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.
Ton o' Luv
Devo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When a man runs away from his wife
That's when you know
He's in the world
When a guy tries to round up his mate
But she's gone and it's gettin' too late
That's when you know
[Chorus]
So it happens
All the time
Don't get low
Just stand in line
Take your turn
Now make your move
And crush that doubt
With a ton o' love
When woman takes a back seat to man
She has to tell him where to go if she can
And she decides
To wear his ring
[Chorus]
Find a girl with the face of a clock
Hands move forward 'til you can't stop
She comes from above
With a ton o' love [Repeat: x12]
Devo's song "Ton o' Luv" touches on the theme of love, relationships, and the challenges that come with it. The first verse talks about how love can sometimes take a back seat to life, and how when a man runs away from his wife, he is essentially running away from the world. The second verse continues the theme, highlighting how a man can lose his girl, and how this can happen all the time.
The chorus of the song encourages listeners not to get low when love fails, but to stand in line, take their turn, and make their move, crushing their doubts with a ton o' love. This suggests that love can be difficult, but by persevering and being persistent, it can be overcome.
The final verse talks about finding a girl with the face of a clock, and how when she comes from above with a ton o' love, the hands move forward until they can't stop. This suggests that finding the right person can be life-changing and can lead to endless love.
Overall, Devo's "Ton o' Luv" explores the ups and downs of love and encourages listeners to keep going and not lose hope.
Line by Line Meaning
When love takes a back seat to life
When someone prioritizes their daily routine over love
When a man runs away from his wife
When a man leaves his wife for whatever reason
That's when you know
This is the indication of the situation
He's in the world
He is part of the world around us
When a guy tries to round up his mate
When a man tries to bring his girlfriend/wife back
But she's gone and it's gettin' too late
But his companion is missing and it's too late to reconcile
He lost his girl
He lost his lover
So it happens
This is a common thing that occurs
All the time
It happens continuously
Don't get low
Don't become sad/depressed
Just stand in line
Just wait patiently
Take your turn
Your opportunity will present itself eventually
Now make your move
Take action and pursue love
And crush that doubt
Overcome your doubts, worries, and fears
With a ton o' love
With a lot of love and affection
When a woman takes a back seat to man
When a woman prioritizes her partner over herself
She has to tell him where to go if she can
She has to direct him if needed
And she decides
She makes the decision
To wear his ring
To commit to him by marrying him
Find a girl with the face of a clock
Look for a girl with a beautiful and unique appearance
Hands move forward 'til you can't stop
Time keeps moving forward and cannot be reversed
She comes from above
She seems to come from heaven
With a ton o' love
With a lot of love and affection
[Repeat: x12]
This line is to be repeated twelve times
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: GERALD CASALE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind