Oh Dad, we’re all DEVO!
Here are two videos from Devo’s 1974 short film In The Beginning Was The End: The Truth About De-Evolution. To give you an idea of how fucked up this music must have seemed at the time, 1974 was the year Terry Jacks’ “Seasons in the Sun” was a #1 hit. Filmed years before Devo released their debut album, Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are DEVO!, this is a four man Devo line-up, featuring Mark Mothersbaugh (synth, vocals on “Jocko Homo”), Gerald V. Cassale (bass), Bob Mothersbaugh (guitar, vocals on “Secret Agent Man”) and Jim Mothersbaugh (drums). Drummers don’t get a lot of credit, but Jim Mothersbaugh’s drumming only underscores what a vital element his replacement, Alan Myers, was to Devo’s sound. In Jim’s defense, in these clips he is playing some extremely primitive electronic percussion - after he left Devo, he worked for Roland, developing MIDI technology.
First up is “Jocko Homo”. Below the fold is Devo’s cover of “Secret Agent Man”. Listen for the intro to “Smart Patrol” at the beginning of “Secret Agent Man”…
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I’m running out of naming options for these increasingly sick people. I started out a month ago with Church Burners. Then I had to add Ebola Boys. Church Burning Ebola Boys. Now what - Church Burning Baby Butchering Ebola Boys? That’s too long. Too unwieldy. Any suggestions would be appreciated. (Source: 
February 9th, 2008 at 2:32 am
This makes me think of a bit from the Super Mario Brothers movie. They had “devo chambers” which were to de-evolve individuals into their primitive ancestors. I heard the term “devo chamber” and immediately pictured it being full of people with weird hats talking about whipping.
Man, this music still seems pretty fucked up to me. It’s mind boggling that it came out at the time of “Seasons in the Sun”. Still I really liked the part with the classroom full of people in doctor masks boogieing down.
And despite what you said about the drummer, the drumbeat in Secret Agent Man is strangely catchy.