Sloppy.
― Johnny Fever, Thursday, 4 April 2013 16:20 (eleven years ago) link
Gut Feeling with Sloppy right beside it. But Gut Feeling gets the vote.
― EZ Snappin, Thursday, 4 April 2013 16:20 (eleven years ago) link
TexaaasKansaaas
Voted for Jocko, but it's gonna get enough votes - should have gone with my other near fav Praying Hands since it might not get any love.
― Vinnie, Thursday, 4 April 2013 16:43 (eleven years ago) link
Tough but "Sloppy"
― Step not on a loose unforgiving stone on a pyramid to paradise (Tom D.), Thursday, 4 April 2013 16:45 (eleven years ago) link
Gut/Slap
Debbie Harry doing "Come Back Jonee" on SNL in 1981 was pretty cool.
― The Complete Afterbirth of the Cool (WilliamC), Thursday, 4 April 2013 16:45 (eleven years ago) link
"Jocko Homo" just because of that time that they trolled a Sun Ra audience with it.
Jerry Casale describes the event in his liner notes for DEVO LIVE-The Mongoloid Years: "Full fledged aliens without a clue. DEVO is hired as a practical joke to open for Sun Ra at WHK FM's annual Halloween bash. The used-to-be famous, now infamous, radio personality, Murray The K displays a thinly veiled contempt as he introduces us to the invitation only crowd. Dressed as witches, gangsters, and hunchbacks, and high on nitrous oxide (provided by the station), hash and liquor, they are eagerly awaiting a slick cover band who can deliver precise, immaculate, renditions of Bad Company hits. Instead, they are subjected to DEVO. Appearing as four theatrical characters (Booji Boy: Mark Mothersbaugh; Clown: Bob Mothersbaugh; Jungle Jim: Jim Mothersbaugh; and Chinaman: Gerald V. Casale) and using homemade electronic drums, a mini-moog, a clavinet, a customised lobotomized Hagstrom guitar, and bass, we proceed to torture stoned urban hippies with "performance art" way before that label even existed. Playing "Jocko Homo" here for the first time, we incite members of the hideously costumed audience to invade the stage. They threaten to 'beat the shit out of you assholes.' We, of course, decide it is our duty to keep going. By the time Sun Ra opens his set with '25 Years To The 21st Century,' DEVO has managed to clear the entire auditorium. Only the band and a half-dozen friends from Akron are there to hear Sun Ra's incredible performance."
(Note: The "Murray the K" Casale refers to there is actually legendary WMMS DJ Murray Saul, famous for his Friday afternoon "Get Down!" rants.)
― ARE YOU HIRING A NANNY OR A SHAMAN (Phil D.), Thursday, 4 April 2013 17:08 (eleven years ago) link
How weird it must have been for that crowd to see those dudes become big MTV stars five years later!
― frogbs, Thursday, 4 April 2013 17:51 (eleven years ago) link
Советский спутник!!!
"Space Junk"
― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Thursday, 4 April 2013 17:53 (eleven years ago) link
Original single version of "Jocko Homo" changed my life, so that.
― Basil Ironweed (Dan Peterson), Thursday, 4 April 2013 17:54 (eleven years ago) link
Oh good lord, this is a Sophie's Choice if ever was there one. I have to go with "Jocko Homo," with STRENUOUS apologies to "Uncontrollable Urge" (which my kids love) and "Praying Hands"....and "Mongoloid"....and "Gut Feeling"....and...
― Alex in NYC, Thursday, 4 April 2013 19:17 (eleven years ago) link
weird.
i thought we had done this one before !?!
impossible to answer.
hang on : hello alex !!
― mark e, Thursday, 4 April 2013 19:37 (eleven years ago) link
oh, and yesterday they announced that the hardcore devo albums are getting the reissue treatment having been out of print for years.
personally, i've never heard the pre debut material ...
kinda scared to do so, as i love the production detail on 'q:are we .. ', and a bunch of lo-fi scratchy recordings by my heroes does not appeal all that much.
or am i a misguided fool and need to pick up the reissue as soon as ?
― mark e, Thursday, 4 April 2013 19:41 (eleven years ago) link
I even found a "Hardcore Devo 3" and "Hardcore Devo 4" on Soulseek but man are they rough
Those first two volumes are essential and it's a real shame that they've been OOP for so long
― frogbs, Thursday, 4 April 2013 19:44 (eleven years ago) link
"weird.
i thought we had done this one before !?!"
i searched under every rock
― nostormo, Thursday, 4 April 2013 19:47 (eleven years ago) link
its only vol 1 and 2 getting the reissue treatment ..
xpost : no worries nostormo .. i aint complaining :-)
― mark e, Thursday, 4 April 2013 19:48 (eleven years ago) link
mark e, you've never even heard "Mechanical Man?" Not all of the early stuff is deathless classic, and there's a lot I haven't heard, but it's mostly pretty interesting and fun. Certainly lacks Eno's production polish, true.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eChq9mTnZFU
― Basil Ironweed (Dan Peterson), Thursday, 4 April 2013 19:52 (eleven years ago) link
The Hardcores are essential imho. Some of their best stuff. Beyond the officially released ones there is a huge amount of other quality unreleased stuff from that era. I assume the Hardcore 3 and 4 are bootlegs/fan-made things made from the other material that the band has made available semi-legally over the years, mostly via the "Boogie Boy's Basement" website. Lots of great later stuff too, such as the CDs that came out on Rhino Handmade.
― everything, Thursday, 4 April 2013 19:53 (eleven years ago) link
I don't think Eno's production is particularly auspicious BTW. The six songs that were previously recorded and released on their early singles are all better than the Eno-produced versions. The strength of the album is in the great songs and the performances.
― everything, Thursday, 4 April 2013 19:55 (eleven years ago) link
...and of course the image of the band, cover etc.
― everything, Thursday, 4 April 2013 19:57 (eleven years ago) link
no not heard 'mechanical man' prior to a few minutes ago ..and to be perfectly honest, i aint convinced i need to again really.different strokes ..
― mark e, Thursday, 4 April 2013 20:02 (eleven years ago) link
How about this - this is more representative of their sound 1973-1976ish.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyHnwnpum4o&noredirect=1
― everything, Thursday, 4 April 2013 20:07 (eleven years ago) link
now that i like !
― mark e, Thursday, 4 April 2013 20:12 (eleven years ago) link
awesome stuff!
Devo meets Pere Ubu sort of
― nostormo, Thursday, 4 April 2013 20:16 (eleven years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fs9_tcGmxzc
I love Goo Goo Itch
― Just noise and screaming and no musical value at all. (Colonel Poo), Thursday, 4 April 2013 20:20 (eleven years ago) link
Wham-o
― Trip Maker, Thursday, 4 April 2013 20:23 (eleven years ago) link
I assume the Hardcore 3 and 4 are bootlegs/fan-made things made from the other material that the band has made available semi-legally over the years, mostly via the "Boogie Boy's Basement" website.
I have no idea - they're certainly not official, but whoever put it together used sources that I hadn't heard on any other collection of rare early material (of the 2 or 3 you can find floating around). I assume he/she has an in with someone close to the band? I dunno. I'm sure there's only like 50 people who have it and IMO it's not really interesting as anything more than a curiosity. But man, early Devo was one weird, weird group. Like a catchier version of the Residents, they were.
― frogbs, Thursday, 4 April 2013 20:29 (eleven years ago) link
This is too hard. My instinct is to go with Jocko Homo but I need to play it through before voting. Looking at the tracklist I could go for almost anything apart from Satisfaction.
Am I on my own in loving the second album just a little bit more?
― Kitchen Person, Thursday, 4 April 2013 21:24 (eleven years ago) link
Oh yes, 2nd album is boss. There's an album with superb production.
― everything, Thursday, 4 April 2013 21:31 (eleven years ago) link
Uncontrollable Urge or Homo.
Did they ever surpass this album? Please edify me. I was not a huge fan but have loved this for , that long
― Jessie Fer Ark (Mobbed Up Ping Pong Psychos), Thursday, 4 April 2013 21:32 (eleven years ago) link
Apologies..too late agin. I'm gonna source the second
― Jessie Fer Ark (Mobbed Up Ping Pong Psychos), Thursday, 4 April 2013 21:33 (eleven years ago) link
I prefer the first to any of the others, but they're all worth hearing. Even Total Devo and Smooth Noodle Maps.
― Johnny Fever, Thursday, 4 April 2013 21:35 (eleven years ago) link
The first two albums are both 10/10 for me but the second one just has the edge, it's such a strange album (even for them) but the songs really get in my head. Smart Patrol/Mr DNA is my favourite song of theirs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UKtZwWLMp8
I must have watched this clip a hundred times.
― Kitchen Person, Thursday, 4 April 2013 21:37 (eleven years ago) link
― Johnny Fever
I think you're the first person I've seen say anything positive about those albums. I stopped at Oh No It's Devo which is really great.
― Kitchen Person, Thursday, 4 April 2013 21:39 (eleven years ago) link
second album needs a remaster.
after hearing the debut given a makeover, the second sounds weak.
when i was ih chicago a couple of years ago i sourced the expanded remasters of q:are we not men.., and new traditionalists, and they sound fantastic in comparison to the cheap and cheerful uk available virgin cd issues ..
― mark e, Thursday, 4 April 2013 21:42 (eleven years ago) link
For me it's Q: Are We Not Men > Freedom of Choice > Duty Now but all three are great and "Smart Patrol/Mr. DNA" is probably the best thing they ever did. Disagree with Johnny on the later albums - some good tracks here and there but after Oh, No they really really lost their way and seemed to not really even want to be a band anymore. New Traditionalists is where the slide really starts but I think that album has enough great songs to power through it.
― frogbs, Thursday, 4 April 2013 21:42 (eleven years ago) link
oh wow, I didn't even know New Traditionalists had a remaster. the original mix is pretty flat.
― frogbs, Thursday, 4 April 2013 21:43 (eleven years ago) link
exactly .. they all are ... hence why the remasters are sooo much better.us based releases only.
― mark e, Thursday, 4 April 2013 21:43 (eleven years ago) link
I think you're the first person I've seen say anything positive about those albums.
Well, they're certainly not documents of the band at their creative best, but they aren't abominations either.
― Johnny Fever, Thursday, 4 April 2013 21:45 (eleven years ago) link
Listening through the album now, the production on Too Much Paranoias is just so amazing, that going into Gut Feeling is my favourite bit on the album.
― Kitchen Person, Thursday, 4 April 2013 21:47 (eleven years ago) link
I always thought Shout! got kind of unfairly destroyed because it's just a stupid fun digital synth album and the catchiness is mostly still there. Total Devo and Smooth Noodle Maps both struck me as being really terrible though there were some songs I liked on the latter. It's been years since I listened to either though. Only thing I liked on Total Devo was "Happy Guy" which totally lifts Numan's "Bombers"!
― frogbs, Thursday, 4 April 2013 21:48 (eleven years ago) link
I have a hard time separating the first 2 albums, and whenever I'm in the mood to listen to them, I block out enough time to listen to both.
― The Complete Afterbirth of the Cool (WilliamC), Thursday, 4 April 2013 21:48 (eleven years ago) link
I mentioned this on the album poll thread but just in case anyone has an incredible memory or even better somehow can find the issue, I remember reading a feature story on Devo in a kiddie scholastic magazine, sometime around 1978-79. Possibly National Scholastic, but not sure. I just think it's funny that it got through the editors probably because of their funny hats, given the very *adult* themes in some of their lyrics!
― Fastnbulbous, Thursday, 4 April 2013 21:54 (eleven years ago) link
but wasn't that always the point re devo ?
their cartoonish overtones vs their adult f*cked'upness ..
hence why they are one of the few bands you can fall for hard when a young'un and still appreciate as you enter your more mature years ..
or is that just a heavy dose of transference on my side ?
― mark e, Thursday, 4 April 2013 22:01 (eleven years ago) link
They started off mocking paternalism (appeaaling and exciting to youth). Then post Whip It they continually dished out advice in a fairly paternalistic way. Perhaps mirroring this idea that we all get more conservative as we get older?
― everything, Thursday, 4 April 2013 22:07 (eleven years ago) link
Devo was the first band I ever really loved, at the age of 6...my parents went to high school with those dudes!!
― frogbs, Thursday, 4 April 2013 22:11 (eleven years ago) link
mind. officially. blown.
gotta love the wired world we now live in.
― mark e, Thursday, 4 April 2013 22:15 (eleven years ago) link
man this is impossible, maybe mongoloid?
i will throw down hard for new traditionalists, i love that album
― My Chemical Romance did 9/11 (jjjusten), Thursday, 4 April 2013 22:24 (eleven years ago) link
totally.
― mark e, Thursday, 4 April 2013 22:26 (eleven years ago) link
There's a great stretch in the middle - "Going Under", "Race of Doom", and "Love Without Anger" - all three are all-timers for me. I never hear anyone mention "Race of Doom" but the chorus on that one - "Is it on? Is it off? Re-ply!" probably stuck with me more than anything else they did.
― frogbs, Thursday, 4 April 2013 22:27 (eleven years ago) link
haha .. now that is one seriously good call ..
time to dig in the archive ..
i need to hear that now.
― mark e, Thursday, 4 April 2013 22:30 (eleven years ago) link
man i KNEW we had done this, pretty sure i voted 'gut feeling/slap yr mammy' last time so voting 'uncontrollable urge' this time
― balls, Monday, 8 April 2013 18:53 (eleven years ago) link
all those posts wasted for nothing..
― nostormo, Monday, 8 April 2013 18:58 (eleven years ago) link
I wish it were possible to add keywords to threads to make searches more productive.
― The Complete Afterbirth of the Cool (WilliamC), Monday, 8 April 2013 18:59 (eleven years ago) link
I think I voted for Gut Feeling as well, thinkin about Prayin Hands or the Satisfaction cover
― que sera sriracha (Drugs A. Money), Monday, 8 April 2013 19:00 (eleven years ago) link
a little surprised by the lack of "space junk" chatter on here
― original bgm, Monday, 8 April 2013 21:28 (eleven years ago) link
outside of Shrivel Up and maybe Too Much Paranoias I think every song here is pretty defensible
― frogbs, Monday, 8 April 2013 22:00 (eleven years ago) link
as a choice for this poll, that is. every song is good but so many of them are really good
yeah, I get that. but "space junk" rules.
― original bgm, Monday, 8 April 2013 22:24 (eleven years ago) link
Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.
― System, Wednesday, 10 April 2013 00:01 (eleven years ago) link
"Gut Feeling/Slap Your Mammy" for me. SO glad to hear that the Hardcore Devos are being reissued - and by the same label that's doing the MX-80 reissue program! I LOVE THE MIDWEST!!
― Sir Lord Baltimora (Myonga Vön Bontee), Wednesday, 10 April 2013 00:52 (eleven years ago) link
everything bonty just said, down to the second exclamation point.
wish there was a 20:10 gut feeling out there somewhere...
― I have many lovely lacy nightgowns (contenderizer), Wednesday, 10 April 2013 02:11 (eleven years ago) link
Ha yeah
― que sera sriracha (Drugs A. Money), Wednesday, 10 April 2013 05:13 (eleven years ago) link
Hey does anyone know where to get the tracks they did with Neil Young from the Human Highway soundtrack? Used to have those and can't seem to find them anymore.
― we browse anonymo (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Wednesday, 10 April 2013 09:36 (eleven years ago) link
'Mongoloid'
― The Jupiter 8 (Turrican), Wednesday, 10 April 2013 11:44 (eleven years ago) link
I love this, but Jocko Homo has to be the one.
― pssstttt, Hey you (dog latin), Wednesday, 10 April 2013 11:45 (eleven years ago) link
Oh man, it's got to be 'Space Junk' really. Such a joyful bounding sprint of a song. Subject matter set against that totally not-arsed delivery and the call-response backing vocals... oh boy. Totally exhilarating song.
― Windsor Davies, Wednesday, 10 April 2013 13:42 (eleven years ago) link
xxxpost re Human Highway, it's just two songs: "It Takes a Worried Man" which was on a 7 inch and comped a couple of times such as on the Pioneers Who Got Scalped comp and the "We're All Devo" video comp; and "Hey Hey My My" which has never been released except on but you can get it from bootlegs available from Booji Boys Basement. But hey, good old youtube.
― everything, Wednesday, 10 April 2013 17:32 (eleven years ago) link
This album is so top-to-bottom brilliant that I went with what I think summarizes its greatness: Gut Feeling/Slap Your Mammy. (And does ILX like/not like Shrivel Up?)
― "Poot yawl hans together" patter. -- Steve Apple, RS (weatheringdaleson), Wednesday, 10 April 2013 19:01 (eleven years ago) link
i was wondering why nobody's mentioned Jonee itt. voted for it on account of how it was used in the movie rock'n'roll high school.but yes, shrivel is kinda tucked away there and is a groover
― making plans for nyquil (outdoor_miner), Wednesday, 10 April 2013 19:07 (eleven years ago) link
Late vote for Gut Feeling.
― More Songs About Buildings and Fuiud (Mr Andy M), Wednesday, 10 April 2013 20:19 (eleven years ago) link
(Although now feeling sorry for Praying Hands which is another of the great ones that I tend to overlook).
― More Songs About Buildings and Fuiud (Mr Andy M), Wednesday, 10 April 2013 20:20 (eleven years ago) link
mongoloid
― Bobby McFerrin, Quantum Physicist (Sufjan Grafton), Wednesday, 10 April 2013 20:22 (eleven years ago) link
Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.
― System, Thursday, 11 April 2013 00:01 (eleven years ago) link
I voted for "Space Junk," but that was one of a half dozen possible choices. I remember first hearing this album in 7th grade or thereabouts and being just blown away by it.
― 誤訳侮辱, Thursday, 11 April 2013 00:37 (eleven years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYwL3SmcnB4
― city worker, Thursday, 11 April 2013 02:31 (eleven years ago) link
Missed it but I'd have voted Mongoloid. My first ever band did a cover of it when I was 13 or 14. I'm sure it was awful.
― Oblique Strategies, Thursday, 11 April 2013 02:36 (eleven years ago) link
Stoked that Satisfaction got some votes this time. Its weird how all time covers get short shrift in these (see also: Killing Me Softly in the Fugees poll)
― que sera sriracha (Drugs A. Money), Thursday, 11 April 2013 05:16 (eleven years ago) link
I could have easily voted for 'Satisfaction', but man, all the originals on this album are just so strong.
― The Jupiter 8 (Turrican), Thursday, 11 April 2013 11:21 (eleven years ago) link
I know but Satisfaction is practically an original itself
― que sera sriracha (Drugs A. Money), Thursday, 11 April 2013 15:54 (eleven years ago) link
i voted for "Space Junk," and then felt right about that choice later that day when i saw the phrase in the U.S. Space and Rocket Center
― some dude, Thursday, 11 April 2013 21:55 (eleven years ago) link
Seconded - and it's the song that keeps me coming back to this album. When I do I remember how great it is overall, but the other songs don't stick with me like this one does.
― wronger than 100 geir posts (MacDara), Friday, 12 April 2013 07:58 (eleven years ago) link
for me the archetypal Space Junk will always be an exhortation breathed by Fred Schneider during Channel Z
― que sera sriracha (Drugs A. Money), Friday, 12 April 2013 08:04 (eleven years ago) link
There's something about the guitar line, the vocal delivery and the chord progression in 'Shrivel Up' which sounds to me like a very obvious influence on The Pixies.
― Welcome To (Turrican), Wednesday, 17 December 2014 18:38 (nine years ago) link
True
― Root It Oot (Tom D.), Wednesday, 17 December 2014 21:46 (nine years ago) link
40 years old today.
― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Tuesday, 28 August 2018 05:06 (five years ago) link
...and still great. I know their early "Hardcore" material has its fans but I prefer the versions on this album.
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Tuesday, 28 August 2018 15:13 (five years ago) link
Checked a few Devo threads including two for this album and the unconpollable urge and couldn't see this posted.
The story behind the (US) cover image. Interviews with Jerry, Mark and other players. Also added Langley School Project.
https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/devolutionary-design/
― *there's (Noel Emits), Friday, 1 February 2019 19:15 (five years ago) link
Chi Chi Rodriguez is one of the most famous golfers in history.
Er, I don't think so, I'd never heard of him - he only played in one Open Championship in 18 years, that probably explains it.
― Wee boats wobble but they don't fall down (Tom D.), Friday, 1 February 2019 19:22 (five years ago) link
explains why the face looks so "off" - though I would disagree with the "hideous" descriptor, I think the altered photo looks better!
― frogbs, Friday, 1 February 2019 19:27 (five years ago) link
Any excuse: http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7WmTsLO-hUI
― a large tuna called “Justice” (C. Grisso/McCain), Friday, 1 February 2019 19:50 (five years ago) link
this has nothing to do with the topic at hand, but this is an amazing photo
https://i.imgur.com/7Ws29C0.jpg
― frogbs, Friday, 1 February 2019 20:58 (five years ago) link
http://ireallylovemusic.co.uk/blog/?p=2134
still the best live album i have.
― mark e, Saturday, 27 March 2021 22:48 (three years ago) link
That was actually the first Devo album I bought!
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Sunday, 28 March 2021 02:45 (three years ago) link