Editing Devo (section)

=== 1987–1991: ''Total Devo'', ''Smooth Noodle Maps'', and breakup ===
In 1987, Devo re-formed with former [[Sparks (band)|Sparks]] drummer [[David Kendrick]] to replace Myers. Their first project was a soundtrack for the horror film ''[[Slaughterhouse Rock]]'' (1988), starring [[Toni Basil]]. The band released the album ''[[Total Devo]]'' in 1988, on [[Enigma Records]]. 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]]'', 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.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/total-devo-19880811 |title=Total Devo |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |last=Azerrad |first=Michael |author-link=Michael Azerrad |date=August 11, 1988 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171016122611/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/total-devo-19880811 |archive-date=October 16, 2017 |access-date=December 6, 2022}}</ref>{{Additional citation needed|date=December 2022|reason=One review does not equal a consensus.}}

In 1989, members of Devo were involved in the project Visiting Kids, releasing a self-titled EP on the New Rose label in 1990.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://dangerousminds.net/comments/the_spawn_of_devo_the_visiting_kids |title=The Spawn of Devo: Visiting Kids |date=April 26, 2012 |website=Dangerousminds.net |access-date=August 13, 2015}}</ref> 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]]'', as well as on ''[[Late Night with David Letterman]]''. A promotional video was filmed for the song "Trilobites".

In 1990, ''[[Smooth Noodle Maps]]'', 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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/smooth-noodle-maps-mw0000689854 |title=Devo: Smooth Noodle Maps |website=AllMusic |access-date=August 13, 2015}}</ref> 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 (1990 film)|The Spirit of '76]]''. Two albums of demo recordings from 1974 to 1977, namely ''[[Hardcore Devo: Volume One]]'' (1990) and ''[[Hardcore Devo: Volume Two]]'' (1991), were released on [[Rykodisc]], 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 (album)|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]]'' 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."{{citation needed|date=December 2022}}