Biography of Devo

Made up of two sets of brothers (Mark and Bob Mothersbaugh and Jerry and Bob Casale), Devo was one of the first new wave groups to get mass-market attention. An Akron, Ohio, band, they had their own philosophy, "de-evolution" -- a sci-fi/satirical view of post-modern cultural values complete with strange costumes and behavior. Their sound was appropriately nervous and jerky, with a heavy emphasis on synthesizers. Their debut album, Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!, was produced by Brian Eno and featured a great cover of the Rolling Stones' "Satisfaction." After a less interesting second album, they rebounded with the self-produced album Freedom of Choice, containing the hit "Whip It." As one of new wave's most cartoonish and successful bands, they helped define the genre with a minimalistic synth sound and a nihilistic attitude. Although each successive album provided a new look and theme, their sound became more glossy and less challenging, heading toward straight synth/dance-pop grooves. While both sets of brothers remain musically active on soundtrack work like Pee Wee's Playhouse and the theme for Davis Rules, most Devo discs of late have been repackage/remix efforts, live recordings, or instrumental works. ~ Scott Bultman