From the first strains of the "Devo Corporate Anthem" it was obvious that this band was as much about image as music. Dropping the popular pretense of being anti-capitalist, each inner sleeve offered a catalog of merchandise, including the famous red "Energy Domes" which became their most prominent symbol.
Pioneers of the cyberpunk spirit, Devo offered songs about proudly
moving towards a future of de-evolution. Songs such as "Space Junk" and "It's a Beautiful World" offered dark glimpses of a world swiftly tilting towards its own obsolescence to a pop beat. After reaching a pinnacle of sorts with "New Traditionalists" (the cover featured the band wearing plastic JFK wigs sold as the "Devo Doo") the band lost itself in the Eighties when reality surpassed their vision. Devo became a parody of themselves, unable to reorient their philosophy while trying on new musical hats and band members. In the Nineties the band devoted to moving backwards is trying to move forwards again under its new label, Enigma. "Smooth Noodle Maps" is their latest release.
(A. Mayer)
Links:
Some Devo albums:
"Shout"
"Oh No! It's Devo"
"New Traditionalists"
"Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!"
"Freedom of Choice"
"Duty Now for the Future"
"Smooth Noodle Maps"
Here is the TEXT POPUP for Devo:
Mark Mothersbaugh, the bands leader has produced two albums of "Music for Insomniacs" his self proclaimed "Space Aged Bachelor Pad Music," as well as writing incidental music for the "Pee Wee's Playhouse" TV show.
"Jocko Homo" summed up the philosophy of Devolution in the line "They say that we/lost our tails/evolving up/from little snails/I say it's all, just wind in sails/Are we not men?/We are DEVO!"
The second album "Are we not men? We are Devo!" was produced by Brian Eno.
"Down under where the lights are low/ to a place where all the
mutants go/ doing things I never did before/ Inside out, going back for more/ Little girl with the full red lips/ Never knew/it could be like this/ You put me in a situation/ going through some com-mutation/ I'm going under"
- Going Under
In line with their pro-health, pro-devolution stance, one live tour featured the band performing on treadmills. Gerald Casale once said
the ultimate Devo performance would be the band performing via hologram to hundreds of locations. Starting with calisthenics, the concert would climax with the release of a gas that would cause everyone in the audience to have a simultaneous orgasm.
