We realized at an early period of our history
that we were a lightning rod for the negative
energies of a lot of hostile spuds out there.
We knew we were doing something right
if we could piss people off that much.
82
I'm riding in a local radio station's van, en-route to the station with Mark
Mothersbaugh of Devo, Bert Kamera and a driver. We settle into the
back and Bert brings up the subject of taking shots. It's a lie. He has
no whiskey, only Mooseheads.
(MCM) Are you on a national tour right now?
(Mark M.) Yeah, it's our North American "Maso-Tour." Maso mean-
ing masochism. It's a stripped down show, kind of back to basics for
Devo. This show at the Fillmore is an exception-I didn't realize it
was so big. We're mostly trying to play small clubs. That way people
are right up against you. In a way it looks like Devo 1978.
I was just reading your interview with Skateboarder in 1979. You
played at New Wave skatepark and they had Devo day, right?
That's right. Mike Rector was an early collaborator. We used to fly
off the stage all the time, so he helped
outfit us up with helmets and knee and
elbow pads.
Are the activities in your show more
toned down now?
Well, gravity has affected Devo in the
last ten years, but our show isn't really
toned down. Actually, the show should
make everybody happy because we
play songs off the new record and
songs that are newer than the new
record, but we also go back to before our first record and play tunes
that were never even recorded. Then we do something off every record
all the way through.
So you're doing the Devo retrospective?
Yeah, we're devolving. It's the retrospectacle.
What's the Devo philosophy as it stands now?
Well, it hasn't changed any. Ten years ago we would say technology
was destroying the quality of life and things were falling apart. People
would take exception to that and would get into arguments with us
and defend the planet. I think at this point, after eight years of
Reaganomics, exploding space shuttles and Star Wars systems that
blow up commercial jet airliners, just about everybody realizes the
sad fact that de-evolution is a state of reality we all exist in. I don't
think you should be too sad about it, though it's better to know about
it, so we're spreading the good word. We're newsmen for a very
beautiful world.
Is there a reason to try to stem the tide of de-evolution?
Well, everybody should try to work on it in their own life if nowhere
else. We can go down fighting. I think it's important that people choose
their mutations carefully rather than just mindlessly buying the rap
What was your first live show?
That's hard to say because we played a number of sometive shows
where we got through about one set or less and we had to retreat
under a barrage of beer cans and half-eaten food. We realized at an
early period of our history that we were a fightning rod for the negative
energies of a lot of hostile spuds out there. We knew we were doing
something right if we could piss people off that much.
When did you head out to California from Akron?
In '77. Somebody from A&M Records had seen one of the short
films we had entered in a film festival. This guy had signed the Tubes
and he mistakenly thought Devo was going to be another Tubes. He
gave us enough money to pay for gas, so we all climbed in a van and
drove from Ohio to California. We scared him when he saw us live
and he didn't want to sign us. He couldn't kill us though. Before the
summer was over we had David Bowie, Iggy Pop, Brian Eno, Robert
Fripp and just about everybody else that was into the esoteric end
of music coming to see us.
Did you hook right up with Warner Brothers after that?
No. We did three things with Boogie Boy Records, our own label,
that were released in Europe by Stiff. They actually charted quite well.
We were with Virgin in Europe when we signed with Warners in the U.S.
We enter the radio station and the DJ immediately assaults Mark with
nuclear exuberance. "What's up duuuuuude!" Then we head for the
broadcast studio where Mark is to be interviewed briefly
(DJ)...and also R.E.M.'s "Romance" all here at Live 105 KITS
Previous Spread, L to R: Mark, Bob 1, Jerry and Bob 2 Devo down and deliver the
good word. Above: Boogie (pronounced "boojie," kids) Boy eyes society's horizon.
Far Right: Mark salutes a capacity crowd.
San Francisco where my special in-studio guest for
the cool seven at seven is Mr. Mark Mothersbaugh of
Devo.
HSteve. (The DJ's name)
Mark, what's been goin on, man?
Well, I've been gargling Devo songs for the last couple
months. (Coughs)
Mark plays a record. I most spill his tea on it as Bert gets
photo info
(Bert) Do you mind strobes on stage when you're
playing?
I
have petit mal. I go into a fit. If there are two cameras
just outside of peripheral vision on both sides and if they
go off at the right time-I think it's 600 milliseconds
apart-that's all it takes. So you should both bring your
flashes and stand off at an angle.
(Bert) What happens, do you start vibrating and stuff?
Well, I shit and piss.
So bring toilet paper to the show. You could wear one of the
Thrasher condoms.
Actually, our drummer collects condoms. He just found some good
ones here in San Francisco. They had dinosaurs on them. It doesn't.
take much to make him happy. We've only played four or five days
so far and he's already got an
extra suitcase.
Full of condoms?
Condoms and medical
books.
(On air questioning by the DJ)
Do you still have the same
films and costumes?
Well, yes and no. This is our
stripped-down kamikaze tour.
We're doing it with a crew of
three and we're sleeping in
pup-tents behind the Fillmore
tonight, so don't make a lot of
noise after the show. We will
have some re-educational
films starting off the show. If
we're lucky we can get Boogie
Boy to come out and make an
appearance. This is the
guerilla warfare show.
The DJ plays the next record.
(Bert) He lied to us. He told
us it was the masochist tour.
Then he tells these people
it's the kamikaze tour.
(MCM) You can't say maso-
chism on the radio, Bert.
(Bert) Oh yeah, that's right, little kids and stuff.
(MCM) Are you doing this smaller club tour because of external
limitations?
Well, it could have gone one way or the other. It was either doing
to be the bare bones down and dirty guerilla tour or the high tech
blow 'em away phantasmagora tour where we made everybody shit
and come simultaneously.
(DJ) That was the tour Lsaw...We're back on the air now, talking
to Mark. What about the state of the world? I'd like you to just go
off and tell everybody what's happening. What's happening?
Well, if anything, I think Devo has been vindicated over the last ten
years. I think everyone pretty much agrees with us at this point. So
now, people just have to understand. They just have to relax. The world
will continue to devolve and we can have a good time at it too. I find
it quite shocking that we're going to elect a leader of the CIA for presi-
dent. But I think in people are going to elect him they deserve him.
Fortunately, I'm not going to be anywhere near a voting booth on elec-
tion day. If I was, I'd vote for anybody other than the two main can
didates. (Mark starts Jocko Romo playing on the turntable) Jocko Homo
says it all. Everything since then has just been variations on a theme.
(Continued on page 102)