Music, Style & Culture

| Magazine : Online : Radio : Mobile

Devo: Whip It Up And Start Again

Devo whip it up and start again, by releasing their first album in 20 years.

Devo whip it up and start again, by releasing their first album in 20 years (that's ten plus one more 'ten'). And if you're wondering why this time I'm saying everything in rhyme, then read DIY's Q&A with Devo's Gerry Casale (pronounced 'cuh-SAHL-ee'), darly.

Hey guys. Welcome back with a fantastic new album, which was a pleasure to listen to. What is it about 2010 that felt right to be the year of a new Devo album?
In 2010 it was time to whip it again because 20 years ago today Devo forgot how to play.

Since you once called yourselves a "laxative for a constipated society"... what do you hope your new record relieves us from?
Please don't shame us, we relieve you of sameness.

Can you tell us more about how Santigold and Greg Kurstin were involved in the record? What did they specifically bring to the table?
They said, Devo you must do what you must but we are here to sprinkle your rhymes with some fairy dust of our very own to help you bring it on home.

The songs feel in-vogue to me but not without de-evolving from your overall sound - fun dance pop songs with a tasty dollop of the best kind of 'silly' on the side. "Fresh" and "Please Baby Please" are not a million miles away from something 'Kaiser Chiefs' would release, and pop star of the moment Lady Gaga is a big fan. What do you think of her, and in general, the state of pop music nowadays?
Lady Gaga brings the Dada, and, baby, that was a drink of pure water in the desert sun while the Kaiser Chiefs bring it on with the fun.

Your album was largely picked by focus groups. Why poke fun at the music industry through implementation of its practice? Does this mean we'll be getting a deluxe version of the record, then?
What we do is poke, poke, poke and mix it up with a joke so deep as a sad faced clown because we're all goin' down, but not before you spend your bucks on "Fresh" Devo deluxe and the mean 16 therein.

This 'marketing' strategy continues in your promotion of the album- from your webisodes, which feature marketing powerpoints to your song studies. Is there anything Devo thinks we can do to change this obsession with commercialism and 'product placement' in pop culture? From Miracle Whip to designer headphones, is it eating music?
The eye on the pyramid of the almighty dollar beams out in the western world a single command, marketing, marketing, marketing is the beginning middle and end, Amen. Nothing shall fly in the face of this rule, if it tries it will die like a fool.

You've said that the digital age is like cars replacing bicycles - change occurs and we need to move with the times. What do you think about a law professor's model for music which only gives copyright for five years, allowing both the public to have a richer public domain and enabling the artist, for five years, to get paid, raise the profile of the work and milk the cow for all it's worth?
Raise the profile of the work? Milk the cow for all it's worth? Now you be bustin' out with some declarations of how it should go down, 'else without the coin the artist is gonna disappear from every village and town, tradin' rhymes and beats for dead end day job. Time to sob right here!

We hope we will see your live show in the UK as promised in the Autumn. In designing the show, you said, "If you had Lady Gaga's money, you'd see all the concepts." What instead are we likely to see?
You will see 5 grown men in age appropriate dress, dancin' and prancin' and makin' a mess of every stage across England as we show you the best hard core Devo with a 10th of Lady Gaga's dough.

You attended Kent State when the horrific shooting occurred and in prior interviews commented that it was a pivotal event that perhaps shaped the direction of the band and its future. What do you think may have happened to the sound and ethos of 'Devo' had that tragedy not occurred?
Without the killings by the state sponsored dogs, Devo would be strummin' on acoustic guitars and eatin' granola in their Grandma's backyard down by the river that catches on fire and follows the train tracks to where Devo would retire.

You said recently about 'Whip It' that "Is it still popular? ... I prefer some of our other songs." Such as...?
Please don't glue this quote to my dome, I love Whip it, it paid for my home. Who ever said somethin' to be puttin' down should remember the words of the first evil Clown who said "You look through glasses. The rest of the world looks at them!"

Will Devo be developing anymore "concepts" after this record?
How about this for a concept? Stayin' alive without assisted livin'!! Hell ya!!!

Devo's first album in 20 years "Something For Everybody" is out now. Order online from Amazon.