Devolution is real. Some clips from clubdevo.com

[swag]

http://www.clubdevo.com/mp_redesign/tellus.html#81204

posted 8/8/2004:
Subject: Just Wondering

Q: Hi -- I'm a Devo fan from way back and I was really enjoying the NY show on HD Net just now. However, I am also a Republican and I am wondering why there had to be negative jabs against Republicans. In fact, I don't understand why there has to be any political commentary at all.

Now don't freak out -- I am not an evil right winger denying you your right to free speech. But I guess when I tune in to see you playing music at a concert -- that's what I am expecting: you playing music at a concert. I just don't really care what your political views are -- no matter what they are. I mean I was just tuning in to see the concert and hear the music. Isn't that why all those people were there for, too?

Sincerely,

{i'll leave her name and email address out of this}

A: It's amazing you can like a band that stands for justice and liberty and science and logic and still vote for an evil regime that wants to destroy what's left of democracy, destroy the separation of church and state, attack the bill of rights, eliminate a woman's right to choose, deny humane scientific research, steal from seniors, destroy the environment to keep oil cronies rich and in short institute a form of Christian fundamentalism that is only slightly less heinous than the authoritarian beliefs of the Taliban. Go ahead and vote for a dim-witted, mean spirited, menial son of a CIA man who is on the wrong side of every issue that matters to the future of humans on the planet earth. This isn't about democrats and republicans (there's really no difference there). This is about the end of humane values in our life time. Do you wear a backwards baseball cap and drive a Hummer 2? Remember! Freedom of choice is what you've got. Freedom from choice is what you want! -- Gerald V. Casale , Devo Inc.

. . . . .

and from some weird CNN Interview thing

http://www.clubdevo.com/mp_redesign/news_pgs/cnn_thebiz.html

HAFFENREFFER: WE talk about deevolution as you look at society, and maybe even the world today. Does it apply perhaps more today than any other time?

CASALE: Absolutely. I mean, all kidding aside, it`s become hideously real. Like what we talked about almost as a kind of philosophy with humor has become true. Deevolution is real. I think everybody watching today would agree that they can`t even believe the world they live in now.

HAFFENREFFER: What`s the driving force behind it?

CASALE: Fear and manipulation of fear. Mark and I met at Kent State in 1970, right after the students were killed. I thought maybe that was the worst thing I would see in my lifetime. And it changed me forever. And I was within 50 yards proximity of Allison Krause, who was one of the four murdered. And it was murder, by the way. And now I`ve lived to see the end of democracy in our time. That`s unbelievable.

. . . . .

[DenverDem]

1. Are we not men? We are DEVO.

I worked on a video with these guys in the 80's and they are some of the most intelligent, creative and idiosyncratic men I have ever met. Still have their integrity intact, it seems.

[swag]

2. Very cool. Any particular video? That DVD collection is great.

I saw the "Jocko Homo" clip on Don Kirschner's Rock Concert in 1975, I think, and couldn't believe my eyes. Have been addicted ever since.

[DenverDem]

3. I produced "R U Experienced", (Jimi H ) from their last album for Warners.

It didn't get included on the DVD because the Jimi Hendrix foundation wanted too big a chunk of money to sign off on it. Too bad, because we paid them off once in '84 when we made the video and used Randy Hanson from Seattle for the Hendrix look alike at the foundation's request. It was a pretty good satire of the Hendrix tune, with the faux Jimi jumping out of his coffin to play the guitar solo, and with the band floating above a crowd of 60's groupies in the performance segment.

The video played a few times on MTV but never went beyond that as Warners screwed my production company and the band by dropping the band right after releasing the "Shout" album and defaulting on the production agreement to produce a long form video product for that album. The video cost my company $100K with no way to recoup and by the end of 85 we had gone under because of it. I speculate that because Warners had huge hits with Madonna and Prince that year that they used the DEVO disc, which had big production costs (a great LP package with glossy printed record sleeve) as a loss leader to balance out their tax returns. They spent a lot of money on the production but did absolutely no promotion. The music business is dirty as hell and that's why I work in golf video now.

[swag]

4. That's great

I remember that video. Who was faux Hendrix? Randy Hanson or something like that? On edit: oh, duh. You said this. I'll learn how to read soon, I swear.

It was a great fucking video. Good job. Maybe I'll get a samizdat copy on the web some year.

I have a picture sleeve of the single of that.

Sorry about what happened to your company. I don't know a lot about show business, but whenever I'm in the vicinity of show business types, I end up showering compulsively.

Best to you.

[DenverDem]

5. The guys in the band were great to work with.

Hard to keep up with their creativity, but a thrill to be around.

The record company, however, sucked.

[miss_kitty]

6. I saw them at the 'Showbox' a small venue in downtown Seattle

-probably 85 or-oh hell i don't know the effin dates anymore-might have been 83...doesn't matter-they were fab. i had all their records, too.