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.
Man Turned Inside Out
Devo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You never acted like you knew
When you took away the reasons
And you chopped my heart in two
Once you start to doubt
When you don't know what it's about
It's time to read the warning signs
For a guy needs a good reason
Something to prod him on
When you chopped me up like liver
It all started going wrong
So I bought a fiberglass helmet
Some goggles to match
I'm a human bullet baby
And you haven't seen the last
Of a man turned inside out
I'm a man turned inside out
So I got myself a position
And I'm working my way up
Took a three way lucky number
Now I'm heading for the top
Devo's song Man Turned Inside Out speaks about the feeling of being heartbroken and the desperation to find a new meaning in life. The lyrics talk about how the singer was once in love, but the person they loved betrayed them and chopped their heart in two. The person they loved left them without a reason or an explanation, and now the singer is left feeling confused and hurt.
The first two lines suggest that the person the singer loved had some kind of insight or understanding of the situation, but chose not to act on it. It is possible that the person knew what they were doing was wrong but did it anyway. The chorus warns of the dangers of not having a reason to move forward, and how it can lead to being "turned inside out." This line can be interpreted to mean being left vulnerable, exposed, and raw emotionally.
The bridge of the song talks about the singer's attempt to move on from the heartbreak. They buy a fiberglass helmet and goggles to protect themself from the world, showing their fear of being hurt again. The last stanza speaks of the singer finding a new purpose in life and working their way up to the top. It shows that despite the pain they have been through, they are determined to succeed and find happiness again.
Overall, the song speaks about the human experience of heartbreak and the resilience of the human spirit. It shows that even when someone is "turned inside out," they can find a way to put themselves back together again.
Line by Line Meaning
If you ever had a clue
If you ever had an inkling or an idea
You never acted like you knew
You never showed any indication that you had any knowledge or understanding
When you took away the reasons
When you removed the justifications or motives
And you chopped my heart in two
And you caused me extreme emotional pain
Once you start to doubt
Once you become uncertain or skeptical
When you don't know what it's about
When you lack knowledge or understanding of the circumstances
It's time to read the warning signs
It's a good idea to pay attention to the indicators of trouble or danger
Of a man turned inside out
Of a man who has been emotionally or mentally destabilized
For a guy needs a good reason
A man requires a convincing motivation
Something to prod him on
Something to push or urge him forward
When you chopped me up like liver
When you treated me with extreme cruelty or brutality
It all started going wrong
Everything began to decline or deteriorate
So I bought a fiberglass helmet
So I protected myself with a strong and durable shield
Some goggles to match
And goggles to complement the helmet
I'm a human bullet baby
I am a determined and unstoppable force
And you haven't seen the last
And there is more to come
Of a man turned inside out
Of a man who has been pushed to the brink
I'm a man turned inside out
I am that man who has been emotionally and mentally destabilized
So I got myself a position
So I secured a job or a role
And I'm working my way up
And I am striving to advance or succeed
Took a three way lucky number
Took a chance on a promising opportunity
Now I'm heading for the top
Now I am aiming for the highest level of achievement
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: MARK ALLEN MOTHERSBAUGH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Kid Million
I love this and happy guy. Best two songs on this album❤️
thegreatreverendx
I'd put Sexi Luv as the third best.
Echo Silva
I totally agree!
MrPink
An old favorite. Thank for putting this up!
simon sumner
This was in slaughterhouse rock
Echo Silva
Hey are you the ones that put Who wrote the song, How long long it is, and What track on the album its on... Or did the band do that?? Cause I really like that.....Thank You! Excellent!!
Echo Silva
@Radio Kang Thanks for the really nice job!!
Radio Kang
All of the stills/slides you see on my channel were created by me. I wanted to do more than just slap a pic of the album and an MP3 file together. So I create the stills and use lossless audio. Thanks for listening.