DEVO Live Guide - 1973 to 1977 04/18/73 - Recital Hall, Kent State University (Creative Arts Festival), Kent, OH Set Here Comes Peter Cottontail • Mr. Jingeling • Private Secretary • Wiggle Worm • Beehive Flash • What Comes Around Goes Around • Subhuman Woman • River Run • Sun Come Up Moon Go Down Notes Named "Sextet DEVO: six on six" this was the bands first public performance. The show took place at 7PM and featured Gerald Casale, Bob Casale, Mark Mothersbaugh, Bob Lewis, Rod Reisman and Chas. Frederick Weber III. Billed as "polyrhythmic tone exercises in de-evolution." Gerald Casale was quoted in New Vinyl Times (v.1 #11, 1980): "We played at a Kent State Arts Festival. I think the people at the festival would have been a lot happier if we had been a Baroque string trio or a Heavy Metal band. They didn't know what to make of us... Our sound then was like Chinese Computer Music..." According to Gerald Casale in a tape-recorded telephone interview from Los Angeles with Jade Dellinger on June, 11, 2001 for the book Are We Not Men? We Are DEVO!: "It was not really a band. We just called it Sextet Devo because I had been doing de-evolutionary art... Bob Lewis' connection to Bertholf sealed our position in the line up, and then he demanded that Fred [Weber] sing because Fred was a beautiful singer and none of us could sing right." *For a thorough description of this concert, I recommend reading Jade Dellinger's and David Giffels' book Are We Not Men? We Are DEVO! (SAF Publishing Ltd./UK) or check out their "sample chapter" here. Circulating Recordings AMT #1 - amateur video Lowest Generation: Official DVD [The Complete Truth About De-Evolution] Length / Sound Quality: 3 min / 6.5 Footage is black and white. The DVD is incomplete and only contains about 3 minutes of the show. 04/23/74 - Governance Chambers, Kent State University (Creative Arts Festival), Kent, OH Notes The Daily Kent Stater reports (4/23/74): "Devo makes a triumphant return to the site of last year's spectacle... This is your chance. This year's performance will degenerate in the Governance Chambers (as is altogether fitting). Seats will be at a premium, so get there early... Don't miss 'Private Secretary,' 'I Been Refused,' 'Sub-human Woman,' 'The Rope Song,' 'Pigs Waddle,' 'Be Stiff,' 'Androgyny,' 'O No' and 'All of Us' as performed by Gerald and Robert Casale, Robert Lewis and James and Mark Mothersbaugh... the incredible Devo..." According to an early band-authored press release titled the "DEVO RAP SHEET": "By the following year the music had devolved significantly, and at the KSU Festival of 1974 the band had added Jim Mothersbaugh and his self-developed electronic drums. That Fall, a tape was recorded at Krieger-Field Studio in Akron. Personnel at this time consisted of Jerry & Bob Casale, Bob Lewis, Bob Mothersbaugh, Jim Mothersbaugh, and Mark Mothersbaugh." As Bob Lewis revealed to Jade Dellinger in an interview for the book Are We Not Men? We Are DEVO!: "During the second Creative Arts Festival, we played the Student Governance Chamber - the same place that the 'Jocko Homo' segment of our movie was shot. It was brand new and looked like a mini United Nations... A real good venue... [The poet] Ed Dorn was around for Creative Arts I -- and then he returned as a featured poet at Creative Arts II, along with Holbrook Teeter, Joanne Kyger, and Robert Creeley." According to Gerald Casale in a tape-recorded telephone interview with Mr. Dellinger on June, 11, 2001 for the book Are We Not Men? We Are DEVO!: "We played probably a half a dozen times with Jim Mothersbaugh as our drummer... [Jim's first DEVO performance was the 1974 Creative Arts Festival.] The second one. In the Governance Chambers, where we actually had like a forty-minute set." ??/??/74 - The Kove, Kent, OH Other Performers Numbers Band ??/??/74 - J.B.'s, Kent, OH Notes This show was a benefit for Shelley's Book Bar. ??/??/74 - unknown venue, Akron, OH Set Fraulein • The Death Of Lt. Casanova • Midget Circulating Recordings SBD #1 - soundboard audio Lowest Generation: unknown Length / Sound Quality: 15 min / 8.5 04/04/75 - University Auditorium, Kent State University, Kent, OH Set Can U Take It • Auto Modown • Baby Talkin' Bitches • Subhuman Woman • All of Us • I Been Refused • Ono • Smart Patrol • The Girl Can't Help It Notes "Pink Flamingos (The most disgusting movie ever made!) - Sponsored by Tuesday Cinema - Plus On Stage: DEVO (The De-evolution Band) "How LOW can you go!" (featuring Boogie Boy, China Man, Jungle Jim & The Clown) Friday@ University Auditorium. Devo plays at 7:30 & 10:00; John Waters' Pink Flamingos screened at 8:15 & 10:30. Both for one price - admission $1.00." According to early DEVO collaborator Gary "General" Jackett in an interview with Jade Dellinger on January 18, 2001: "They knew Dick Myers who was a cinema teacher, and he was showing 'Pink Flamingos'. That was the first time they showed 'Pink Flamingos' at Kent. It was very avant guarde - everybody was kind of like shell shocked from the film, and then they have Devo come out. I know Bob Lewis was in that particular line up, and Jerry and maybe Mark had joined by then. Everybody watched 'Pink Flamingos' and then they played. I remember they weren't too well received." As Gerald Casale revealed to Jade Dellinger in a tape-recorded telephone interview from Los Angeles on June 11, 2001 for the book Are We Not Men? We Are DEVO!: "'Pink Flamingos' was our favorite film. We just couldn't believe it got made. We thought this was incredible. We just wanted to meet John Waters, you know... We met him many times since. Basically, he and his friends were the Devo of Baltimore. The same kind of transgressive, irreverent - kind of collage like... let's rethink all this folks. People that are kind of blue collar, but smart, and have no respect." 04/??/75 - Kent State University (Creative Arts Festival), Kent, OH 10/31/75 - WHK Auditorium (WMMS-FM Halloween Party), Cleveland, OH Set Subhuman Woman • Bamboo Bimbo • Baby Talkin' Bitches • Chango • Beulah • Jocko Homo • I Need A Chick Notes According to CLE 3A, "The 'HK (WHK Auditorium, 5000 Euclid Ave.) was built in the thirties as a radio broadcast theater. It seats approx. 1500. It's old, neglected and crumbling. What once was beautiful is now a 'unique atmosphere,' perched on the edge of the 'inner city.' In the late 60's it was the Cleveland Grande for a while. In the mid-70's an early version of Devo played a private party for WMMS, warming' up for Sun Ra." In CLE No. 1, Charlotte Pressler had written, "Devo's songs lyrically are almost exclusively concerned with the pursuits of apemen, pinheads, rubber workers, mongoloids, and similar specimens of de-evolved humanity... If they had been beer-can collectors, it would have been a good gig. Probably there were some rare varieties among the ones the audience threw at them [during their WMMS Halloween Concert]" According to Gary "General" Jackett in a interview with Jade Dellinger on January 18, 2001 for the book Are We Not Men? We Are DEVO!: "It was October 31st, Halloween night. That was wild, and they were hated. People were throwing full beer cans at them. The people were the radio people. It was the nastiest, most hostile - and it wasn't a big crowd or anything. It was just a party for the radio station. It was basically all radio station people, and they hated Devo. They really did. With all the tension, you could cut the air. They were wearing these dumb little blue Dickies worksuits and that. It was before they got hardcore with the yellow industrial ones... I showed up about the time they went on at the WMMS Halloween Party. I just remember it was a very nasty atmosphere. People throwing beer cans yelling, 'You fucking stink!' And they're doing 'I Need a Chick to Suck my Dick!' At that point Cleveland was just like a bombed out shell. It had had it's renaissance and that. So it's in this old auditorium and it was just ratty - it was nasty. WMMS didn't know what they were getting into. There was some kind of connection as far as getting Devo the gig. I don't know if it was [DEVO's soundman] Eddie Barger. It was obvious it was not a perfect marriage." According to Jim Mothersbaugh at 2001 DEVOtional Fan Convention: "Probably one of the most memorable was when we were an opening act for Sun Ra. WMMS, I think, was the radio station that sponsored it, and it was a Halloween party. There was a really famous DJ back then in Cleveland called, I think, Murray Saul, and he would always do this, 'We gotta', gotta' Boogie!' Booji Boy came out and did this parody on him, [in a high-pitched Booji Boy voice] 'Alright everybody, we gotta', gotta Boojiiiii!' And they got mad! The radio personalities and stuff started throwing things at us on stage! We actually had to get whisked out of there..." 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." Mark Mothersbaugh tells Joe Garden of The Onion (7/10/97), "(Sun Ra) almost never came out on stage, because there were fist fights between the audience and Devo. They were doing tequila sunrise out of a big 50-gallon vat and taking... What drug were they taking? Oh, the one you inhale. Laughing gas or something. It was Halloween in Cleveland, Ohio, and somebody hired Devo as a joke. We were dressed in janitor outfits, and they were all dressed like hunchbacks and vampires, and permutations of lowest-common-denominator Halloween costumes. LCD horror. They ended up getting really pissed off at us and the music we were playing. At the time, we were a lightning rod for hostility. We would play a song like 'Subhuman Woman' for seven minutes. We'd play 'Jocko Homo' for 30 minutes, and we wouldn't stop until people were actually fighting with us, trying to make us stop playing the song. We'd just keep going, 'Are we not men? We are Devo!' for like 25 minutes, directed at people in an aggressive enough manner that even the most peace-lovin' hippie wanted to throw fists. We were in a negative-energy vortex back in the mid-'70s." Circulating Recordings SBD #1 - soundboard audio Lowest Generation: Official CD [Live: The Mongoloid Years] Length / Sound Quality: 15 min / 8.5 "Baby Talkin' Bitches" & "Chango" are cut. Other Performers Sun Ra ??/??/76 - Bombay Bicycle Club, Akron, OH Other Performers King Cobra 12/10/76 - The Crypt, Akron, OH 12/11/76 - The Crypt, Akron, OH 12/17/76 - The Crypt, Akron, OH Other Performers Pere Ubu 12/18/76 - The Crypt, Akron, OH Other Performers Pere Ubu 12/??/76 - The Crypt, Akron, OH Set Clockout • Timing X • Soo Bawls • Space Junk • Blockhead Notes This was probably one of the four Crypt shows mentioned above. Circulating Recordings SBD #1 - soundboard audio Lowest Generation: Official CD [Live: The Mongoloid Years] Length / Sound Quality: 20 min / 9.5 12/31/76 - The Crypt, Akron, OH Other Performers Dead Boys • King Cobra 01/01/77 - The Crypt, Akron, OH Other Performers Dead Boys • King Cobra 02/??/77 - The Crypt, Akron, OH Set Praying Hands • Social Fools • Be Stiff • Uncontrollable Urge • Secret Agent Man • Shrivel Up • Last Time I Saw St. Louis • Fraulein • Too Much Paranoias • Huboon Stomp • Space Junk • Mongoloid • Falling In Love Again • Soo Bawls • Blockhead • Jocko Homo • Words Get Stuck In My Throat Circulating Recordings SBD #1 - soundboard audio Lowest Generation: unknown Length / Sound Quality: 65 min / 8.5 "Praying Hands" & "Jocko Homo" are cut. "Words Get Stuck In My Throat" sounds different from the rest of the recording and might be from a different show completely. ??/??/77 - The Crypt, Akron, OH Set Too Much Paranoias • Praying Hands • Uncontrollable Urge • Social Fools • Clockout Notes This may have been one of the other Crypt show(s) listed in 1976 or 1977. Circulating Recordings AMT #1a - amateur video Lowest Generation: Official DVD [The Complete Truth About De-Evolution] Length / Sound Quality: 3 min / 7.0 Footage is black and white. Contains only "Too Much Paranoias," "Uncontrollable Urge," and "Clockout." All songs are cut. AMT #1b - amateur video Lowest Generation: unknown Length / Sound Quality: 18 min / 6.5 Footage is black and white. "Too Much Paranoias" is cut. Missing "Clockout." 03/12/77 - Akron Art Institute, Akron, OH Notes This was a free show which was held after the first showing of The Truth About De-evolution film. 03/??/77 - The Crypt, Akron, OH 03/??/77 - The Crypt, Akron, OH 05/19/77 - Pirate's Cove, Cleveland, OH Set Satisfaction • Too Much Paranoias • Praying Hands • Uncontrollable Urge • Smart Patrol • Mr. DNA • Gut Feeling • Slap Your Mammy • Space Junk • Timing X • Soo Bawls • Blockhead • Last Time I Saw St. Louis • Sloppy • Come Back Jonee • Clockout Circulating Recordings AUD #1 - audience audio Lowest Generation: unknown Length / Sound Quality: 55 min / 7.5 05/23/77 - CBGB's, New York, NY 05/24/77 - CBGB's, New York, NY 05/25/77 - Max's Kansas City, New York, NY Set Satisfaction • Too Much Paranoias • Praying Hands • Uncontrollable Urge • Mongoloid • Jocko Homo • Smart Patrol • Mr. DNA • Gut Feeling • Slap Your Mammy • Sloppy • Clockout • Words Get Stuck In My Throat • Be Stiff • Secret Agent Man Circulating Recordings AUD #1 - audience audio Equipment: AKG A200D > Uher CR-134 Lowest Generation: ANA(M) Length / Sound Quality: 65 min / 7.0 Other Performers Allen Turner & Rocks • Fox And Co. 05/28/77 - Eagle Street Saloon, Cleveland, OH Set Social Fools • Be Stiff • Huboon Stomp • Space Junk • Timing X • Soo Bawls • Blockhead • Last Time I Saw St. Louis • Satisfaction • Too Much Paranoias • Praying Hands • Uncontrollable Urge • Mongoloid • Smart Patrol • Mr. DNA • Gut Feeling • Slap Your Mammy • Polyvinyl Chloride • Nutty Buddy • Secret Agent Man • Jocko Homo • Sloppy Circulating Recordings AUD #1 - audience audio Lowest Generation: ANA(1) Length / Sound Quality: 75 min / 8.5 06/19/77 - Drome, Cleveland, OH 06/??/77 - J.B.'s, Kent, OH 07/06/77 - Hot Club, Philadelphia, PA 07/07/77 - Max's Kansas City, New York, NY Other Performers The Cramps • Suicide 07/08/77 - Max's Kansas City, New York, NY Set EARLY SET: Huboon Stomp • Social Fools • Be Stiff • Too Much Paranoias • Praying Hands • Uncontrollable Urge • Smart Patrol • Mr. DNA • Sloppy LATE SET: Satisfation • Blockhead • Timing X • Soo Bawls • Penetration In The Centerfold • Mongoloid • Gut Feeling • Slap Your Mammy • Jocko Homo • Come Back Jonee • Words Get Stuck In My Throat Notes This show is commonly mislabelled as being from 07/09/77. Circulating Recordings AUD #1 - audience audio Equipment: unknown > Sony TC-126 Lowest Generation: unknown Length / Sound Quality: 80 min / 7.5 AMT #1 - amateur video (incomplete) Lowest Generation:unknown Length / Video - Sound Quality: 30 min / 6.5 - 7.0 Footage is black and white. Other Performers The Cramps • Suicide 07/09/77 - Max's Kansas City, New York, NY Set EARLY SET: Nutty Buddy • Social Fools • Be Stiff • Praying Hands • Uncontrollable Urge • Blockhead • Smart Patrol • Mr. DNA • Sloppy LATE SET: Timing X • Soo Bawls • Satisfation • Too Much Paranoias • Penetration In The Centerfold • Mongoloid • Gut Feeling • Slap Your Mammy • Jocko Homo • Come Back Jonee Notes This show is commonly mislabelled as being from 07/10/77. Circulating Recordings AUD #1 - audience audio Equipment: unknown > Sony TC-126 Lowest Generation: unknown Length / Sound Quality: 60 min / 7.0 AMT #1 - amateur video (incomplete) Lowest Generation:unknown Length / Video - Sound Quality: 20 min / 6.5 - 7.0 Footage is black and white. Other Performers The Cramps • Suicide 07/25/77 - Starwood, West Hollywood, CA Other Performers Clown 07/26/77 - Starwood, West Hollywood, CA Other Performers Clown 08/02/77 - Mabuhay Gardens, San Francisco, CA Other Performers The Dix 08/03/77 - Mabuhay Gardens, San Francisco, CA Set EARLY SET: Satisfaction • Too Much Paranoias • Praying Hands • Uncontrollable Urge • Mongoloid • Jocko Homo • Smart Patrol • Mr. DNA • Gut Feeling • Sloppy LATE SET: Satisfaction • Too Much Paranoias • Praying Hands • Uncontrollable Urge • Mongoloid • Smart Patrol • Mr. DNA • Gut Feeling • Slap Your Mammy • Sloppy • Jocko Homo • Clockout Notes This was previously labelled 08/05/78 which is most likely not. Circulating Recordings SBD #1 - soundboard audio Lowest Generation: REEL(M) Length / Sound Quality: 80 min / 8.5 "Satisfaction" & "Sloppy" from the early set are cut. An incomplete mix of both sets available on the unofficial LP "Clockwork." 08/12/77 - Myron's Ballroom, Los Angeles, CA Other Performers The Weirdos • The Dils 08/22/77 - Starwood, West Hollywood, CA Other Performers The Pitts 08/23/77 - Starwood, West Hollywood, CA Other Performers The Pitts 08/24/77 - Starwood, West Hollywood, CA Set Satisfaction • Too Much Paranoias • Praying Hands • Uncontrollable Urge • Mongoloid • Gut Feeling • Slap Your Mammy • Jocko Homo • Smart Patrol • Mr. DNA • Sloppy • Secret Agent Man • Timing X • Soo Bawls • Shrivel Up • I'm A Potato • I Need A Chick • Come Back Jonee • A Plan For U Circulating Recordings AUD #1 - audience audio Lowest Generation: ANA(M) Length / Sound Quality: 60 min / 7.5 Missing "Secret Agent Man" & "A Plan For U." AUD #2 - audience audio Lowest Generation: unknown Length / Sound Quality: 70 min / 6.5 Other Performers The Pitts 09/10/77 - Mabuhay Gardens, San Francisco, CA Other Performers USSR 09/11/77 - Mabuhay Gardens, San Francisco, CA Other Performers The Avengers 09/19/77 - Starwood, West Hollywood, CA Other Performers The Zeros 09/20/77 - Starwood, West Hollywood, CA Other Performers The Zeros 09/21/77 - Starwood, West Hollywood, CA Other Performers The Zeros 09/22/77 - Starwood, West Hollywood, CA Other Performers The Zeros 09/23/77 - Hollywood Palladium, Hollywood, CA Other Performers Blondie • The Weirdos • Richard Hell • The Avengers 10/03/77 - Whisky A Go-Go, Hollywood, CA Notes Devo played at least two shows on this day. Other Performers Blondie • The Germs 10/09/77 - Mabuhay Gardens, San Francisco, CA Other Performers The Razz Band • Ready Mades 10/16/77 - Whisky A Go-Go, Hollywood, CA Other Performers The Weirdos • Bags 10/31/77 - Starwood, West Hollywood, CA Other Performers Mumps 11/14/77 - Max's Kansas City, New York, NY Other Performers The Boyfriends • Screams 11/15/77 - Max's Kansas City, New York, NY Set EARLY SET: Satisfaction • Too Much Paranoias • Praying Hands • Uncontrollable Urge • Mongoloid • Smart Patrol • Mr. DNA • Gut Feeling • Slap Your Mammy • Sloppy LATE SET: Space Junk • Mongoloid • Uncontrollable Urge • Blockhead • Come Back Jonee • Clockout • I Need A Chick • Jocko Homo Circulating Recordings AUD #1 - audience audio Lowest Generation: ANA(M) Length / Sound Quality: 65 min / 8.0 This recording also contains audio from video projections of "Secret Agent Man" & "Jocko Homo." "Mr. DNA" & "Jocko Homo" are cut. Missing "Gut Feeling," "Slap Your Mammy," & "Sloppy" from the early set. SBD #1 - soundboard audio (incomplete) Lowest Generation: Official CD [Live: The Mongoloid Years] Length / Sound Quality: 40 min / 9.5 Includes all of the early set and only "Come Back Jonee" from the late set. The Mongoloid Years mislabels this recording as being from May 1977. Other Performers The Feelies 12/03/77 - WHK Auditorium, Cleveland, OH Set Too Much Paranoias • Blockhead • Mongoloid • Smart Patrol • Mr. DNA • Gut Feeling • Slap Your Mammy • Sloppy • Come Back Jonee • Satisfaction • Timing X • Soo Bawls • Uncontrollable Urge • Words Get Stuck In My Throat Circulating Recordings AUD #1 - audience audio Lowest Generation: Unofficial LP [1984, The Year After 1977] Length / Sound Quality: 45 min / 8.0 Other Performers Destroy All Monsters • Styrene Money Band ??/??/77 - Mabuhay Gardens, San Francisco, CA Set Come Back Jonee • Blockhead • Too Much Paranoias • Praying Hands • Uncontrollable Urge • Smart Patrol • Mr. DNA • Gut Feeling • Slap Your Mammy • Words Get Stuck In My Throat • DEVO Corporate Anthem Circulating Recordings SBD #1 - soundboard audio Lowest Generation: Unofficial LP [Sing If You're Glad To Be DEVO] Length / Sound Quality: XX min / X.X 12/17/77 - Max's Kansas City, New York, NY Set EARLY SET: Pink Pussycat • Satisfaction • Too Much Paranoia • Praying Hands • Uncontrollable Urge • Mongoloid • Jocko Homo • Smart Patrol • Mr. DNA • Gut Feeling • Slap Your Mammy • Sloppy • Come Back Jonnee LATE SET: Clockout • Timing X • Soo Bawls • Pink Pussycat • Space Junk • Mongoloid • Gut Feeling • Slap Your Mammy • Sloppy • Wiggly World Circulating Recordings AUD #1 - audience audio Equipment: AKG A200D > Uher CR-134 Lowest Generation: ANA(M) Length / Sound Quality: 65 min / 7.5 12/21/77 - unknown venue, Toronto, ON, Canada [CANCELLED] Other Performers Misfits • The Skulls 12/22/77 - unknown venue, Toronto, ON, Canada [CANCELLED] Other Performers Misfits • The Skulls 12/26/77 - Agora Ballroom, Cleveland, OH Other Performers Dead Boys 12/31/77 - Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, Santa Monica, CA Set Jocko Homo • Satisfaction • Too Much Paranoias • Wiggly World • Uncontrollable Urge • Mongoloid • Smart Patrol • Mr. DNA • Sloppy • Come Back Jonee • Clockout Circulating Recordings AUD #1 - audience audio Lowest Generation: unknown Length / Sound Quality: 40 min / 7.5 "Mongoloid" is cut. Other Performers Cherie Curry 1973-77 • 1978 • 1979 • 1980 • 1981 • 1982 • 1988 • 1989-99 • 2000-04 • 2005-06 • 2007-08 • 2009 Home • Updates • Submit information/correction • Contributors • Email Copyright © 2003-2009 Mike Ziegler. All rights reserved.