I've been a Devotee since way back in 1979! I remember actually thinking that Devo were going to be PHENOMENAL - one of the major defining groups of the 1980's - along with others like Talking Heads, B 52's, Blondie, Ultravox, OMD, Split Enz, Gary Numan, X, Black Flag, Bauhaus, Sonic Youth, Concrete Blonde - and THAT had me looking forward with great interest and excitement to the then new oncoming decade! But, sadly, THAT was NOT how it turned out. That decade eventually became dominated by ohhhhh Micheal "King of Pop" Jackson, Madonna, Huey Lewis, U2, Phill Collins, Def Lepard, Kenny Loggins, Bon Jovi whom the masses decided hey preferred to have as their big music icons, and by the end of that decade Devo were forgotten and, worse still, from a historical standpoint got officially relegated to "One Hit Wonder" status thanks to the likes of VH1, MTV, these Watch Mojo jerks and Swiffer & Cool Whip commercials! Yep, what a pathetic and nauseating disappointment THAT decade turned out to be! Oh well, looks like they're being recently rediscovered thanks to You Tube, so then maybe there's still hope for them yet!

@spaceace1006

Ай бұрын

YOU ARE DEVO!!!

"Freedom of choice is what you've got, freedom from choice is what you want". Prophetic.

@Panwo1

2 ай бұрын

Freedom from choice is great. Our Woke overlords make sure that you will conform to our ideas and not your nazi ideology

I always loved Devo. Basically, it's Kraftwerk on crack. I love the humour and the powerful messages they transmitted. I am a composer, and I often inject humour into my work, as too many musicians take themselves far too seriously.

Jerry has said that the ideas with which DEVO started under are even more relevant today than they were back when the band was at its commercial zenith. He has also noted that he wished that he could have been wrong but with the current political climate in the world today DEVO was more than right.

@djinnmagik6867

7 ай бұрын

This is true and very scary indeed 😝

@kieranheffernan

7 ай бұрын

I couldn't agree more!👍

@Embur12

7 ай бұрын

Leftists are pushing the anarchy (devolution) to the masses. Not to make a better world but to promote a New World Order. Democrats used to be the party of opposition, but now are the party of the military industrial complex, the MSM, the World elites , and Corporate America.

@philanders3705

6 ай бұрын

Devolution

@markellis959

5 ай бұрын

One time devo opened up for themselves as dove it took awhile for people to get it some never did until devo came back on no shit

I saw them last night in SF and I’m glad I went. All the hits and great visuals. Amazing show. It’s their final tour so go see them, I highly recommend seeing Devo live. Plus, they announced a 100 year anniversary for anyone still breathing. 2073 is gonna be great!

My brother turned me on to DEVO 40 years ago and I am forever grateful. Mark is still touring with the current version of the band in 2024 at the age of 74! THAT is success.

I have seen Devo dozens of times, and have met Mark, traded a t-shirt I made for an actual tour shirt he wore in the Total Devo tour after the Ventura Theatre show

@soundofhistory_

11 ай бұрын

That's awesome!

@funfact8660

11 ай бұрын

@@soundofhistory_ So are you

I first got into Devo at high school in '79 most of school was listening to contemporary music of the day , I was ridiculed and teased and even bullied but I wanted to be different and stand out so my music taste became very underground. Everything Devo said,sang and filmed was almost a prophesy of today's World 🌎 so the kid who took the odd beating in his teens has the last laugh ! After all it's all about freedom of choice. Great video.🤘🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

@JCStorm76

7 ай бұрын

Ironic that Devo’s music has held up better than most music from that time. You’re the one laughing now

@pinkybrown1525

6 ай бұрын

Yea highschool smoking area, freshman year

@SamYungling

5 ай бұрын

Same, I’m a younger guy and had to take that shit in 2017 instead of 1979. Still listening strong with no shame 👍

@viceversar-do1cn

4 ай бұрын

I've been a Devotee since way back in 1979! I remember actually thinking that Devo were going to be PHENOMENAL - one of the major defining groups of the 1980's - along with others like Talking Heads, B 52's, Blondie, Ultravox, OMD, Split Enz, Gary Numan, X, Black Flag, Bauhaus, Sonic Youth, Concrete Blonde - and THAT had me looking forward with great interest and excitement to the then new oncoming decade! But, sadly, THAT was NOT how it turned out. That decade eventually became dominated by ohhhhh Micheal "King of Pop" Jackson, Madonna, Huey Lewis, U2, Phill Collins, Def Lepard, Kenny Loggins, Bon Jovi whom the masses decided hey preferred to have as their big music icons, and by the end of that decade Devo were forgotten and, worse still, from a historical standpoint got officially relegated to "One Hit Wonder" status thanks to the likes of VH1, MTV, these Watch Mojo jerks and Swiffer & Cool Whip commercials! Yep, what a pathetic and nauseating disappointment THAT decade turned out to be! Oh well, looks like they're being recently rediscovered thanks to You Tube, so then maybe there's still hope for them yet!

@alanjones8573

4 ай бұрын

I too was big on Devo in high school ‘79-‘83 quoting lyrics with a friend. Just recently discovered “Something for Everyone” and particularly love “Step Up”. It is like a reunion with an old friend.

Thank you so much for this little documentry. We had Devo play on our stage at the Green Man Festival in Wales on 18th August 2023 ( 3 weeks ago). I'd no idea what to expect.... Great performance! It's so good to learn the background to their unusual presence. Loved it.

@soundofhistory_

9 ай бұрын

That’s really cool! I hope the video was helpful for you to understand them better

I'm going with my dad to see them perform live in November. I'm so excited!!

Devo was the first real "band concert" that I saw.... Toronto in '79 (?). Great show and I listened to their records for years both before and after that show. I still have all their early albums on vinyl. Even as a teenager, their music made me think about issues I had previously been mostly oblivious to. They were a great bookend on the music that was the soundscape of my youth... When I was recently in the Rock and Roll Hall of fame (also in Ohio) I was really disappointed in how little information / focus was given to the band.. Perhaps that lack of recognition from the "industry" in itself could be viewed as a compliment to their long time push against the music industry norms.

@joekimberlin264

6 ай бұрын

They were also my first concert in '79! On the UCSB campus in Santa Barbara. My 14 year old mind was blown, and definitely altered in the best way possible! Just saw them on their 50th 'farewell' tour, they did not disappoint, and the the experience was certainly enhanced by the perspective of time and gratitude of being able to see again, 44 years later.

This is awesome. As a life long DEVO fan, there are new things I learned from this! Great research and storytelling

@soundofhistory_

10 ай бұрын

Thank you! They were a great band to research for sure.

Devo is my favorite band, and you did a phenomenal job of chronicling them and understanding them. Thank you for putting the time and effort into this excellent piece. I'm going to post my Devo Top 25 songs on my channel and make them the first inductee into my personal music hall of fame. I'll reference this piece when I do it for anyone who wants to know their history, put forth in a succinct, factually accurate and well written way. I especially liked the personal way in which you delivered the material. Thanks again and keep up the good work! I'm going to check out more on your channel, and I'm glad the algorithm led me your way!

Excellent. DEVO got me through my 80's Jr, HS, and Sr. High years, They were truly gifted musicians and even in my 50's, are in the top 2 of my favorite bands.

@soundofhistory_

3 ай бұрын

Love that! Thanks for checking out the video

Thank you, just when I thought I knew EVERYTHING about Devo, your documentary shed new insights. THANK YOU!

Brilliant summary. Wished I knew the philosophy underpinning devo 30yrs ago. Loved their music as a kid. On refection maybe I took on board a lot more of their views than I realised. Nice work. Now I have the privilege to listen/watch to their back catalogue in a different light … starting now.

This was a really well put-together short history. Very thoughtful, respectful, and informative. An old DEVO fan thanks you...

@soundofhistory_

7 ай бұрын

Thank you!

"Shout" is easily my favorite Devo album, I still listen to it almost everyday especially at work. I probably like it a lot because it reminds me of being a kid and going to the record store and actually buying that record. But to me, those tracks totally encapsulate what Devo is all about. Thanks for the cool history lesson!

Recently saw DEVO at Darker Waves Festival. I loved their set and I love learning the history of music. Thank you so much! I never thought I’d appreciate the “Whip it” band like this

Been a huge Devo fan since 1980. First Devo record was the LP displayed behind you, “Freedom of Choice.” My appreciation for your excellent summary of the band’s history here. Great job. Subscribed to your channel. We are D-E-V-O!

Thank you! Great video!🔥 Just saw them live in norway and was totally mind blown by them! Just started to get into/nerd them and loving it so far!❤️‍🔥

@soundofhistory_

10 ай бұрын

I'm sure they still put on an incredible show!

It's heartbreaking that they have no idea how good they are!

Devolution for the masses. When I first heard their cover of Satisfaction I didnt know what to make of it. Now I think its one of the best covers of a song I have heard.

Great video and excellent timing as their 50th anniversary compilation boxset is about to be released next month. DEVO true artistic visionaries, most notably the combined genius of Jerry Casale and Mark Mothersbaugh! Any fans of DEVO should check out another band they highly influenced in early 80's, Suburban Lawns!

I did ask Mark Mothersbaugh if in his theory of Devolution are things as bad or worse than you thought they would be. He replied “worse”. This was in 2009.

You do nice work! I was in my mid teens when "Whip It!" hit the airwaves. Been a fan ever since then. Although I heard of the de-evolution idea, your video showed me that Jerry Casale was affected by what he saw during the Kent State shooting. Devo is like an onion with interesting layers.

@soundofhistory_

11 ай бұрын

Thanks so much! I didn’t know most of this when I started researching. There’s so much more I didn’t have time to cover. They’re a super interesting band

@funfact8660

11 ай бұрын

I saw Devo dozens of times since then in Southern California

Took my mate to see them last night at Hammersmith London he's half my age 35 I'm 64 we go to gigs together and he wasn't really into Devo but last night he was totally blown away by the show so was I thanks for the info your doing a good job may I suggest to you The Cardiacs , and The Fall

@soundofhistory_

9 ай бұрын

That's awesome that they can still put on a good show! I'll add em to the list

@adriankrakiewicz7891

9 ай бұрын

Yes! Cardiacs! We shoved them on stage at Farnham Art Colledge in early 1986. A memorable, crazy gig. One of the best.

Some say DEVO was "PunK' ...but seriously "Devo" is it's own style.

@soundofhistory_

8 ай бұрын

Definitely agree with that

@ladydusk1

6 ай бұрын

Totally different head. Totally.

Thanks. Long time DEVO fan and finally gonna see them in Nashville. You did a good job of pulling together this report and I learned alot. Keep up the good work!

@soundofhistory_

Ай бұрын

Hey, I'm from Nashville! Wanted to go to that show, but I was unfortunately busy that night. Thanks for watching!

Great video, accurate history. I was a huge DEVO fan.

DEVO was the first ones to make me THINK about society devolving/regressing.

Really good video. When I was a kid I lived with my aunt, uncle and older cousin (who was my hero) in Santa Cruz, California. He was big into Devo. Never saw them live but just found out they are playing next week at Amager Bio. Less than half a mile from where I live. Your video is part of my proper introduction.

@soundofhistory_

10 ай бұрын

That’s awesome! You’ll have to let me know how the show is

REALLY dug this! Devo was one of the first bands I was into. I knew some of this stuff but learned a bunch. Thoroughly enjoyed the watch! I’m a fan.

@soundofhistory_

8 ай бұрын

Thank you!

Devo was an EXTREMELY successful band because they made art.

@mrtriffid

4 ай бұрын

@@IanFindly-iv1nl Congratulations! You completely missed my point! What planet do YOU live on?!?!?

1980 freshman year of highschool in the smoking area, been a fan ever since. Great band!!!

Thank you so very much for making this video!! Awesome!!

Smooth Noodle Maps is an excellent album

I bought Freedom of Choice at a flea market in the early 80s as a teenager,just because I thought it looked cool. Devo has been one of my favorite bands ever since.

Ive been a big fan of Devo since I saw them on MTV as a little kid. My aunt was a fan and when she'd watch us we'd always listen to them and The Go-Gos and that type of stuff. Devo was my first favorite band 🩷

I've been a huge DEVO fan since 1977! It was the Fall Semester of my Freshman year at College! I regret never seeing them live!

Devo double D valleys & mountains...things grow then fade away,and something builds on that... Then it repeats itself Devo Double D!

This is exactly what I needed to get the gist of the whole process of Devo. Excellent!

I had all the DEVO movies when I was young. Are we not men? Is still one of my favorites.

Great post! Unbelievable live shows, I hope to see them again someday

Devo were so important and ahead of their time most of us are only now "getting" it. You skipped 81-82 and those 2 albums which were "New Traditionalists" and "Oh No It's Devo" which makes it seem like they went from the great F.O.C. to failure.

@tracy4179

4 ай бұрын

Those 2 albums had some good songs and despite the fact they were put on wax quite quickly they did so in order to get outta the trap from record deal they needed something to avoid being dragged further into the abyss and manipulated by the music industry..

New traditionalists was one of my first ever cassette tapes as a small child. I'm formatted by listening to Devo.😂❤

I'm very interested in the Canadian band The box, There hey day was in the 80s but I've never seen any sort of documentary devoted to them. Just giving you food for thought, I love your work, keep it up, thanks,

@soundofhistory_

3 ай бұрын

Sounds interesting! I’ll add em to the list. And thanks!

My favorite DEVO song is "Through being cool". Partially because it's from one of my favorite movies Heavy Metal, which apparently they recorded a special version for the movie because they liked the concept so much. Also because I just like the message of being weird, different and willing to accept and embrace being a social outcast.

Thx great video! Lots of info I didn’t know! Especially the KSU thing

" Time out for fun "👍....................is their greatest album................just my humble opinion..................thanks for a very nice video Mate...............

I saw them live at Hammersmith Odeon in 1978 - they were awesome. Still one of my favourite bands of all time ❤

The early Devo material was just very well disguised Punk Rock. No doubt about it.

Thanks for this. Very articulate, cognizant and well done.

Huh. Learned some new stuff about DEVO. Thanks!

not kidding, I think I just found my favorite yt channel

@soundofhistory_

5 ай бұрын

Thank you!

One of my childhood favorites was "Oh No! It's Devo!"

I enjoyed your history as I went to college back east at the same time as the band and built my first synth in school at Penn State. one glaring omission, which I know of, because I got the record. it was a Compilation by the English label, Stiff records in 1978 called "B Stiff" which featured the Devo song "Be Stiff" which also appeared on their first Live release. I think this might have been the first time I had heard of Devo but it was a long time ago.

@rggeiger1

3 ай бұрын

here is more. Devo's inclusion on the "B Stiff" compilation in 1978 was a result of their connection with Stiff Records founder Jake Riviera. Riviera had seen Devo perform in the US and was impressed by their unique sound and stage presence. He offered to release a single by the band in the UK, resulting in "Be Stiff" being included on the compilation alongside other Stiff Records artists. At the same time, Devo was working with Brian Eno in Germany on their debut album, "Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!" This album was released in 1978, making it roughly contemporaneous with the "B Stiff" compilation. Therefore, Devo's work on "B Stiff" and their album with Eno were happening around the same time, showcasing the band's early exposure in both the UK and the US.

nice work

@soundofhistory_

11 ай бұрын

Thanks!

@funfact8660

11 ай бұрын

Duty now for the future

I got to enjoy seeing DEVO in Long Beach in 79, Mark threw his energy dome into the crowd, I hoped to catch it, but it struck Bob in the head.

Thank you, very well done.

I have been a Devo Fan since 1980 . When i was in 10th grade......If you were a true Devo fan you never considered them a one hit wonder band and you bought thier records and cassettes ....Sure they came out with Whip it and that was thier best hit...but if you were a true fan and listened to thier albums you know they had other great songs that should have gotten more airplay like Gates of steel, turn around , jerking back and forth, and Peek a boo......I REALLY think those songs could have gotten bigger if they had MORE radio airplay and MTV were bigger at the time .....Anyone agree?.....I had a small group of buddies in high school that also listened to B 52s too....some rock and roll kids thought Devo and B 52s were kind of weird butt they didnt really make fun of us for listening to these groups ,they just werent into them......😅😅😅😅😅

I remember reading an article in Playboy magazine (yeah, yeah, I know great "articles"). Anyway, it was about unique gift ideas (think really expensive) and one of them was, you could have Devo play a private party for only $25K plus expenses. What a deal! This was early 1978

@soundofhistory_

4 сағат бұрын

That’s awesome! I’m sure that amount of money is more now but still. Not bad at all

We LOVED DEVO here in Australia! I used to think back then that those guys were from the future... And looking at most of their videos today, it seems that was right. 'Jocko Homo' could have been about life in the 2020s!

Thanks for this

Thanks for the history lesson.

Thank you. Well done.

Devo!!! Have you seen any of the ruby ray photos of Devo ? They are insanely incredible! Awesome video , how about the dead boys ?

Many thanks for this from 🇩🇰⭐️😀

By the way......Great video.....i never really knew about the history of the band ....Glad to see this video ....i have been a big fan of them since 1980 when i was in 10th grade.....Too bad my city area didnt get cable TV until 1985 ....More kids would have seen a few of thier videos on MTV.....especially Peek a Boo.....😂😂

Yes enjoyed this exposé , freedom of choice , the very first album I brought as a teenager back in the early 80s.

Great video. Being a misfit teen, Devo was a staple band for me. As far as suggestions for another band history video, I think a history of Beastie Boys would be awesome.

Nice, i am great Devo fan, and you revealed a lot of stuff i didn't know, keep up the good work, well done !

Great channel brotha - keeps getting better and better (imho)

@soundofhistory_

7 ай бұрын

Thank you!

Now that YOUVE MENTIONED HIM… Brian Eno would be an excellent artist to cover as he’s a road less travelled by “content creators” for some strange reason, given there’s a lot of interesting angles to his career and a tonne of collaborative offshoots. In a similar vein Mick Ronson would be another interesting journey, as it’s now widely acknowledged that this “Gardener from Hull” was the real composer and arranger on many of Bowies early albums and uncredited to the point Bowie later felt guilty and reached out to correct how he’d snaked him. Ronno was self taught and did some really stunning orchestral arrangements on early Bowie recordings and later produced a Smiths album. 😊

Great job

Great video dude! I enjoyed this.

@soundofhistory_

7 ай бұрын

Thanks!

Very nice summary of DEVO! I think they are an underrated band by the public, but are almost universally respected by musicians who seem to appreciate their artistry. While they are my favorite all time band, I actually don't like the majority of their music. It's often corny and somewhat lazy in terms of musicianship or even sound design. I wonder if they would make the argument that they are Devolving as musicians, which would fit right into their philosophy. I know they claim that it was all an art show and that it was never about the music, but I don't fully buy that argument. They made some truly great songs in their earlier days. They showed it was possible to make really cool original music and also have a subversive message. They lost that vision IMO. Also, it's a travesty that Alan Myers got wasted. That guy was way too talented to be replaced by drum machines, even though the drum machine sound was an essential part of a lot of the DEVO sound. I don't have any evidence for this, but I get the impression that Mark was a bit of a control freak and just liked to be able to do all the sound and drum programming himself and not have to translate it through Alan. I could be completely wrong on that. I've seen them a few times live, with the best on being in Chicago in 2003. That was the best live show I've ever seen and they didn't even have any of the visuals going. It was just an old fashioned techno punk show with the perfect song list of older songs from their best era. I've seen some videos of more recent performances and it's kind of sad how they look old and weathered, with no energy, almost slumped over the keyboards. I hope they go out with a bang. They deserve it. Love them or hate them, there's no denying that DEVO was an original band that truly had a message and delivered some fresh, innovative tracks.

Saw Devo live in the late 70s

Awesome!

Thank you for this

@soundofhistory_

9 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching!

I like your work..keep it up.

@soundofhistory_

8 ай бұрын

Thank you!

Oh-La.!.!. Great Insight into DEVO & their History, my Ninja!! Appreciate your approach and certain style of narrative... For potential ideas on future ep.s: (Drum roll, plz)((😂)) The Cows, The Mentors, Death!( A Band Called Death[doc.]) Bad Brains The Vandals G.G. Allin sic. The GeniTorturors The Reverend Horton Heat Mötörhead -All righty, then: That should keep you busy for a stretch 🤘, yeah? Continue on this delving-into-origin-story path, Mr. Nick (& Mika?).!.!. Plunder boldly, Stay Strong, Be Bold, Drive Fast & Take Chances!i!i!i! Hope these were/are helpful, insightful and intriguing as suggestions... Deuces

I like it,I like it a lot

nice video - duty now for the future...

"Now It Can Be Told" great live album, they evolve in it, acoustic to full blown DEV-O at the end.

Hey my friend, as a 64yr old and a huge fan of music since my brother gave me the insert cut-outs of the 4 Beatles inside Srg. Peppers Loanly Hearts album The last thing you guys want to hear is some old guy telling you the concerts he'd been to, from Stones '75 tour w/ the 5 pointed stage at ChicagoStadium, to Talking Heads (see Stop Making Sence) exactly 40yrs ago this Oct 21st in Dallas to 311 and so on. BUT. One band I loved and would love to know more about is the infamous The Clash. Sadly, they are known for 2 worst tunes "Should I Stay or should I Go" and "Rocking the Casba" Thanks

Most ppl aren't aware that we are living in Devolution right now .

I saw Devo c. 2008 in Manchester UK. Great band. Whip it good! ❤

@troyagane8220

5 ай бұрын

It was 23th June 2007 Manc Apollo .The only time I saw them.They played 4 shows in England.Brighton,Birmingham,Manchester and London.I've still got the flyer for the tour on my wall.

Really good video. Side note: You must hear this all the time, You look like Seth Rogan

What an incredibly well-done job. I don't think there's anything you could have added to make it better. A tip o' the hat to ya.

@soundofhistory_

5 ай бұрын

Thank you!

Devo are great. Nice Job. You should look into a band called The Fall

Great vid! My recommendation for seeking music knowledge is Brad Gillis taking over for Randy Rhoads after his untimely death in Ozzy.

@soundofhistory_

9 ай бұрын

Thank you! I definitely want to do an Ozzy episode, so maybe I can make it a chapter in that

I was drunk and high at a very raucous birthday party when they made that first appearance on SNL. We had SNL on at the party because it was actually awesome back in the day. So out trots these strange dudes in yellow plastic-looking suits and they start jamming and gyrataing and we ALL freaked the fuck out, it was awesome! Also.. Mick Jagger allegedly commented that Devo's version of Satisfaction was the best he'd ever heard.

Wow I am happy to see how many Devoids are still around.Whip it was a low point they needed a commercial cut course only pix in N.Y. would play any punk or "new wave" but their best cover after Satisfaction was Workin in a coal mine.They built a 2 level Ala Elvis jailhouse rock set started miming coal miners great.I am oblivious to the presence Eno intervention it was more important than you reported.Thier label put out so much promo stuff to push them it was incredible. Mothersbaugh has done a boat load of soundtrack work.second to oigo bongos main guy name escapes me at this min.but please don't underestimate MothersB.talent. Gerald is also very innovative

Ya, you said you would like more ideas for your show..I have many of them! Here's one just for now that I would like to see. The story of Ray Davies (from The Kinks) and Chrissy Hinds (from The pretenders) and their relationship, I'm pretty sure they had a child together too. Musically, I really like those 2 a lot!!

@soundofhistory_

4 ай бұрын

I think the Kinks would be a great episode. I'll add those to the list. Thanks!

Great video just found you and subscribed

@phaultypmm

8 ай бұрын

Look into Patrick Cowley solo or with Sylvester or Mike Mareen italo disco. Hehe

Hey thanks!

@soundofhistory_

11 ай бұрын

Thanks for the recommendation! They are a super interesting band to dig into.

I'm a semi pro muscian and from a music theory point of view I think their music is very good.

Chrissie Hynde was at Kent State Uni at the time too.

First DEVO exposure was Something for Everybody