Video (Compilation) Releases

The Men Who Make The Music

(1980 Warner Bros, originally from Time-Life) VHS

We're All Devo

(1990 Rhino, originally 1983 Sony) VHS

The Complete Truth About Devolution

(1993 Voyager) Laserdisc only

Devo Presents: Adventures of the Smart Patrol

(1996 Inscape) Mac/Windows CD-ROM

Each of these compilations has unique videos and ones that can be seen on one or both of the other two, so you've simply got to buy all of them. :-)

Devo mentioned in their IRC chat that they will try to release the Sundance/Park City performance on video someday. They may also release some of the Lollapalooza '96 shows.

Video Characters

Booji Boy:

Himself (actually Mark Mothersbaugh)

General Boy:

Robert L. Mothersbaugh, Sr.

Rod Rooter:

Michael Schwartz

Donut Rooter:

Larraine Newman

Dr. Byrthfood:

Dr. Timothy Leary

Spazz Attack (from the "Satisfaction" video):

Craig Allen Rothwell

Daddy Know-It-All:

Earl "Petie" Peterson

Chuck Statler generally helps out on video production/direction. He was the director of Devo's first film, "The Truth About De-Evolution." He is not a member of the band (nor is Jerry's name "Corsalis") as "reported" in Wired magazine. There's an interview with him on the laserdisc.

The Laserdisc

A review of the laserdisc follows, courtesy of Sammy Larson:

OK guys, I've just had a run-through of the laserdisc, so here is What I Know:
This laserdisc contains EVERYTHING that Devo still has in the way of video products that they made. Unfortunately some video has been lost over the years (video shorts that they did for concerts) and some video they do not have the rights to (Honda Scooter commercial). But just a quick scan of the contents assures you that they went to great pains to make this as complete as they could.
There are two soundtracks to the disc, as mentioned in this group before. The digital track consists of the basic soundtrack, i.e. the music. The analog track consists of the music plus commentary by Jerry Casale and Mark Mothersbaugh, describing the details and circumstances surrounding what is being shown, as well as anecdotes about the Devo legacy. Side 1 is in extended play format (CLV) while side 2 is Full Feature Format (CAV) which allows stills to be shown.
So without any further ado, here are the contents of the disc:

Side One (CLV)

1. Logos
2. Titles
3. Devo Corporate Anthem (1979)
4. In The Beginning Was The End: The Truth About De-evolution (1976-1977)
5. Satisfaction (1978)
6. A word about laserdiscs
7. Come Back Jonee (1979)
8. The Day My Baby Gave Me A Surprise (1979)
9. Worried Man (1979)
10. Whip It (1980)
11. Girl U Want (1980)
12. Freedom Of Choice (1980)
13. Another word about laserdiscs
14. Through Being Cool (1981)
15. Love Without Anger (1981)
16. Beautiful World (1981)
17. Time Out For Fun (1982)
18. Peek-A-Boo (1982)
19. That's Good (1982)
20. More about laserdiscs
21. RU Experienced? (1984)

Side Two (CAV)

22. The final word about laserdiscs
23. Disco Dancer (1988)
24. Post Post-Modern Man (1990)
25. Post Post-Modern Man, Rocky Schenck remix (1990)
26. Devo music video credits
27. Supplement opening/directory
28. Chuck Statler interview
29. Tour film
30. Early live gigs
31. Photos
32. The deal
33. Albums, singles, CDs
34. Posters
35. Devo-wear and T-shirts
36. Buttons, pins, badges
37. Miscellaneous de-evolution
38. Kindred spirit
39. Laserdisc production credits
40. Color bars

Notes:

• the first chapter "Logos" just says "Voyager presents". (Voyager is the company that released the disc)
• the second chapter has some animation as it says "Devo" and "The Complete Truth About De-evolution".
• the four "About Laserdiscs" chapters contain an informational project that Devo did for Pioneer back in 1979 or 1980.
• the "Tour Film" starts with text explaining that Devo made short video clips just to play during concerts. Then it plays "Booji Boy's Funeral" where Booji gets his head chopped off as seen in "We're All Devo", and explains that the rest of the film which shows Booji at the hospital is now lost.
• "Early Live Gigs" shows Devo playing at various places, the first one being the Kent State Creative Arts Festival in 1972, their first public performance ever. Also includes a performance by Dove (The Band Of Love), the band they opened for themselves as.
• "Photos" includes what must be over 200 shots of the band at various stages of their career, including the Late Night [with David Letterman] performance and many many promo pics.
• "The Deal" is text by Jerry Casale explaining all the sordid details behind their first record deal. Extremely interesting. Then it includes a scene from "The Men Who Make The Music" where Daddy Know-It-All reams Rod Rooter, who in turn reams Devo.
• "Albums, Singles, CDs" starts off with text explaining the circumstances surrounding the cover of "Are We Not Men", which you would not believe. Then it goes through album covers front and back, domestic and import, picture discs, and a very incomplete collection of singles and CDs.
• "Miscellaneous De-evolution" contains excerpts from Booji Boy's book "My Struggle", and shows pictures of literature connected with Devo ideas in one way or another. Then it shows a collection of artwork of the spudboys, apparently done by fans.
• "Kindred Spirit" shows the Timothy Leary scene from "We're All Devo". Audio track contains both Jerry and Mark explaining their connection with Dr. Leary.

The rest is pretty self-explanatory. The audio track is priceless for the hardcore devotee. Jerry and Mark explain the ideas behind each video and exactly how each one came about, and then how well they were received (and perceived). It gives the listener a real feel for what the band was going through during their career. It's not pretty, but it's real devo.

Some of you have asked where to get ahold of this gem. I suggest you go to a video rental store and ask them to order it for you. Expect to pay about $45 - $50, but rest assured it is worth it. The word 'Complete' in the title is not an idle boast, as I have attempted to show. Even if you do not own a laserdisc player (I'm probably not alone here) many video stores will rent you one, and then you can dub it off onto a VHS tape. You'll have to dub it twice if you want a copy with and without the commentary of course. BUT THIS WILL NOT EVER BE RELEASED ON VHS because of its interactive nature. So get it now before it becomes unavailable.

sammy

p.s. Jerry signed my copy by writing "Were we right? Or just Devo". Pretty cool.

The CD-ROM

"DEVO Presents: Adventures of the Smart Patrol" was released in 1995. Furthermore, a plain-vanilla soundtrack was also released because, according to Jerry, "The audio on CD-ROM is so crummy."

Devo PRESENTS ADVENTURES OF THE SMART PATROL
Inscape's Fall 1995 release on MPC/Windows and Mac is the timely and totally deranged, "Devo Presents Adventures of the Smart Patrol." (TM) Now that we have Beavis and Butthead who needs devolution anymore? In fact, we need it more than ever! And you'll get plenty of it when inscape brings you Devo's interactive, live action, surrealistic adventure in Spudland - a land created for you by the "whip it" boys where new diseases, virtual drugs and subhumans abound at every twisted turn. Can Boogie Boy and the Smart Patrol recapture Turkey Monkey, the hideous recombinant beast, before the evil Rod Rooter of Big Entertainment gets him first? You'll laugh, you'll cry, and you may even escape this ROM-mare before you contract the dreaded disease that turns your bones to jelly.

Jerry Casale was the software's author and overall creative director; Mark Mothersbaugh developed the CD-ROM's audio track and music.

An interesting coincidence is that the actor who plays "Grady" on the disc happened to be the author of the (original) Mutato web site.