Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

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DEVO

Rock band formed in Akron OH in 1972 by Kent State graduates Jerry Casale, bass, vocals; Bob Casale (d 17 February 2014) and Mark Mothersbaugh, keyboards, guitar, vocals; Bob Mothersbaugh, lead guitar, vocals; Allan Myers (d 2013), drums; Jerry and Mark main songwriters/frontmen. They took their name from a video, The Truth About De- Evolution, a prize-winner in the '75 Ann Arbor Film Festival. Wacky visuals including overalls, flowerpot hats, and a jerky hypnotic sound (called 'robotic') brought attention, as did an irreverent cover of the Rolling Stones' 'Satisfaction': their biggest hit single at no. 41 UK followed 'Jocko Homo' as the second single on the band's Booji Boy label, marketed in UK by the opportunist Stiff label. Their greatest commercial success was in the UK, where punk rendered the lower charts vulnerable to quirkiness, but they had their influence on what came to be called New Wave. 

Signed by Virgin, the band enlisted Brian Eno to produce Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! '78. Duty Now For The Future '79 had keyboards taking a greater role under producer Ken Scott; Freedom Of Choice '80 embraced disco to their detriment, but relative conservatism allowed 'Whip It' to become their only US hit at no. 14. By New Traditionalists '81 and Oh No! It's Devo '82 their emotionless stance was wearing thin. They contributed to the soundtracks of Heavy Metal '81 and Doctor Detroit '83, lent musical muscle to an eponymous Toni Basil album '81; the Mothersbaughs sessioned on Nosferatu '79 by Stranglers guitarist Hugh Cornwell. Warner Brothers signed band for USA, relaunched them with Shout '84, but reissue of old tracks to promote new single suggested that the earlier stuff achieved more with less. They broke up in 1991, but re-formed in 1996. Something For Everybody in 2010 was their first new album in 20 years.