Devo is an American rock group formed in Akron, Ohio, United States in 1972… Read Full Bio ↴Devo is an American rock group formed in Akron, Ohio, United States in 1972. The band split in 1991 and returned in 1996. The band currently consists of Gerald Casale (vocals, bass), Mark Mothersbaugh (vocals, synthesizer), Bob Mothersbaugh (guitar) and Josh Freese (drums). Former members include Bob Casale (guitar, keyboards) (born July 14, 1952; died February 17, 2014) and Alan Myers (drums) (born 1955; died 2013).
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.

What I Must Do
Devo Lyrics

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I used to plan and plot
And try to live correct
Lately I do a lot
Of things that don't make sense

Now I must do what I must
Now why do you think that a man
Jumps out of the frying pan

Into the fire when he can

Find a way not to get burned?
I must do what I must do
And I do though I know better
I must do what I must do
(Even though he's gonna get it)

Below the sky above
Beyond what's good and true
Some thing as loud as love
Calls out I can't refuse

I must do what I must do
And I do though I know better

I must do what I must do
(Even though he might regret it)

Overall Meaning

The song "What I Must Do" by Devo is a reflective piece about the struggles of doing what must be done, even when it seems counterintuitive or even self-destructive. The first two lines of the song (“I used to plan and plot/ And try to live correct”) set the stage for a character who is trying to do the right thing and be responsible, but he is struggling with making sense of his actions. The next two lines (“Lately I do a lot/ Of things that don't make sense”) reveal that this character is starting to feel lost and is doing things that he doesn't fully understand.

The chorus, with the repeated line “I must do what I must do,” reveals a sense of obligation and duty that is driving the character's actions. The following lines examine the motivations behind these choices. The question “Now why do you think that a man/ Jumps out of the frying pan/Into the fire when he can/ Find a way not to get burned?” suggests that there is some sort of thrill or allure in taking risks, even when there is a safer option available. The line “Below the sky above/ Beyond what's good and true” adds to this sense of longing for something beyond oneself and the everyday world.

Finally, the song reaches its conclusion with the lines “Some thing as loud as love/ Calls out I can't refuse.” This suggests that the character's actions are motivated by emotions that he cannot fully control or understand, and that these emotions may conflict with his desire to make responsible choices.

Line by Line Meaning

I used to plan and plot
I used to carefully strategize and aim to lead a moral life

And try to live correct
And try to live a life that aligns with society's morals

Lately I do a lot
Recently, I have been doing many things that contradict my plans and morals

Of things that don't make sense
Of things that do not logically or morally add up

Now I must do what I must
Now I must do what I feel is necessary regardless of advice or better judgement

Now why do you think that a man
Why do you think that a person

Jumps out of the frying pan
Leaves a bad situation

Into the fire when he can
Only to end up in a worse situation

Find a way not to get burned?
Why not find a way to prevent harm?

Below the sky above
Somewhere deep below the vast expanse of the sky

Beyond what's good and true
Beyond what is considered to be morally and factually correct