Devo (short for The De-Evolution Band, often stylized in all-caps as DEVO or DEV-O) are an American art rock band officially founded in Akron, Ohio in 1973 by Gerald Casale, Bob Lewis and Mark Mothersbaugh. The band's classic line-up consisted of two pairs of brothers, the Mothersbaughs (Mark and Bob 1) and the Casales (Gerald and Bob 2), with Alan Myers on drums.
Devo's music is characterised by its deconstructionism and prominent use of synthesizers (particularly the Moog Model D). They are noted for their kitsch science-fiction aesthetic, and a general sense of cynicism about the world around them, reflected in their over-arching philosophy that humanity is no longer evolving, but instead gradually de-evolving.
The band reached mainstream popularity with their 1980 single "Whip It", which reached No. 14 on the Billboard chart. They disbanded in 1991, later reforming in 1996, and have toured and recorded sporadically in the years since (usually with drummer Josh Freese).
Members Mark Mothersbaugh and Gerald Casale are vocal fans of The Residents; the two groups began a friendly competition in 1978 when both achieved some success with their respective cover versions of The Rolling Stones' "I Can't Get No (Satisfaction)".
History[]
Their name is derived from their own tongue-in-cheek social theory, "de-evolution": the concept that, instead of evolving, mankind had begun to regress, as evidenced by the dysfunction and herd mentality they perceived within American society. This idea was developed - initially as a joke - by Gerald Casale and Lewis as art students at Kent State University in the late 1960s. The "joke" about de-evolution became serious following the Kent State massacre of May 4th 1970; an event would be cited multiple times as the impetus for forming Devo. Their visual presentation (particularly their music videos and live shows) emphasize kitsch science fiction themes, deadpan and surreal humor, and mordantly satirical social commentary.
The band's early work was marked by its deconstructionist, experimental and dissonant art rock, often featuring primitive electronics. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the band embraced synthesizers and drum machines, developing a more accessible form of music while maintaining their characteristic satirical humor; they achieved mainstream popularity following the release of the single "Whip It" in 1980, which reached No. 14 on the Billboard chart. Their music has proven influential in the development of subsequent musical genres, particularly new wave, industrial, and alternative rocks. Devo (most enthusiastically Gerald Casale) also pioneered the music video format, releasing an early example, the short film The Truth About De-Evolution, in 1975.
Following the release of the album Shout in 1984 and the departure of Myers, Devo reformed in 1987 with David Kendrick, releasing the album Total Devo. In 1990, they released the album Smooth Noodle Maps; both albums were critical and commercial failures. The band played a final show in March 1991 before breaking up. During their hiatus, Mark Mothersbaugh established a commercial music production studio, Mutato Muzika, experiencing success throughout the 1990s and 2000s as a composer for children's TV programs including Pee-wee's Playhouse, Rugrats and Yo Gabba Gabba!. Gerald Casale worked as a director of music videos and commercials, producing videos for bands such as Rush, Soundgarden, Silverchair and the Foo Fighters.
Working sporadically throughout the 1990s and recording songs for films and compilation albums, the band performed a reunion concert in January 1996 at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, following this with an appearance on the 1996 Lollapalooza tour. That year, they released a CD-ROM game with publisher Inscape, titled Adventures of the Smart Patrol. Devo returned to the Lollapalooza tour in 1997 as a headline act, and would perform, tour and record sporadically from that year onwards, usually featuring drummer Josh Freese. In 2006, they developed an offshoot project with Disney, Devo 2.0: a short-lived band of child performers recording Devo songs rewritten for a young audience. In June 2010, they released their first studio album in twenty years, Something For Everybody.
On June 24th 2013, Myers died of stomach cancer in Los Angeles, California, aged 58. On February 17th 2014, Bob Casale died of heart failure at age 61. Devo have continued to tour and perform sporadically in the years since, and in 2023, are celebrating their 50th anniversary with an international tour.
Devo and The Residents[]
In September 1977, Devo released their deconstructed cover of The Rolling Stones' "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" as a single; it was later featured on their debut album Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!, released on Warner Bros. Records in August 1978. In October 1978 Devo performed the song on the TV program Saturday Night Live; The Residents are known to have viewed this performance enviously, having issued their own, much less successful version of the song as a limited edition single in 1976.
Nevertheless, the two groups are known to have maintained a friendly relationship, with Mark Mothersbaugh and Gerald Casale both being long-time, outspoken fans of The Residents. Mothersbaugh has contributed to Residents projects such as The Cryptic Guide to The Residents and A Sight For Sore Eyes, Vol. 2. Latter day Devo drummer Josh Freese appeared with The Residents at their 50th Anniversary secret show at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music in January 2023.
Discography[]
Studio albums[]
- Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! (1978)
- Duty Now For The Future (1979)
- Freedom of Choice (1980)
- New Traditionalists (1981)
- Oh, No! It's Devo (1982)
- Shout (1984)
- Total Devo (1988)
- Smooth Noodle Maps (1990)
- Something For Everybody (2010)
See also[]
- Mark Mothersbaugh
- Josh Freese
- "Satisfaction" (song)
- "Satisfaction" (single)
- Peter Conheim