Devo
Devo is an American New Wave band that emerged in the 1970s, initially performing at Kent State University and becoming a significant part of the music scene in Akron, Ohio. Known for their unique blend of fast-paced performances and a sophisticated manipulation of pop culture themes, Devo distinguished themselves from traditional punk bands, which often relied on shock and rage. The band gained recognition through endorsements from influential artists like David Bowie and Iggy Pop, leading to a recording contract and television appearances.
Their visual presentation was marked by identical costumes that projected a futuristic and conceptual image, contrasting sharply with the chaotic styles of their contemporaries. Devo's lead singer, Mark Mothersbaugh, brought his artistic training to the forefront, enhancing the band's visual storytelling, particularly through their innovative music videos, which received significant airtime on MTV. Their iconic song "Whip It," released in 1982, encapsulated their ability to blend catchy music with surreal and ironic visual elements.
Despite their initial popularity, Devo struggled to maintain relevance as musical trends shifted in the late 1980s. They went on hiatus in 1990, with Mothersbaugh pursuing other creative projects. While the band's intelligent and ironic approach ultimately limited their longevity in the evolving music landscape, Devo's influence helped pave the way for other edgy artists in the 1980s pop scene.
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Subject Terms
Devo
New Wave band
After playing clubs and remaining in obscurity in the 1970’s, Devo briefly entered the musical mainstream in the 1980’s.
Devo first performed at Kent State University in the 1970’s and became a part of the New Wave music explosion in Akron, Ohio, in the middle of that decade. Recognition from David Bowie and Iggy Pop earned the group a recording contract and television appearances. Their stage performances were fast-paced in the punk tradition, but they relied on a sophisticated manipulation of pop culture themes that was beyond the conceptual grasp of most punk bands. Devo wore identical costumes on stage that projected a futuristic image very different from the stylistic chaos of punk bands. Punk relied on shock and rage as its underlying message; Devo relied on heavy doses of irony.
Mark Mothersbaugh, the group’s lead singer, had received extensive visual-arts training and employed those skills to great advantage with the band. Devo also benefited greatly from the exposure it received on twenty-four-hour music television. Bands in the 1970’s had relied on weekly music shows or late-night cable programs for exposure. For Devo, these outlets limited their impact, since their visual references had more substance than did their minimalist musical skills. Outlets like MTV , however, repeatedly exposed viewers to the rich visual references the band employed. The group’s resulting popularity resulted in its videos receiving coveted spots in the cable network’s roster of frequently repeated songs. The band also experimented with several performance gimmicks. It created a character named Booji Boy, a childlike clown persona who sometimes appeared on stage to sing at the end of concerts. Later, Devo introduced “Dove, the band of love,” a concept that had Devo open its concerts in the guise of a Christian rock band.
The popularity peak for Devo came with the video that accompanied its catchy 1982 tune “Whip It.” The video was riddled with sexual innuendo and a surreal Old West setting that summed up the ability of the band to manipulate and recycle pop culture icons. After “Whip It,” the popularity of Devo waned. Devo was consistent, almost relentless, in exploiting a narrow musical style, and modern music fans are fickle in their search for novelty. What had been shocking in 1976 was mild by 1986, and New Wave music on MTV gave way to heavy metal and megastars like Prince, Madonna, and Michael Jackson. Devo went on hiatus in 1990, with Mothersbaugh working on children’s television projects with Pee Wee Herman and the Rugrats show on the Nickelodeon network.
Impact
Devo flourished briefly in a pop culture marketplace where its intelligent wit ultimately proved to be a liability. Unlike durable pop stars who periodically reinvent themselves, the group chose to pursue a unique creative vision and eventually got left behind as a footnote in the musical history of the 1980’s. At a time when punk and New Wave were small niche markets, Devo employed simple, catchy tunes and sophisticated marketing to reach a wide audience. The band’s success paved the way for other edgy bands to claim a share of recognition in the volatile pop music scene of the 1980’s.
Bibliography
Brendan, Masar. The History of Punk Rock. New York: Lucent Books, 2006.
Reynolds, Simon. Rip It Up and Start Again. New York: Penguin, 2005.