Is anybody out there a DEVO fan? If so, or maybe even if not, I’ve got a recommendation for a cool rock ‘n roll documentary. But let me start with my own DEVO story. The first DEVO record, Are We Not Men? We Are DEVO was released in August of 1978. A mere two months later, on October 14, 1978, DEVO appeared on Saturday Night Live. In 1978 I was in the tenth grade and I was discovering punk-rock and new wave music. I was more than discovering it, I was seeking it out everywhere and basically living and breathing for skateboarding and punk rock. In that vein, SNL was a show that my friends and I watched religiously in hopes that we might see a great band, which happened fairly often. On October 14, 1978, I tuned in having never heard of DEVO and not knowing who was scheduled to be the musical guest. When DEVO hit the stage and played The Rolling Sones’ “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” wearing yellow radiation suits and moving in that jerky, robotic manner, I was blown away. I can watch that clip even now and get a little chill. The next day my friend who lived down the street called to make sure I had seen it. He was over the moon about it, but admitted he thought briefly that it was a comedy skit and not the musical guest. We both ran out and bought the record.
Having said that, my DEVO fandom didn’t really grow much from there. I like the band, but I didn’t really keep up with them record after record, and I don’t play them very often. But that fact does nothing to dampen my enthusiasm for the documentary now available on Netflix, simply entitled DEVO. I don’t want to give to much away here, but I will tell you a little bit about what to expect. The film is narrated largely by Mark Mothersbaugh, who was the co-founder and lead vocalist for the band, but other members are also prominent. Right from the get go, he explains the theory of de-evolution from which their name was derived. You will see in the film, if it wasn’t obvious enough already, that these guys were a quirky, artsy and very cerebral band. Some of the things these guys believed in 1978 was incredibly insightful. They basically predicted our future. Something they perceived some 47 years ago was that it seemed like people were getting stupider, to put it bluntly, (devolving).
They felt that critical thinking was on the decline. If you listen to what they said way back in 1978, and then you look at the world today, or at least America today, you will understand…..in one interview, done decades ago, Mark Mothersbaugh admits that DEVO’s message will not change anything. But he says that delivering a message through music is probably no less effective that protesting in the streets, and so music is the platform they have chosen. When asked what, then, he would change if he could, he said that eliminating the two-party political system would be a good start. Whew, I wish someone would have listened, given the mess we’re in today. That seminal 1978 appearance on SNL is discussed. The band was nervous and played the song faster than they ever had. It was fantastic. I still prefer that high-speed version over the recorded version. The video, although grainy, is linked below.
I should probably stop there. DEVO was totally misunderstood by most people, me included I would admit. Watch this documentary and see what you think. I think the band was very advanced in its thinking. Heck, they even had superstar quarterback Tom Brady on the cover of their debut record before he was even born! I’m kidding of course, but look at the resemblance!
DEVO’s Debut Record – 1978 Tom Brady, NFL commentator - 2024
Okay, the film is an hour and sixteen very entertaining minutes. It’s on Netflix, and it is simply excellent. Go watch it. Find a friend who has Netflix if you don’t have it yourself.
DEVO on SNL 1978
JCE, or John to his friends, is a lifetime rock and roll addict. He enjoys contemplating, debating and writing about the music he loves, and he is thankful to have Pencil Storm as a platform for his ramblings.