Are We Not Men? We are Devo!

249 Pages·24.72 MB·English

by  Jade Dellinger, David Giffels

Jade Dellinger & David Giffel
With flowerpots on their heads, a line in
w
distinctive post-Kraftwerk imagery, and o
some staggeringly catchy electro-pop riffs,
3
Devo carved a niche in the eighties that set S?
them apart from the mish-mash of punk,
new wave and rock that surrounded them.
Devo was led by Jerry Casale and Mark "
Mothersbaugh, who enlisted their younger o«=
brothers, Bob1 (Mothersbaugh) and Bob2 ivasj r—
(Casale), along with drummer Alan Myers.
The overarching philosophical principle
3D
that drove them Devolution - engendered -<
a theory that mankind, rather than
progressing, was actually going backwards.
Their first album, produced by Brian Eno,
was light years ahead of its time, featuring
a fabulous de-constructed version of the
Stones' "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction".
David Bowie and Neil Young were quick
to spot the potential - an early Devo
performance inspired one of Young's
greatest albums, Rust Never Sleeps.
continued on back flap
t.1
f.'.'•

We
Are Not
We
Are Devo!
Jade Dellinger
and
David Giffels

We
Are Not
We
Are Devo!
Jade Dellinger
and
David Giffels
saf publishing
saf publishing
First published in 2003
bySAFPublishing
SAF Publishing Ltd.
149Wakeman Road,
London.
NW10 5BH
ENGLAND
email: [email protected]
www.safpublishing.com
ISBN 946719497
©
Textcopyright 2003Jade Dellingerand David Giffels
The rightofJade Dellingerand David Giffelsto be identifiedastheauthorsofthis
work has beenasserted bythem in accordancewiththe Copyright, Designsand
PatentsAct, 1988
All rights reserved. No partofthis publication may betransmitted in anyform, or
byany means, electronic, photocopying, recording orotherwise, withoutthe
priorpermission ofthe publisher.
In somecases ithas notproved possibletoascertain ortraceoriginal illustration
copyrightholders, andthe publisherswould be gratefulto hearfromthe
photographersconcerned.
All lyrics quotedareforreview, studyorcritical purposes.
Coverphotographs: Frontcover: AllanTannenbaum.
Backcoverand insideflap: Jules Bates
ACIPcatalogue recordforthis bookisavailablefromthe British Library.
Coverand bookdesign: SAF
Printed in England bytheCromwell Press,Trowbridge, Wiltshire.
"No one can come onto my island without a mask."
Eric Mottram, Left for California: The SlowAwakening
KRKRyden
Are We Not Men?
Acknowledgments:
Many thanks to the following individuals who gave generously oftheir time
for interviews, opened their archives and provided photographs or essential
information:
DavidAllen + Artrouble, BrianApplegate, Arno, KathyAtkinson, Ed Barger,
Walt Batansky, Anita Bates (The Jules Bates Foundation), Robert Bertholf,
Richard Blocher, Mykel Board, Joep Bruijnje, Chris Butler, Ralph Carney,
GeraldV. Casale, Roger Casale, Buzz Clic,Jim Clinefelter, Cheetah Chrome,
Patrick Cullie, Rod Firestone, Harvey Gold, Vernon L. Gowdy III, James
Grauerholz, Peter Gregg, Randy Hansen, Don Harvey, Susan Schmidt
Horning, Bruce Hensal, GaryJackett, Donna Kossy, Sammy Larson, Nicky
Latzoni, Robert Lewis, Justin Keiser (Kent State Univ. Special Collections/
Library), Jennifer Licitri, Tim Maglione, Susan Massaro Aylward, Alan
Mothersbaugh, Jim Mothersbaugh, Robert Mothersbaugh, Sr., Alan Myers,
NickNicholis, Scott Orsi, Ray Packard,John Petkovic, Michael Pilmer, Rod
Reisman, Martin Reymann, Ebet Roberts, KRK Ryden, Rocky Schenck,
Klaus Schleusener, Debbie Smith, Rev. Ivan Stang, AllanTannenbaum, Mal-
colmTent,JohnThompson (aka-JohnnyDromette), MichaelWatters, Fred
Weber, Bobbie Watson Whitaker, Rev. Toth Wilder, Rutherford Witthus
(Curator of Literary Collections/Edward Dorn Papers at the University of
Connecticut'sThomas Dodd Research Center), the members ofthe MSN
J.
Spudtalk newsgroup and alt.fan.devo.
For critical feedback and editing assistance the authors would like to thank:
Eric Nuzum, Mark Price, JeffWinner and both Dave Hallbery and Mick
Fish atSAF Publishing.Thepublisherswouldliketo thankNinaAntonia for
additional editing.
In addition,Jadewouldlike to acknowledge his parents fortheirsupportand
encouragement, and his girlfriend Cathy Sowell for her patience and under-
standing. David gives deepest thanks to Gina, Evan and Lia Giffels for sacri-
ficing their husband and fatherwhile he toiled on the Island ofLost Souls.
Withoutparticipation from thoselistedabovethiseffortwouldnothavebeen
possible.