A leader of the punk counteroffensive in the late 1970s, Akron, Ohio's Devo — brothers Jerry and Bob Casale and Mark and Bob Mothersbaugh, as well as drummer Alan Myers — had a singular philosophy: the world had already reached its evolutionary apex, and there was no place left to go but backward. On its Brian Eno-produced 1978 major label debut, Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! (Warner Brothers Records), the quintet provided a sampling of what such a “de-evolutionary” musical future might sound like, mixing strident vocals with herky-jerky rhythms on originals such as “Jocko Homo” and “Mongoloid” and a unique update of the Rolling Stones' “(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction.” Live, Devo practiced what they preached: clad in matching yellow industrial suits and red flower-pot hats, the band punctuated the music with robotic movements that resembled the Tin Man low on oil.
Although dismissed by some as a novelty, the band did make an impact — and not just for their music. In 1978 Neil Young hired them to play on the song “Out of the Blue” for his (unreleased) musical film project, Human Highway. During the recording, Mark Mothersbaugh and Jerry Casale spontaneously began repeating the words rust never sleeps — a slogan they'd devised for the antirust agent Rustoleum while employed by an Ohio ad agency. For Young, “rust never sleeps” became the defining theme of his career; to this day, Young's legions refer to themselves as Rusties.
Devo reached a commercial peak in 1980 with the million-selling hit “Whip It.” The group weathered various personnel changes before disbanding in 1990. Subsequently, Jerry Casale sharpened his credentials as a filmmaker, directing, among other things, a video for the Foo Fighters' “I'll Stick Around.” Mark Mothersbaugh parlayed his synth creativity into a successful career as a television and film composer, scoring for Pee-Wee's Playhouse, Rugrats, and numerous TV spots. “Being in a band is really great when you're 20,” says Mark, whose company, Mutato Muzika, includes former Devo mates Bob Casale and Bob Mothersbaugh. “When you're 30, it's kind of Spinal Tap, and when you're 40, it's just pathetic.”
