Those familiar with Devo know that behind the music is the philosophy, one that straddles the line between novelty and sincerity. Full of quirks and contradictions, the philosophy behind the band remains one of its most intriguing features.
The name Devo comes from the concept of “de-evolution,” or the idea that human beings are de-evolving rather than evolving. The band embraced the concept after reading the book The Beginning Was the End: Knowledge Can Be Eaten, published in 1974 by Oscar Kiss Maerth, who wrote that humans evolved from cannibalistic apes.
In the worldview of Devo, human beings relying on technology more than on their innate abilities is an example of regression rather than progression. And conformity, while widespread, goes largely unnoticed.
Mark Mothersbaugh once referred to their song “Jocko Homo” as “the whole theme song for the theory of de-evolution and for Devo.” It’s named after “Jocko Homo, Heaven-Bound King of the Apes,” a religious pamphlet discrediting evolution Mothersbaugh received while at Kent State.
The lyrics depict mankind as a grotesque sideshow attraction. The band asks the question “Are we not men?” a reference to H.G. Wells’ The Island of Dr. Moreau. (In interviews, Mothersbaugh has said it was taken from the 1933 film Island of Lost Souls, which is based on Wells’ book.)
These ideas are represented not only in the band’s music, but also in its live appearances and music videos, which — ironically — are credited with first popularizing MTV.
There are, of course, the uniforms and red hats. But Devo also developed characters like Booji Boy (“boogie boy”), which was Mothersbaugh in an oversized baby mask. The potato is another recurring symbol for Devo (fans of the band call themselves “spuds”).
The members of Devo incorporated these ideas into a short film called The Truth About De-Evolution, which played at the 1976 Ann Arbor Film Festival. The film won over two fans named David Bowie and Iggy Pop, and the rest is history.
— Jon Dieringer
The Burr is produced by students at Kent State University twice per academic year.No part of The Burr may be reprinted without permission.