/news/2987.html |archive-date=September 30, 2007}}</ref> In March 1977, Devo released their first single, "[[Mongoloid (song)|Mongoloid]]" 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 version|cover]] of [[the Rolling Stones]]' "[[(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction#Devo|(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction]]". In 1978, the ''[[B Stiff_(EP)|B Stiff]]'' EP was released by British independent label [[Stiff Records|Stiff]], which included the single "[[Be Stiff]]" plus two previous Booji Boy releases.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/be-stiff-ep-mw0000939256 |title=Devo: Be Stiff |website=[[AllMusic]] |access-date=August 13, 2015}}</ref> "[[Mechanical Man EP|Mechanical Man]]", a 4-track 7-inch [[extended play]] (EP) of demos, an apparent [[bootleg recording|bootleg]], but actually put out by the band, was also released that year.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://devo-obsesso.com/html/7in-pgs/main/mechman-blu.html |title=Mechanical Man |website=Devo-obsesso.com |access-date=August 13, 2015}}</ref>{{Failed verification|date=December 2022}}
Edit summary
(Briefly describe your changes)
By publishing changes, you agree to the
Terms of Use
, and you irrevocably agree to release your contribution under the
CC BY-SA 4.0 License
and the
GFDL
. You agree that a hyperlink or URL is sufficient attribution under the Creative Commons license.
Cancel
Editing help
(opens in new window)