Devo: C or D? S & D etc.

haha good catch :)

My first experience of the band was seeing the short film for "Mongoloid" on TV, so I went out and picked up Hot Potatoes, a compilation, and that led me to check out the rest of their catalogue. This was during that horrible period in the 1990s when back catalogues were re-released on CD with two albums per disc with generic packaging. But I do still have a Q: Are We Not Men picturedisc, because at the same time vinyl was dirt cheap.

I find the early history fascinating because there was an expectation they were going to be the next big thing. They were on one level tailor-made for MTV. They anticipated it. They had an image. I was surprised to learn that Stiff Records put out a Devo tribute album as early as 1979:
https://www.discogs.com/release/482351-Various-Be-Stiff-Tour

It had a bunch of Stiff acts doing covers of "Be Stiff". But of course Devo didn't sell any records until a few years later, and then not many, and here in the UK they didn't sell any records at all ever. The music industry rejected them for several years until, as if a switch had been flipped, suddenly their brand of image-led modern pop was hip, and furthermore David Bowie put in a good word, so they ended up being signed to Stiff and then Warners, a major label. The problem is that on the surface their image was tailor-made for the UK market circa 1980, but on a deeper level there was a massive world of difference between Devo and Culture Club, Adam Ant, Japan etc. I imagine the executives who signed them couldn't perceive that tonally they were a kind of sci-fi Stranglers in boiler suits. And of course Stranglers fans would probably have rejected them for being weird, so they fell between two stools.

Their career arc was a lot like The B-52s, down to having (a) a classic debut with songs that had been toured for several years (b) a second album that felt like out-takes from the first, although in the case of the B-52s the quality drop wasn't as great (c) and then they were a different and much slicker band entirely. The B-52s worked with David Byrne, albeit briefly, and Devo worked with Brian Eno, but in both cases they were rejected. They never became part of the Eno-Byrne-Fripp-Gabriel-Bowie continuum. They were auditioned, but found wanting, and ultimately they didn't get the nod. That must have hurt.

They get dug up every so often because, as mentioned above, the surface is appealing. Also Mark Mothersbaugh did the music for The LEGO Movie. He must chords, and counterpoint, and stuff. Leitmotifs. That's not something the average new wave-era guitarist would know about. And yet his dad was a defence contractor, or something. How did that happen? Practice, or genetics?

They never became part of the Eno-Byrne-Fripp-Gabriel-Bowie continuum. They were auditioned, but found wanting, and ultimately they didn't get the nod. That must have hurt.

I think they distanced themselves from that bunch, actually. Eno had lots of ideas when producing their debut, but they rejected most of them and told him to produce the songs the way they had been planning them for years. I bet their ideas of infiltrating the mainstream led them to believe they could do it better than the older musicians (though Talking Heads always outsold Devo).

He must chords, and counterpoint, and stuff. Leitmotifs. That's not something the average new wave-era guitarist would know about.

There's a quote, I think from Jerry, in one of the Devo biographies, roughly: "In 1972 Mark had hair down to his ass and was playing keyboards in a prog-rock group for money".

Reminding me of a related quote: "if it wasn't for punk, Colin Newman would still be where he was in 1975 - sitting in a meadow with an acoustic guitar writing songs about horses".

Reminding me of a related quote: "if it wasn't for punk, Colin Newman would still be where he was in 1975 - sitting in a meadow with an acoustic guitar writing songs about horses".

Disagreeing fully with the above. They had to stop eno from trying to have too much influence on their sound. And their influence was huge even before selling records with freedom of choice. Every city had their answer to Devo.

i mean the start of jocko homo is in 7, they had prog-rock chops for sure

regarding the way their sound changed in freedom of choice, that was more down to, as i understand it, dynamics within the band - mark and jerry were pissed off at one or both of the guitar players.

It had a bunch of Stiff acts doing covers of "Be Stiff". But of course Devo didn't sell any records until a few years later, and then not many, and here in the UK they didn't sell any records at all ever.

Wtf the first album went to number 12 in the uk. They were on the covers of the uk music press dozens of times 1977-79 and playing in big venues. Incidentally, the first "tribute" album to Devo is this, which came out slightly earlier than the Stiff one. https://www.discogs.com/release/1570542-Various-KROQ-FM-Devotees-Album

for a late era album, i happen to think that 'something for everybody' is f$cking great.

Yeah it is the best of the lot after the classic first 5.

Probably go: Something for Everybody!>Smooth Noodle Maps>Shout>Total Devo.

If I'm going to listen to Devo nowadays I almost always go for live stuff. There are so many brilliant concert recordings in great quality.

& at their peak as a live band around 1980/81. The hardcore/first album/second album/3rd&4th albums periods all come together when performed live. They are closing the show with Jocko Homo/Smart Patrol/Mr DNA/Gut Feeling/Gates of Steel, all performed in power pop rock band mode and it works perfectly.

IMO Something For Everybody is the only post-Oh No! thing worthy of the Devo name. though I do have a real soft spot for "Doctor Detroit". good album, just wish it hadn't been mastered so hot. also wtf with all the different tracklistings, how does "Watch Us Work It" get relegated to a bonus track

btw I appreciate that perspective rush. I do think the members of Devo skew quite liberal but more than that they're total edgelords. Casale had a 9/11 themed wedding for Christ's sake. they were also horny motherfuckers by the sound of it. so whatever queer themes they might've used were probably meant to be ironic. I kinda feel a lot of the Devo concept was bullshit in general, like wow so cool that the concept of your band is to do as much commercial shit as possible

Hey, the Devolution agenda needs to be paid for!

Casale had a 9/11 themed wedding for Christ's sake.

gerry is all sorts of cringe

yeah he had some kind of ill conceived terrorist-themed group in the 2000s that just seemed like the worst fuckin thing ever.

They never became part of the Eno-Byrne-Fripp-Gabriel-Bowie continuum. They were auditioned, but found wanting, and ultimately they didn't get the nod. That must have hurt.

to me all those stories of people like Bowie Eno Lennon et al courting Devo always sounded like the opposite of "auditioned & found wanting". more like 70s stars with reps as innovators trying to get in on the ground floor with a hyped Next Big Thing band. see also: Johnny Rotten asking to join as lead singer. i never got the impression that Devo wanted or were seeking any of that.

"Jihad Jerry and the Evildoers"? yeah the concept was in bad taste but the album itself is actually pretty good, better than the prior 3 Devo albums at least. though it does lose points for recycling a few obscure Devo tunes.

xpost. Bowie wanted to produce the first album but Devo didn't want to wait until he was available so went off and got themselves set up with Eno instead. They have been explicit on numerous occasions that they removed most of Eno's artistic contributions to the album - synth parts etc. and also backing vocals by Bowie.

see also: Johnny Rotten asking to join as lead singer. i never got the impression that Devo wanted or were seeking any of that.

This was a bit of Machiavellian manouvering from Richard Branson, who was trying to persuade Devo to hire Lydon as lead singer. I don't think anyone has ever claimed Lydon himself asked to join Devo.

ah youre right, did a quick google and it seems that mothersbaughs telling is that branson said he was passing along a request from lydon, but lydon in his memoir says he never heard a word about it and would never have done it. (which is funny bc iirc branson had music press nearby and was like "lets go downstairs and announce johnny rotten is now the singer for devo right now". hilarious to imagine devo saying yes and lydon hearing about it at the same time as the rest of the world.)

Doesn't seem like something Lydon would ever do.

Re some of the comments about the Hardcore material, I don't see so much of a contrast except Alan Myers joined and that's when they "became" Devo. The arrangements don't change much but the songs are faster and they sounded like a proper band that a record label could sign.

And by the time Myers joined they dropped most of the nasty, ugly stuff that Rushomancy refers to. By the end of 1976 their set was songs that ended up on the first two albums. In a small way, they actually distance themselves from it in "The Men Who Make The Music" video. The record company executive plays them "She Didn't Know I Was a Midget", by "Parcheezi" - presented as the epitome of unit-shifting corporate rock. But it is actually their own song "Midget" from three or four years earlier, one of their most retrogressive attempts at Zappa-style humour. The manager tells them they should come up with stuff like that and Bob Mothersbaugh, who wrote Midget responds "I guess we like ideas".

Gerald's newest song (he appears as the Jihad Jerry character in the video) is actually super rad. Guitar solo by Steve Bartek from Oingo Boingo!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kv2UMoynOw

Hey, that IS pretty good! I see he's got a few other recent-ish singles/collaborations on Spotify, will check out.

yeah, not for me.
i'll stick with the devo i know and love.

I'd keep these imo.

Without glancing at the date, you’d think Marsh had responded to Gamergate

HA!

there's something about Duty Now For the Future that irritates me too. I don't know what it is. I think they became really synth heavy one album too early. has some great tunes though.

Wiggly World is like their best song

Duty Now is awesome.

It is but even then I'd rate the first 3: Q:AWNM? > FoC >>> DNftF

frogbs otm about either the sameness or thinness of Duty Now that puts it on a lower tier than the others, at least from a fidelity standpoint.

re David Marsh, "inspired amateurism". Forget that. Shows what certain people must've prioritized back then. I can't imagine listening to those three records and thinking "amateurs".

yeah, as much as some of their stuff rubs me the wrong way, i can't say that any of it being "amateur" ever crossed my mind.

(and so what if they were amateurs? gatekeepers can fuck off imo)

must admit that i always considered duty now kind of a dud, especially coming between the two albums that it does. always thought freedom was their one "BIG" album. and even though i have a soft spot for oh no, i'd have no issue with taking freedom and leaving the rest.

well I think it's like a lot of sophmore albums in that it draws from the same early writing sessions but all the real killer stuff was on the debut. so it doesn't really have a great single. and it boasts some tunes that are either really annoying ("S.I.B.", "Pink Pussycat") or dull ("Blockhead", "Triumph of the Will"). what I notice when I hear it now is all the spacey synth noises and sequenced bass parts. which I don't think was quite right for them just yet - none of that was on the debut.

it's still a fine album though! I mean "Smart Patrol/Mr. DNA" is arguably their best tune and everything on it is pretty catchy. just wish it rocked harder! I dont think "Penetration in the Centerfold" should be a B-Side!!

also wanna point out I really do like "Pink Pussycat", but the cover of "Secret Agent Man" is like...20% as clever as them doing "Satisfaction"

What the hell, "Blockhead" is great.

But, other than that, I largely agree with you about this album - in fact I think I prefer "New Traditionalists".

also wanna point out I really do like "Pink Pussycat", but the cover of "Secret Agent Man" is like...20% as clever as them doing "Satisfaction"

"freedom of choice" has grown on me over the years, when i was younger i was more into the guitar-based stuff and apparently they got mad at their guitar player between the second and third albums because he got laid or something

my first exposure to a lot of the songs on duty now was from the "mongoloid years" release so i've always had a softspot for a lot of those songs. and yeah they do have amazing b-sides, penetration in the centerfold, soo bawlz, mecha-mania boy, turn around (which i guess most people these days know through the nirvana cover!).

eno really didn't have a huge influence on the first devo album - he was willing to sit back and let them do their thing - but kind of like bill bruford on "trio", i'm gonna give him credit for what he _didn't_ do. he didn't get in the way and facilitated devo being able to give the songs they had their best possible airing. i think you can see this on a song like "secret agent man", which just has a panache on the original video version that imo the _duty now for the future_ version lacks. (haha while i was putting this post together i see someone else mentioned this, gmta)

personally i love annoying devo - i dig the shit out of a song like "peek-a-boo!" with its stupid siren in the middle, and shit, so much of the early songs are annoying in the extreme. obnoxious art terrorist devo is one of my favorite devos. shit, that WMMS recording from '75 on the "mongoloid years" release with them doing "jocko homo" into their fellatio anthem "i need a chick" into ... (tmi stuff) i mean, them knowing about vibrators in '75 is kind of cutting edge, isn't it? even if they didn't know how to use one properly. still, before i transitioned i never thought about using a vibe and i was missing out, those things aren't just for women.

fuck "triumph of the will" though, fucking edgelord nazi shit. it wasn't all casale, either, mothersbaugh had a self-published autobio in the '80s that he called "my struggle".

i guess _duty now_ kind of lives in the shadow of the albums surrounding it but it really does have a lot going for it imo.

i actually was listening to "speed racer" last night after watching the wachowskis' film (about which i'm on team "hell yes this is underrated", it's like watching picopop rollerball). anyway there's a bootleg of demos for _oh no!_ which are mostly like the original, except in the original the lyric goes "i'm a barbie doll and i like to fuck", which i think has more panache than the released version.

fuck "triumph of the will" though, fucking edgelord nazi shit.

It's an evisceration of fascist sexuality, though.

maybe, and maybe "androgyny" was an evisceration of traditional gender roles, but the message is significantly less clear than that of, say, "beautiful world" - you know, the song where mothersbaugh and casale are always complaining about how nobody "gets it" like it's a masterpiece of subtlety or something.

i don't trust their "ironic" incel posture. not after what one of them said to that lady who called them queer. i do think they've probably grown as people since that time, though.

in the original the lyric goes "i'm a barbie doll and i like to fuck", which i think has more panache than the released version.

Day My Baby Gave Me a Suprise rocks and was a single but obviously didn’t make it.

Wasn't aware of that different version of "Secret Agent Man". Much better than the album version, which I'd probably rank below the Johnny Rivers version

personally i have a fondness for "high wire" myself but i'm weird that way

Wasn't aware of that different version of "Secret Agent Man". Much better than the album version, which I'd probably rank below the Johnny Rivers version

as well as the version on the Now It Can Be Told film and the Duty Now version, there's also this third version of Secret Agent Man:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1tXTF_5keE

I really dig this demo version of Race Of Doom, I don't know when it was recorded

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PM3y01jb504

there's a 1980 demo called Time Bomb that appeared on Recombo DNA that sounds like an early version of Race Of Doom, but that Race Of Doom demo sounds like it might have been recorded earlier than Time Bomb, so maybe they reworked it into Time Bomb and then reworked it back into the version of Race Of Doom that then appeared on New Traditionalists? Blow Up from Total Devo sounds like it's a reworking of Time Bomb as well