I’m 14 and I started listening to them a few months ago, somewhere around late 2023, and I’ve been telling my friends all about them. Some of my punk-loving friends like them, some of my friends who like weirder goofy music like them. It’s really true that they’ve got something for everybody!! :D
Not too long ago I ran into a young guy about your age that had a Devo shirt on. We talked about the group for some time and he was really into them so you’re definitely not the only young person enjoying their music. They were so far ahead of their time it’s unreal.
I saw DEVO live in Los Angeles 3 times back in the day. First time in 1981. If I could use 1 word to describe them: "SCARY." Seriously. We were shocked at how intense they were. They weren't "funny" nor "goofy" in the slightest. Which is what we expected. We went in high to see them. And were smiling and laughing "Ahahaha!" "DEVO!" before the show. But our smiles fell off of our faces quickly when they started to perform. They were like a street gang from the future. As if they were straight out of the film A Clockwork Orange. As if they were going to come down off of the stage and beat all of our asses in the audience at any moment. Super talented musicians and performers. They were menacing. They came across as total intellectuals. I can't describe the unique feeling. Never witnessed any other band with that kind of vibe like them. No one like them before, during or since.
This is the best way I've heard Devo described. I was born in '84 so I missed out on this era (which really bums me out - at least there's youtube I guess), but I did catch them in 2005 or so, and guess what? They absolutely crushed it.
@@lastnamefirst4035 You're full of $hit. There may have been other bands at the time dabbling in electro-sounding music but the fact that DEVO stood out for the next 7 yrs and is the only one anyone gives a $shit about today proves you wrong.
@@lastnamefirst4035 Sorry, but NOBODY was like DEVO. Electronica bands were a dime a dozen, bands with gimicks were too, but DEVO had something special that can't be easily explained.
@@lastnamefirst4035 I'm sorry, but there never was and never will be anything like DEVO. bands with synthesizers and stage theatrics are and were plentiful, but DEVO is so much more than the sum of its parts.
@Abel B. at this point, knowing that's what people might say in 500 years......I'm praying that happens soon, because it means the human race failed miserably.
Combining the cold calculated sound of electronic music with cold calculated robotic-like choreography was absolutely brilliant. They weren't soulful -- they were purposely unemotional and dared the audience to accept it. Yes, it was goofy, but that too was tongue in cheek even though a lot of people didn't "get it." (Though tons of bands copied it). They were also tight as hell -- breaking musical boundaries rhythmically, harmonically, sonically and theatrically. Devo are a pretty damn significant part of the evolution of modern music.
u may appreciate mark mothersbaugh interviews on TH-cam super... intelligent guy insightful very entertaining... I would argue that actually devo have soul it was just buried inside of that uptite weirdo white funk
@@thumbprintn2413 Hi Thumb. One of the odd things about DEVO was that they really cared. They expressed that care in a very different fashion. So they had an amazing detachment. Mark was one of the greats. A special intellect and angle.
Hold on Nelson, I see what you're up to: "Devo are a pretty damn significant part of the evolution of modern music." It's DEVO not EVO. Still I liked the line. Almost missed it.
A very underrated band. I saw them about 6 times in the 1980's and they always delivered an excellent, high-powered show. They should be in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
@@thearttheftsituation say what?! The RRHOF is a bad joke by including so many artists who were either not that deserving or don't really fit with the label of rock'n'roll, however broad you think it should be. By inducting so many lesser acts and questionable artists, they have made that institution into a laughing stock. But finally, yes, Devo should be there--much more deserving than many of the acts now in that place of questionable honor.
My Devo journey started with seeing them in Phoenix in 1979 New Traditionalist tour saw them live 5 years in a row. Move to Atlanta saw the Hardcore Devo tour here and never looked back. Their sound is nerdy, driven & ahead of its time. And from my home state Ohio!! 4:14
The Hall was to busy electing Whitney Houston,Tupac and so many other undeserving people. Probably more of a embarrassment than a achievement being selected for RnR HOf
@@donnydonnybrook8131 I so agree with your comment. Were it a band of mine, (that I never had) being selected for the hof would be little more than a meh moment.
Yep me too…crazy…if you would have told me then I would be playing in a free jazz noise group with Alan in the mid 2000s I would have never believed it….. Rip Alan, we all miss you.
Rock brilliance that slipped by most. Everyone was drawn by the goofy looks and moves, but the truth of the matter, Devo was as tight of a band as you could find. The musical balls it took to pull this off, in the seventies, were unmatched by anyone. Maybe Frank Zappa, but that would have been about it...
I'm saying it again, but note how tight they are. Nobody swings the wrong way, everyone knows exactly what's coming next, no one bangs into anyone else. Every note is correct, no fudgy misses or scratches that normally underlined punk. These guys were as tight as they get. AND...they actually play and sing. No phony backing tracks or lip-syncing going on, those boys are working hard.
@@gz9520 Great comment. The schtick was certainly the mass appeal and it worked, but any experienced musician can watch these, especially now, and see the musicianship. No fakery. It was a straight-up rock band with all the right parts. To be honest, at the time, I was a southern rocker, so Devo wasn't on my playlist. But you can't argue with radio hits and longevity in a biz notorious for consuming things into oblivion. It took a few years before I realized how groundbreaking and influential they were, but damn...they sure were. We're still talking about their stuff 45 years later...that's impressive.
Here's another one that'll get me beat up by my friends: The Bay City Rollers. I couldn't watch them just because of their pants, but they were a band actually playing their stuff.
My friend in San Francisco called me in the early 80’s and asked if Devo was going to be playing Fresno. I said “why yes they are”. He said trust me on this…go see them. So I bought tickets for the wife and I. They were about a hundred times better than I was expecting. Very very good. Cheers.
Some timestamps for those who want it :] 0:23 - Secret Agent Man 3:22 - Blockhead 6:38 - Uncontrollable Urge 9:42 - Mongoloid 12:44 - Devo Corporate Anthem
Who's around to join me in thanksgiving to Dr Demento? Without him we never have noticed Devo in the mainstream. Responsible for showcasing Devo as well as Weird Al! Two absolute legendary artists in this vanilla world of musical same, same
Because every vid should have it: Secret Agent Man 0:00:21 Blockhead 0:03:25 Uncontrollable Urge 0:06:37 Mongoloid 0:09:35 Devo Corporation Anthem 0:12:45
Growing up in Los Angeles it was 1978-79, I was 16, very long hair, listening to lots of Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Aerosmith, etc. My introduction to DEVO was Duty Now for the Future … and my mind was blown! But not just by them but all the Punk and New Wave being played on KROQ. X, PiL, B-52’s, Talking Heads, etc etc. But this period of DEVO they are unbelievably good. I still own a yellow DEVO suit I bought in 1980 :-)
I've loved DEVO since the debut was released. The utter fearlessness to be weird for weirdness' sake, while being completely kick-ass, clean, tight, AND understanding great song construction. And Mark is a great singer.
Yes. People really don't properly appreciate the craft they put into their songs, and their covers as well. They were masterful. It's no accident Mark Mothersbaugh has had a successful career composing music for film and TV as well. If only more people recognized them today for more than just "Whip It."
@@mickandelisa Great thoughts... I will say, this thread shows you and I are not alone. There are a TON of people, not musicians, who got it. I was one who didn't at first. That changed when I saw them in a concert video.
Got to see DEVO live at the ORPHEIUM in Boston in 1979...Old school perfect acoustical theater. They had video prior and for one break they took...They were great and understand this place holds under 500 people in cushioned chairs...I may have been on an illicit substance for enhanced musical enjoyment. It was f __king awesome!
I Remember when Devo,The B 52's,The Sex Pistols,The Clash and many more bands exploded on the scene,we thought a musical revolution was happening, it was so exciting and radical!!!
@@gregbors8364 To most people sure, though Good Girls Don’t charted at #11, then they had their downfall with a nice little comeback years later with albums Serious Fun and Zoom…damn good band, crappy management decisions and the usual in band bickering costed them…But they did have a brief but magical run in the summer of 1979…
Make no mistake, the majority of Americans in 1977 either hated DEVO or had no idea who they were. Even in our hometown of Akron, Ohio they were reviled and dismissed as "weird". Very few of us saw these brilliance right from the start. America hated the New Wave. They were still stuck on Fleetwood Mac, Journey and Styx. People like me who listened to DEVO got beaten up.
WMMS was guilty of that. Throw in Meatloaf, Eddie Money, Southside Johnny, etc. while most of New Wave went over their heads. WMMS was very successful but they were also dorks.
"Freedom of choice is what you got, freedom from choice is what you want". Forty years on, our future is still in question. Can anyone be free if all are not free?
Pete Cartwright I saw them once before in around 1984. I consider Devo to be about the best live acts I've ever seen. Right up there with the Stones for live act excitement.
Absolutely LOVE this group! Yeah, everyone remembered Whip It in the 80s, but when you dug into their catalog... Holy Mother of God! Got into them HARD in the 90s, & never looked back!
I never objected to them as my musical taste was evolving through adolescence. Now that I'm on the wrong (right) side of 55 y/o, I've grown to appreciate their bandwidth as bold masters of expression. Thank you, Henry Rollins. Listening to your weekly radio show on NPR elevates the casual music fan to the status of engaged, the engaged to the informed and the informed to the fanatical.
Every time I watch these old vids with Bob and Alan on the drums I tear up at the loss we all have with them gone! The guitar work and drumming are to be envied! And folks do not call them a Rock band! Watch and listen the guitar work and sound!
Devo turned up at Manchester in the late 70s and did a support act for The Late Show. Never heard of them but they stuck in my mind. They toured the UK few years ago. I went out of interest but was so impressed I went out next day and bought all their albums. One off band with distinctive genius. This film is the start of something massive.
Their ability to move like herky jerky robots on speed and still play perfectly is unbelievable and I can't look away for a second no matter how many times I've seen their videos. OMG! I don't think I've ever seen the Anthem. I think I've just been ushered into a new realm.
Devo was a head of this time. They definitely had a unique computer space age electronic futuristic sound. Listen to their lyrics and great musicians to incorporate their new sound & style of music . Brilliant🫡
Pretty sure i've said it before... Devo were on fire for this performance but massive kudos to the camera team direction and editing. The whole thing snaps together perfectly, the production team did a fantastic job on this. Duty Now... Edit: edit
I remember seeing DEVO on Friday’s and they blew my 13 year old mind! They along with The B-52’s were the gateway to the new music scene. As a suburban kid I always felt different and strange so these bands were speaking to me!!❤️🔥👍🏽😁❤️🎶🎶🔊🔊🎹🎸🎤🥁
Yeah. Contemporaries the B52s at the end of punk places this well. Add in The Cars. Big synth sound with punk and rock riffs. Coming of New Wave. That's all good context for people who weren't alive in this era. 70s old rock people hated it. It took an open mind to accept the change.
I must have gone to 4 or 5 of their live performances. I saw a lot of other bands but these musicians had the BEST stage performance and stage presence of any band I ever saw, hands down. Artists, really artists.
The first album changed everything. Saw them in Buffalo NY in Dec 78. Absolutely the tightest live band ever. 77-81 or so... what a tsunami of great music.
DEVO was so different and unique they tripped everyone out in a good way with their songs and looks, plus you have to admire when they would cover a song they did it their way and it always sounded great. If you got to grow up in the 50's through the 80's with all the classic movies & music, YOU were blessed!
I saw them several times back then, including at the Long Beach arena on New Year's Eve. They were absolutely brilliant. I'll never forget it. Someone threw a boot at Mark Mothersbaugh's head and missed him by 2 inches. He was in his Booji Boy persona.
Saw them at Rhode Island College in 79. They played in the basketball center and it was hot as Hades....they also blew up their equipment the night before in Boston. They must have been dying in those yellow suits but they never missed a beat.
Like Hustler Magazine and the Pretenders; other innovative Ohioans. "Through Being Cool" is still my favorite one. "Jerkin Back and Forth" is a close second.
@@princeofcupspoc9073 i thought he literally drove TO the shows, but yeah....a drummer can sink the ship if he's messing up. Blockhead seriously rocks....check out Jay Reatards' Angry Angles band doing it...kinda like an earlyish 2000's garage punk, honorable version. Banatam Rooster 'exhume' Big Mess and Clawhammer, in the 90s, talked a very cool label into releasing their version of the first lp!
One of the several things I've always loved about this video is how loud Bob 2's guitar was in the mix on Secret Agent Man. Presumably it was not entirely intentional - because (I don't think) it was ever that loud (and raunchy) in the mix at other times. He's so tight - and what a great sound.
Amazing musicians. Like a voice crying out in the wilderness. So misunderstood. They were trying to warn the population of the devolution but the audience dances and parties and devolves right in front of their eyes.
DEVO actually changed the direction and my outlook on life. I am 56 and I would give anything to be transported back to those days, even though by most peoples standards my life is a success.
In 1979 i would go into town on a Saturday to pick up the latest Devo tracks for my older brother. He worked I didn't. I was 14. Still a huge fan. Are we not men?
They were unique in the 80's, now 2023 even more so. Man, I love the 80's. The last era of greatness. Gone downhill ever since. One reason I know I'm getting old. I look back at the 80's as the top of the hill, now we are well below sea level and falling fast. Devo helped make the 80's great. Whip It!
I really like the disturbing dystopian undercurrent that was in a lot of early DEVO songs (especially from the first and second albums). That band sure had a unique and strange interpretation of rock/pop music: their lyrics, their strange singing style, their mix of rigid new wave synthesizer and mid 60s guitar twang, their robotic movements. And their precise musicianship is pretty impressive.
I have such great memories of staying up until one in the morning to see Rock Concert, In Concert, Midnight Special, Austin City Limits, etc. That was our TH-cam back then!
This time period was so great for punk wave experiments. Devo, Mission of Burma, Fripp's League of Gentlemen, just off the top of my head. The energy and rawness of this show is great.
Best american band ever. 100% true to their original concept. Brilliant music. So many brilliant incarnations. Dove the band of love was especially genius.
What's also great about Devo is that they can rock out/sing out like anything, but keep to their choreography. Playing great grooves while twitching robotically is damn difficult to do.
Yeah, I agree. And the fact that they could do it when they were getting old? Unreal. I saw them do the entire 1st LP in Toronto. I believe it was 2009. They were unbelievable. Aging, not touring non-stop as they would have been... yet? Spot on.
I'm 66 years old and still listen to devo love it!😊
I’m 14 and I started listening to them a few months ago, somewhere around late 2023, and I’ve been telling my friends all about them. Some of my punk-loving friends like them, some of my friends who like weirder goofy music like them. It’s really true that they’ve got something for everybody!! :D
Not too long ago I ran into a young guy about your age that had a Devo shirt on. We talked about the group for some time and he was really into them so you’re definitely not the only young person enjoying their music. They were so far ahead of their time it’s unreal.
@@MaxlikesLemons Keep enjoying Devo.
Eu 67 ouvindo neste exato instante.... Fantásticos!!!! Direto de Cabo Frio.RJ
I'm 67 and still listening
I saw them twice in the '80s
I saw DEVO live in Los Angeles 3 times back in the day. First time in 1981. If I could use 1 word to describe them: "SCARY." Seriously. We were shocked at how intense they were. They weren't "funny" nor "goofy" in the slightest. Which is what we expected. We went in high to see them. And were smiling and laughing "Ahahaha!" "DEVO!" before the show. But our smiles fell off of our faces quickly when they started to perform. They were like a street gang from the future. As if they were straight out of the film A Clockwork Orange. As if they were going to come down off of the stage and beat all of our asses in the audience at any moment. Super talented musicians and performers. They were menacing. They came across as total intellectuals. I can't describe the unique feeling. Never witnessed any other band with that kind of vibe like them. No one like them before, during or since.
That’s what usually Happens in the presence of such legends
This is the best way I've heard Devo described. I was born in '84 so I missed out on this era (which really bums me out - at least there's youtube I guess), but I did catch them in 2005 or so, and guess what? They absolutely crushed it.
i wish i was alive to see all these bands of this era..... i hate the millenium
A great read, thx!
You described them perfectly.
Devo was so far ahead of their time we still haven't caught up with them..
@@lastnamefirst4035 You're full of $hit. There may have been other bands at the time dabbling in electro-sounding music but the fact that DEVO stood out for the next 7 yrs and is the only one anyone gives a $shit about today proves you wrong.
@@lastnamefirst4035 Sorry, but NOBODY was like DEVO.
Electronica bands were a dime a dozen, bands with gimicks were too, but DEVO had something special that can't be easily explained.
You are correct. Devo was one of a kind.
@@79blackbelt my husband at the time was in many of the bands. Alot of good ones but many of them. Synthesizers and stage acting
@@lastnamefirst4035 I'm sorry, but there never was and never will be anything like DEVO. bands with synthesizers and stage theatrics are and were plentiful, but DEVO is so much more than the sum of its parts.
500 years from now people will listen to Devo and say. "This is what the future of music sounds like" 😎
...and 1,000yrs. from now, they'll be heads in jars for Phillip J. Frye to talk to
Or they'll listen to Devo's first record then their last record and say, "Now that *was* deevolution!"
@Abel B. at this point, knowing that's what people might say in 500 years......I'm praying that happens soon, because it means the human race failed miserably.
Human race.?live your life
Thank goodness it isn't.
Combining the cold calculated sound of electronic music with cold calculated robotic-like choreography was absolutely brilliant. They weren't soulful -- they were purposely unemotional and dared the audience to accept it. Yes, it was goofy, but that too was tongue in cheek even though a lot of people didn't "get it." (Though tons of bands copied it). They were also tight as hell -- breaking musical boundaries rhythmically, harmonically, sonically and theatrically. Devo are a pretty damn significant part of the evolution of modern music.
u may appreciate mark mothersbaugh interviews on TH-cam super... intelligent guy insightful very entertaining... I would argue that actually devo have soul it was just buried inside of that uptite weirdo white funk
@@thumbprintn2413 Hi Thumb. One of the odd things about DEVO was that they really cared. They expressed that care in a very different fashion. So they had an amazing detachment. Mark was one of the greats. A special intellect and angle.
Hold on Nelson, I see what you're up to: "Devo are a pretty damn significant part of the evolution of modern music." It's DEVO not EVO. Still I liked the line. Almost missed it.
Right...and the best parody of the super long 70s ego guitar solo...keep it simple and sweet...to the point...lyrically and musically.
"Jerking back and forth"
No click track, no backing track, no sampling to be triggered, no auto-tune, and they still come off way more futuristic than anything today.
A very underrated band. I saw them about 6 times in the 1980's and they always delivered an excellent, high-powered show. They should be in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
they're not????? ridiculous. Such a hugely influential band.
BlueMan Group is Awesome as well and should be inducted into the Hall of Fame, as well.
The fact that they’re not in the rock ‘n’ roll Hall of Fame just shows how a legitimate the rock ‘n’ roll Hall of Fame is
They’re from Ohio they oughtta be
@@thearttheftsituation say what?! The RRHOF is a bad joke by including so many artists who were either not that deserving or don't really fit with the label of rock'n'roll, however broad you think it should be. By inducting so many lesser acts and questionable artists, they have made that institution into a laughing stock. But finally, yes, Devo should be there--much more deserving than many of the acts now in that place of questionable honor.
42 years later and this music and band still makes me smile.
You can't see their eyes, like the Xeno Morph Alien.
That’s duty now for the future
Most underrated drummer of all time. The variety. He plays almost to the melody of a lead guitar. It's awesome. He is my hero.
Alan was amazing, best timing of any drummer I ever heard
The best drummer in the world is the guy from the Stray Cats.
You know who else used to drum almost to the song's melody? John Bonham. That says a lot! 🤔
Absolutely the best! Alan kicks ass!
What makes you believe he's underrated? Did you travel the globe taking a survey from every citizen of the world? Please explain.
DEVO still blowing minds in 2021
And 2023...🤘🍺
@@pabloimireia not so much,,,the gimmick has faded
@@tomstiel7576 you don’t belong here.
My Devo journey started with seeing them in Phoenix in 1979 New Traditionalist tour saw them live 5 years in a row. Move to Atlanta saw the Hardcore Devo tour here and never looked back. Their sound is nerdy, driven & ahead of its time. And from my home state Ohio!! 4:14
and in 2024
This is an extraordinary time capsule. It should be in the national archives.
It probably is. It must be.
Yes, it’s called TH-cam. 😂
And STILL no one will Vote them in the R&R Hall of Fame even though nominated for 15 years a row.! Though I actually don't think they GAF :-D
You know who Devo reminds me of? No one.
oh, that was a good one, bro...
Perfect
A little Kraftwerk, some punk with a 50s sci-fi look and you get Devo. They saw the future and it wasn't pretty.
Exactly - and that's what made them good!
Your mom reminds me of Devo
They deserved to be in the hall of fame years ago !
what is that
The Hall doesn't deserve them...
The Hall was to busy electing Whitney Houston,Tupac and so many other undeserving people. Probably more of a embarrassment than a achievement being selected for RnR HOf
@@donnydonnybrook8131 I so agree with your comment. Were it a band of mine, (that I never had) being selected for the hof would be little more than a meh moment.
Only if the RRHOF was a parody of an Award Pantheon.
Oh, wait.....
I remember watching this way back in ‘79. Absolutely blew my 11 year old mind!
EXACTLY the same for me. Small Black & White TV in my parents basement.
same!
Yep me too…crazy…if you would have told me then I would be playing in a free jazz noise group with Alan in the mid 2000s I would have never believed it…..
Rip Alan, we all miss you.
Same bro! 1968!
@@AMOKIAN Wait, you were in Skyline Electric with Alan Myers? Congrats!
Definitely Deserving to be in R&R hall of fame
Sad to say. Never will happen. Only room for Dolly Parton
Rock brilliance that slipped by most. Everyone was drawn by the goofy looks and moves, but the truth of the matter, Devo was as tight of a band as you could find.
The musical balls it took to pull this off, in the seventies, were unmatched by anyone.
Maybe Frank Zappa, but that would have been about it...
I'm saying it again, but note how tight they are. Nobody swings the wrong way, everyone knows exactly what's coming next, no one bangs into anyone else.
Every note is correct, no fudgy misses or scratches that normally underlined
punk. These guys were as tight as they get.
AND...they actually play and sing. No phony backing tracks or lip-syncing going on, those boys are working hard.
But your forgetting something very important. All of that is fine, but your music can’t suck or it is all lost.
@@gz9520 Great comment. The schtick was certainly the mass appeal and it worked, but any experienced musician can watch these, especially now, and see the musicianship. No fakery. It was a straight-up rock band with all the right parts.
To be honest, at the time, I was a southern rocker, so Devo wasn't on my playlist. But you can't argue with radio hits and longevity in a biz notorious for consuming things into oblivion. It took a few years before I realized how groundbreaking and influential they were, but damn...they sure were. We're still talking about their stuff 45 years later...that's impressive.
Here's another one that'll get me beat up by my friends: The Bay City Rollers.
I couldn't watch them just because of their pants, but they were a band actually playing their stuff.
@@petecartwright5211 That's one thing that always gets overlooked with Devo- what a tight band they were. This was Devo at the height of their powers.
My friend in San Francisco called me in the early 80’s and asked if Devo was going to be playing Fresno. I said “why yes they are”. He said trust me on this…go see them. So I bought tickets for the wife and I. They were about a hundred times better than I was expecting. Very very good. Cheers.
A FL fishing guide once told me he went to a show where Devo opened for The Cars, and Devo blew The Cars into the weeds.
I remember the TV advert for that show (in Fresno) when I was in Jr. High.
Gonna see them May in Vegas
Some timestamps for those who want it :]
0:23 - Secret Agent Man
3:22 - Blockhead
6:38 - Uncontrollable Urge
9:42 - Mongoloid
12:44 - Devo Corporate Anthem
God bless you
Fantastic dynamic beauty
2024 and they are still from the future.
Most original band of all time
Who's around to join me in thanksgiving to Dr Demento? Without him we never have noticed Devo in the mainstream. Responsible for showcasing Devo as well as Weird Al! Two absolute legendary artists in this vanilla world of musical same, same
Dr Dimento changed my life !!
Because every vid should have it:
Secret Agent Man 0:00:21
Blockhead 0:03:25
Uncontrollable Urge 0:06:37
Mongoloid 0:09:35
Devo Corporation Anthem 0:12:45
Would've loved to hear
" Be Stiff " added to this set. Alas, it was 41 years ago.
Thank you
Growing up in Los Angeles it was 1978-79, I was 16, very long hair, listening to lots of Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Aerosmith, etc.
My introduction to DEVO was Duty Now for the Future … and my mind was blown! But not just by them but all the Punk and New Wave being played on KROQ. X, PiL, B-52’s, Talking Heads, etc etc. But this period of DEVO they are unbelievably good. I still own a yellow DEVO suit I bought in 1980
:-)
Right on Baldwin park here
@@RALPHGIBBS186 Pico Rivera
@@middleclassic right on ..ive moved up to oregon these days lol
@@RALPHGIBBS186 Hacienda Heights here
Most underrated band ever! Devo was epic and so ahead of their time. I still think that "Gut Feeling" is the best song ever recorded!
I have to agree with you. Gut Feeling is beyond epic!
Alan is ROCKING those drums
Alan Myers was a badass drummer!!! RIP!!!
Every great band has a secret weapon and many times it's the drummer. He's as good as they get and these guys do a lot of "off-meter" stuff.
John Bonham’s favorite drummer.
Facts
@@wtysont That's so cool. Well done!
It's an awesome groove he's playing.
I've loved DEVO since the debut was released. The utter fearlessness to be weird for weirdness' sake, while being completely kick-ass, clean, tight, AND understanding great song construction. And Mark is a great singer.
You nailed it.
Same here. I can honestly say I loved them from the git go. I got it,they were just hamming it up while playing some far out music.
Yes. People really don't properly appreciate the craft they put into their songs, and their covers as well. They were masterful. It's no accident Mark Mothersbaugh has had a successful career composing music for film and TV as well. If only more people recognized them today for more than just "Whip It."
@@mickandelisa Great thoughts... I will say, this thread shows you and I are not alone. There are a TON of people, not musicians, who got it.
I was one who didn't at first. That changed when I saw them in a concert video.
Got to see DEVO live at the ORPHEIUM in Boston in 1979...Old school perfect acoustical theater. They had video prior and for one break they took...They were great and understand this place holds under 500 people in cushioned chairs...I may have been on an illicit substance for enhanced musical enjoyment. It was f __king awesome!
I Remember when Devo,The B 52's,The Sex Pistols,The Clash and many more bands exploded on the scene,we thought a musical revolution was happening, it was so exciting and radical!!!
Please add The Cars, The Knack, Blondie and The Pretenders to that impressive lineup… great time to be 17/18 years old!
@@douggrey6253The Knack were one-hit wonders
@@gregbors8364 To most people sure, though Good Girls Don’t charted at #11, then they had their downfall with a nice little comeback years later with albums Serious Fun and Zoom…damn good band, crappy management decisions and the usual in band bickering costed them…But they did have a brief but magical run in the summer of 1979…
This CRAP today can't hold a candle to what we had in the 80's
Make no mistake, the majority of Americans in 1977 either hated DEVO or had no idea who they were. Even in our hometown of Akron, Ohio they were reviled and dismissed as "weird". Very few of us saw these brilliance right from the start. America hated the New Wave. They were still stuck on Fleetwood Mac, Journey and Styx. People like me who listened to DEVO got beaten up.
I Remember those days
WMMS was guilty of that. Throw in Meatloaf, Eddie Money, Southside Johnny, etc. while most of New Wave went over their heads. WMMS was very successful but they were also dorks.
Well thank you for speaking for all of America in 1977 but I love them from the very first time I heard them.
Devo’s music is angular and prickly. Tight performance with a precision of surgical knife. Newer than new wave.
"Angular and prickly"...damn...I wish I had come up with that. It's dead-on.
Yeah, and still quite a bit Punk
@@petecartwright5211 But...still F'n ROCKS HARD!!! 👍🤘
"Freedom of choice is what you got, freedom from choice is what you want". Forty years on, our future is still in question. Can anyone be free if all are not free?
@@petecartwright5211 Yeah, so it was- I was thinking Fast and Bulbous". Got me?
I don't often wish to be young again but watching this and remembering those days does it! THANKS DEVO!
I was 14 then. Wish I could go back. People were much more decent then. And make some good stock trades, lol
Just saw them in L.A. about 2 weeks ago. (9/25/21) Still great. I love "Uncontrollable Urge".
Well done. You were seeing musical history. That was the culmination of 45 years of rocking.
Pete Cartwright I saw them once before in around 1984. I consider Devo to be about the best live acts I've ever seen. Right up there with the Stones for live act excitement.
@@Ekkie101 It's been incredible to learn so many others enjoyed them just as much as I did. You probably saw them at their tightest.
Well done.
@@petecartwright5211 "well done"?I wss commenting on your using well done
@@lastnamefirst4035 Dude, you need me to explain that? You're kidding.
I complimented the person.
Big fan...... Uncontrollably Urge is one of my faves...
I saw this video when I was 6 and didn’t like it. 40 years later, I like it. We are DEVO.
I'll give them a for originality but I was never a big fan but we are devolving no question
Absolutely LOVE this group! Yeah, everyone remembered Whip It in the 80s, but when you dug into their catalog... Holy Mother of God! Got into them HARD in the 90s, & never looked back!
Agreed. I never actually liked whip it. But I loved all their other stuff. Great music.
I never objected to them as my musical taste was evolving through adolescence. Now that I'm on the wrong (right) side of 55 y/o, I've grown to appreciate their bandwidth as bold masters of expression. Thank you, Henry Rollins. Listening to your weekly radio show on NPR elevates the casual music fan to the status of engaged, the engaged to the informed and the informed to the fanatical.
If I recall correctly, Come Back Jonee was my fav
Don't forget Jihad Jerry and the Evil doers.
Every time I watch these old vids with Bob and Alan on the drums I tear up at the loss we all have with them gone! The guitar work and drumming are to be envied! And folks do not call them a Rock band! Watch and listen the guitar work and sound!
Devo turned up at Manchester in the late 70s and did a support act for The Late Show. Never heard of them but they stuck in my mind. They toured the UK few years ago. I went out of interest but was so impressed I went out next day and bought all their albums. One off band with distinctive genius. This film is the start of something massive.
I had an uncontrollable urge to watch this video
I have a gut feeling you are a true spud my friend
In a Beatiful World Devo would be all the music we need...
We all need to take some time out for fun and listen to Devo
@@ffjsb For you...;-)
@@guitarmemoir Well played sir...
Devo thank you for your service 🫡
Their ability to move like herky jerky robots on speed and still play perfectly is unbelievable and I can't look away for a second no matter how many times I've seen their videos. OMG! I don't think I've ever seen the Anthem. I think I've just been ushered into a new realm.
Devo was a head of this time. They definitely had a unique computer space age electronic futuristic sound. Listen to their lyrics and great musicians to incorporate their new sound & style of music . Brilliant🫡
Wow. I had never seen this before. Absolutely glorious.
I agree. I’m a total Spud now!
Pretty sure i've said it before... Devo were on fire for this performance but massive kudos to the camera team direction and editing. The whole thing snaps together perfectly, the production team did a fantastic job on this. Duty Now...
Edit: edit
That these guys aren't in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is a travesty.
There are a few pictures and the head of the Bungo Boy displayed in the Rock hall of fame. Yes they should be in the hall for sure.
I remember seeing DEVO on Friday’s and they blew my 13 year old mind! They along with The B-52’s were the gateway to the new music scene. As a suburban kid I always felt different and strange so these bands were speaking to me!!❤️🔥👍🏽😁❤️🎶🎶🔊🔊🎹🎸🎤🥁
Yeah. Contemporaries the B52s at the end of punk places this well. Add in The Cars. Big synth sound with punk and rock riffs. Coming of New Wave. That's all good context for people who weren't alive in this era. 70s old rock people hated it. It took an open mind to accept the change.
I must have gone to 4 or 5 of their live performances. I saw a lot of other bands but these musicians had the BEST stage performance and stage presence of any band I ever saw, hands down. Artists, really artists.
The first album changed everything. Saw them in Buffalo NY in Dec 78. Absolutely the tightest live band ever. 77-81 or so... what a tsunami of great music.
DEVO was so different and unique they tripped everyone out in a good way with their songs and looks, plus you have to admire when they would cover a song they did it their way and it always sounded great. If you got to grow up in the 50's through the 80's with all the classic movies & music, YOU were blessed!
From Akron, Ohio, these guys were great innovators of music and of style.
The two consecutive years I saw Devo when they first broke they were absolutely phenomenal live
I saw them several times back then, including at the Long Beach arena on New Year's Eve. They were absolutely brilliant. I'll never forget it. Someone threw a boot at Mark Mothersbaugh's head and missed him by 2 inches. He was in his Booji Boy persona.
Saw them at Rhode Island College in 79. They played in the basketball center and it was hot as Hades....they also blew up their equipment the night before in Boston. They must have been dying in those yellow suits but they never missed a beat.
"Everyone, Rise For The Anthem!!" The greatest new wave, concept, post-punk, electro-rock band of all time!!!
This version of Uncontrollable Urge melted my phone
At 9 I remember my Mom letting me stay up late to watch this with her, She was a fan,
Everyone rise for the anthem...I am weeping...
They were so far ahead of the curve we just couldn't "get" it. One of the coolest and smartest bands ever on the planet.
Like Hustler Magazine and the Pretenders; other innovative Ohioans. "Through Being Cool" is still my favorite one. "Jerkin Back and Forth" is a close second.
I was in High School when Whip It exploded. We LOVED DEVO!!!! Part of the 80's landscape.
How many kids of the 80's grew up listening to this, then had kids who heard the Mothersbaugh brothers as the soundtrack to Rugrats?
I did not know that. Well done.
Very nice guitar in “ Freedom of Choice “
Alan makes it look easy. If you saw DEVO at their peak you know he literally drove their shows.
Please use words other than "literally" since you do not understand what it means.
@@princeofcupspoc9073 please don't be a pompous a$$
I think it's fair to say that a drummer literally drives the show. Talk to a musician sometime.
@@princeofcupspoc9073 i thought he literally drove TO the shows, but yeah....a drummer can sink the ship if he's messing up. Blockhead seriously rocks....check out Jay Reatards' Angry Angles band doing it...kinda like an earlyish 2000's garage punk, honorable version. Banatam Rooster 'exhume' Big Mess and Clawhammer, in the 90s, talked a very cool label into releasing their version of the first lp!
@@princeofcupspoc9073 I literally want you to tell me what it means.
Watched "Ridiculousness" on TV for years w/o realizing the theme song was from DEVO. Brilliant!
Loved that quirky band."Go speed racer go!".
One of the several things I've always loved about this video is how loud Bob 2's guitar was in the mix on Secret Agent Man. Presumably it was not entirely intentional - because (I don't think) it was ever that loud (and raunchy) in the mix at other times. He's so tight - and what a great sound.
Wow… this band was so far ahead of everyone.. definitely RR Hall of Fame.. so deserved
Oh my God, the 80s are going to be AWESOME!
Who clicks on DEVO form the 70's and gives a thumbs down? What were you expecting to find?! If you don't like genius-level songwriting, move on.
He described them as new,but by this point in time they were around for years !!!
Never replicated!
I saw them 1 or 2 years after this and they had even more polish. They sound absolutely rockin here.
Amazing musicians. Like a voice crying out in the wilderness. So misunderstood. They were trying to warn the population of the devolution but the audience dances and parties and devolves right in front of their eyes.
The precision of assassins
I never seen this video before. Mildly interested at first but then had goosebumps on goosebumps when they started Uncontrollable Urge.
Uncontrollable Urge is one of the greatest songs ever.
Don Kirschners Rock Concert and The Midnight Speacial was something to look forward to after working all night washing dishes. DEVO just blew me away!
DEVO actually changed the direction and my outlook on life. I am 56 and I would give anything to be transported back to those days, even though by most peoples standards my life is a success.
Got their first two LP's. Still have them. Still listen to them. THE best thing to EVER come out of Akron, including tires and Le Bron. Sorry LeBron.
LeBron's ditched Ohio twice so he's probably content to be #2.
Don't forget GBV
Heard Chrissie Hynde was in a band with some Devo members.
In 1979 i would go into town on a Saturday to pick up the latest Devo tracks for my older brother. He worked I didn't. I was 14. Still a huge fan. Are we not men?
This is a great set. Perfect if you're trying to introduce DEVO to someone.
Still waaaaaaaay ahead of their time. DEVOLUTION!!!
They were unique in the 80's, now 2023 even more so. Man, I love the 80's. The last era of greatness. Gone downhill ever since. One reason I know I'm getting old. I look back at the 80's as the top of the hill, now we are well below sea level and falling fast. Devo helped make the 80's great. Whip It!
This needs way more views. 2,316 views, 7 comments. Unacceptable.
Share this in 2021 please!
Will do.
I really like the disturbing dystopian undercurrent that was in a lot of early DEVO songs (especially from the first and second albums). That band sure had a unique and strange interpretation of rock/pop music: their lyrics, their strange singing style, their mix of rigid new wave synthesizer and mid 60s guitar twang, their robotic movements. And their precise musicianship is pretty impressive.
D.E.V.O. is the greatest RNR band the world ! Only hits !!!
its so cool its 2023 and I hear Devo almost every day on tv on the Kleenex commercial!!! instantly recognizable!
I Lived the 80's riding a Moped and in My Sony Cassette I had DEVO! LOVE DEVO!!!!!
You mean your Walkman
The best punk band ever... or the best techno band ever... rock band I mean.
I have such great memories of staying up until one in the morning to see Rock Concert, In Concert, Midnight Special, Austin City Limits, etc. That was our TH-cam back then!
This time period was so great for punk wave experiments. Devo, Mission of Burma, Fripp's League of Gentlemen, just off the top of my head. The energy and rawness of this show is great.
Fantastic music makers , I still listen to Devo and will till I die, still cutting edge to this day.
I always thought of Devo as a great guitar band.
Great blend of guitars and synth
I was late to the party with Devo but I'm glad I found them and thank goodness they're still on the go, the world needs them.
Not sure when I first heard Devo as a child… maybe SNL? Still love them, and still have several vinyl records of theirs.
DEVO went past me in my youth. Glad I can go back and see what I missed.
Great performance - just highlights how groundbreaking they were back in the late 70’s. A master class in music performance art.
In high-school, I had a friend who was a fan of Devo, when they wore the red flower pot hats,I enjoyed the music, that was a rocking video
I remember being a kid trying to stay up late to watch Don Kirschners... wasn't easy haha
Best american band ever. 100% true to their original concept. Brilliant music. So many brilliant incarnations. Dove the band of love was especially genius.
A perfectly maniacal set. Bravo, Don Kirshner, for letting artists play live in the era of lip sync and heavy censorship on TV.
Boomerific mentality, as true as it may be.
I was there. So excited to seethem again....holy crap I am getting OLD!!
What's also great about Devo is that they can rock out/sing out like anything, but keep to their choreography. Playing great grooves while twitching robotically is damn difficult to do.
Yeah, I agree. And the fact that they could do it when they were getting old? Unreal. I saw them do the entire 1st LP in Toronto. I believe it was 2009. They were unbelievable. Aging, not touring non-stop as they would have been... yet? Spot on.
Always fun to see the late 70s clash of styles with settled 1970s announcer and upstart 1980s new wave punks.
Early DEVO is just killer…man machine!