Devo formed in Akron, Ohio in 1973 around the Mothersbaugh and Casale brothers, turning their de-evolution concept into some of the sharpest new wave ever made. The Brian Eno-produced debut Q: Are We Not Men? (1978) and Freedom of Choice (1980) — home of Whip It — are both essential. Browse Devo vinyl, CDs, and reissues at Wax Trax Records.
Devo formed in Akron, Ohio in 1973 around two pairs of brothers - Mark and Bob Mothersbaugh, and Jerry and Bob Casale - along with Alan Myers. The band's de-evolution concept (the source of the name) framed their entire artistic project as commentary on cultural devolution. Their 1978 debut Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! was produced by Brian Eno and included the single Mongoloid alongside their famous cover of (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction. Their 1980 single Whip It from Freedom of Choice became their commercial breakthrough. Bob Casale died of heart failure in February 2014; Alan Myers died of stomach cancer in 2013. Mark Mothersbaugh has built an extensive parallel career composing film and television scores (Wes Anderson films, Rugrats, and others).
Devo's sound combines new wave, art rock, electronic rock, post-punk, and synth-pop with a distinctive deconstructionist aesthetic - robotic stage presence, yellow industrial jumpsuits and energy dome hats, deliberately stilted vocal delivery, and synthesizer-heavy arrangements. They are widely cited as one of the defining new wave acts and a influence on later electronic and post-punk music.
Original Warner Bros. pressings of Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! and Freedom of Choice are widely collected. Multiple anniversary editions, including Rhino's Hardcore Devo: Volume One and Two compilations of pre-debut recordings, have been released.
Listeners new to Devo typically start with Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! (1978) or Freedom of Choice (1980).
