Most famous for songs like “Whip It” and “Workin’ in a Coal Mine,” Devo was another band that began as a more punk-sounding group that got lost in the glitz and glam of New Wave 80s sounds gone horribly awry. A couple years before that 1980 chart-topper, Warner Bros. had the good sense to sign a weirder, rawer rock n roll version that even in its embryonic stages displayed signs of eccentric genius. Think Talking Heads meets The Dickies, with a little of that dinky synth sound that would make them famous thrown in for extra good measure. After disappearing for a good long while, the Akron, Ohio quintet resurfaces on the RBMA, complete with red energy domes and sleeveless hazmat suits– it’s well worth a listen just to hear Gerald Casale look back at some surprisingly somber events which inspired them and their name.
To get a better picture of the weirdness behind Devo, you should check out the very bizarre and hilarious color study test at this website.
Devo also played the Olympics. Here’s a nifty video featuring a sea of energy domes:
