The band released their first album in 20 years, Something for Everybody on June 15, 2010.
Their style has been variously classified as punk, industrial and rock, but are most often considered to be the 70s/early 80s New Wave band that ushered in the synth pop of the 1980s, along with other acts such as Gary Numan and The B-52s.
Devo's music and stage show mingle kitsch science fiction themes, deadpan surrealist humor, and mordantly satirical social commentary, often dealing with the concept of De-Evolution, in sometimes-discordant pop songs that often feature unusual synthetic instrumentation and time signatures.
Their work has proved hugely influential on subsequent popular music, particularly New Wave, alternative and grunge music, they created some memorable music videos popular in the early days of MTV.
The name "Devo" comes from the concept of Devolution (also referred to by the band as de-evolution). This idea was developed as a joke by Kent State University art students Gerald Casale and Bob Lewis as early as the late 1960s. Casale and Lewis created a number of art pieces in the vein of Devolution. At this time, Casale had also performed with the local band 15-60-75. They met Mark Mothersbaugh around 1970, who introduced them to the pamphlet Jocko Homo Heavenbound, which would later inspire the song Jocko Homo
The pivotal moment for the formation of Devo was the Kent State shootings of May 4, 1970. Casale knew two of the murdered students, and even saw one student, Allison Krause, with exit wounds from the M1 Garand rifle. At this moment, Casale claims he changed the idea of Devolution into a serious concept.
The first form of Devo was the Sextet Devo which performed at the 1973 Kent State performing arts festival. It included Casale, Lewis and Mothersbaugh, as well as Gerald's brother Bob Casale on guitar, and friends Rod Reisman and Fred Weber on drums and vocals, respectively. This performance was filmed and a part was included on the home video The Complete Truth About De-evolution. This lineup only performed once. Devo returned to perform in the Student Governance Center (featured prominently in the film) at the 1974 Creative Arts Festival with a line-up including the Casale brothers, Bob Lewis, Mark Mothersbaugh, and Jim Mothersbaugh on drums.
Devo later formed as a quartet focusing around Mark Mothersbaugh and Gerald Casale. They recruited Mark's brothers Bob Mothersbaugh and Jim Mothersbaugh. Bob played electric guitar, and Jim provided percussion using a set of homemade electronic drums. This lineup of Devo lasted until 1976 when Jim left the band. The lineup was occasionally fluid, and Bob Lewis would sometimes play guitar during this period. In concert, Devo would often perform in the guise of theatrical characters, such as Booji Boy, and The Chinaman. Live concerts from this period were often confrontational, and would remain so until 1977. A recording of an early Devo performance from 1975 with the quartet lineup appears on DEVO Live: The Mongoloid Years, ending with the promoters unplugging Devo's equipment.
Following Jim Motherbaugh's departure, Bob Mothersbaugh found a new drummer in Alan Myers, who played a conventional, acoustic drum set with mechanical precision. Casale re-recruited his brother Bob Casale, and the popular line-up of Devo was formed. It would endure for nearly ten years.
Devo embarked on a Euro-Tour 2007 on June 16th in Barcelona. They also performed concerts in Brighton, London, Manchester and Glasgow. More information about it can be found here.
In May 2020 Devo re-opened their online store where face masks with logo designs and an infamous Energy Dome with the attacheable protective shield can be pre-ordered to help their fans protect themselves from Covid-19.
I Desire
Devo Lyrics
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I pledge allegiance to the thought
That your love is all that matters
And your gestures have the power
To bring the whole world to its knees
Don't let me torment you
Don't let me bring you down
Don't let me fail because
I desire your attention
I desire your perfect love
I desire nothing more (than this)
To give you happiness
Could become a lifetime goal
A smile I might bring you
Is more important than world peace
I pledge allegiance to the fact
That you're wise to walk away
For nothing is more dangerous
Than desire when it's wrong
Devo's song "I Desire" is a captivating ballad with lyrics that describe the insatiable hunger for perfect love and attention. The lyrics begin with the singer declaring his allegiance to the idea that the only thing that matters is the love and gestures of his partner. He suggests that their love has the power to bring the world to its knees. This power reflects a deep desire to connect with the partner and the desire that their love is all that matters.
The song then takes a somewhat darker turn, as the singer recognizes his own potential for causing harm. He fears that his desire for attention may lead him to torment and hurt his partner. He is aware that his failure to satisfy these desires may lead to his demise. He sings his desire for his partner's attention and perfect love, with the confidence that nothing will bring him more happiness than to give her the same in return. He believes that giving her happiness is a lifetime goal, one that is more important than world peace.
The song's final verses suggest that the singer is aware of the dangers of his desire. He recognizes that nothing is more dangerous than desire when it is wrong. The reference here is perhaps to the idea that desire can drive one to act in ways that are not in one's best interests or that can harm others. The song ends with the singer imploring his partner to walk away, aware that his desire could lead to harm.
Line by Line Meaning
I desire I desire
The singer is expressing a strong longing or craving for something.
I pledge allegiance to the thought
The singer is making a solemn commitment to the belief that the thing they desire is the most important thing in the world.
That your love is all that matters
The object of the singer's desire is the love of another person, which they believe is the most important thing in the world.
And your gestures have the power
The artist believes that the other person's actions and behavior can have a major impact on the world and their own happiness.
To bring the whole world to its knees
The artist believes that the other person's actions and behavior have the power to completely change the world and everyone in it.
Don't let me torment you
The singer is expressing concern that their desire might cause pain or suffering for the other person.
Don't let me bring you down
The singer is worried that their desire might have a negative impact on the other person's life or mood.
Don't ever let me hurt you
The artist is making a plea for the other person to protect themselves from being harmed by the artist's desire.
Don't let me fail because
The artist is asking the other person to help them avoid the negative consequences of their desire.
I desire your attention
The artist wants the other person's full focus and attention directed towards them.
I desire your perfect love
The singer wants the other person's love to be perfect and all-encompassing.
I desire nothing more (than this)
The artist is stating that their desire for the other person's love and attention is the ultimate desire, and nothing else matters.
To give you happiness
The singer is expressing a desire to bring happiness to the other person.
Could become a lifetime goal
The singer believes that making the other person happy could be their life's purpose.
A smile I might bring you
The singer believes that they have the power to bring joy and happiness to the other person with even a small gesture.
Is more important than world peace
The artist believes that bringing happiness to the other person is more important than achieving world peace.
I pledge allegiance to the fact
The artist is making a commitment to the belief that the other person is wise to avoid pursuing or engaging with the artist's desire.
That you're wise to walk away
The singer is acknowledging that the other person is making a smart decision to distance themselves from the singer and their desire.
For nothing is more dangerous
The singer is cautioning that their desire can be harmful or dangerous.
Than desire when it's wrong
The artist is suggesting that their desire is not appropriate or acceptable in some way, and could cause harm to them or the other person.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: GERALD CASALE, JOHN F. HINKLEY, MARK ALLEN MOTHERSBAUGH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind