Formed in Akron, Ohio, in the early 1970s, DEVO emerged as one of the strangest and most influential bands of the American new wave era. Founded around the concept of “de-evolution”—the satirical idea that modern society was actually regressing—the band combined jerky rhythms, synthesizers, distorted guitars, deadpan humor, matching costumes, and deliberately bizarre visuals into something entirely their own. DEVO gained national attention with its radically mechanical interpretation of the Rolling Stones’ “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” before achieving its biggest commercial success with “Whip It” in 1980. Their yellow radiation suits and distinctive red Energy Dome hats became instantly recognizable, while their pioneering music videos helped make DEVO a natural fit for the emerging MTV generation. Beneath the absurdity, however, was a sharp critique of consumer culture, conformity, technology, and American society that made the band far more subversive than its novelty image suggested.
