Be Stiff EP
Encyclopedia
Be Stiff is the first EP by New Wave
musicians Devo
, released in 1977. It is a compilation of the three 7-inch singles released by the band on Stiff Records
in the UK. The cover was created by graphic designer Barney Bubbles
and photographer Brian Griffin
.
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
musicians Devo
Devo
Devo is an American band formed in 1973 consisting of members from Kent and Akron, Ohio. The classic line-up of the band includes two sets of brothers, the Mothersbaughs and the Casales . The band had a #14 Billboard chart hit in 1980 with the single "Whip It", and has maintained a cult...
, released in 1977. It is a compilation of the three 7-inch singles released by the band on Stiff Records
Stiff Records
Stiff Records is a record label created in London in 1976, by entrepreneurs Dave Robinson and Andrew Jakeman , and active until 1985. It was reactivated in 2007....
in the UK. The cover was created by graphic designer Barney Bubbles
Barney Bubbles
Colin Fulcher aka Barney Bubbles was a radical English graphic artist, whose work primarily encompassed the disciplines of graphic design, painting and music video direction. He is most renowned for his distinctive contribution to the graphic design associated with the British independent music...
and photographer Brian Griffin
Brian Griffin
Brian Griffin is a character from the animated television series Family Guy. He is voiced by Seth MacFarlane and first appeared on television, along with the rest of the family, in a 15-minute short on December 20, 1998. Brian was created and designed by MacFarlane himself...
.
Availability
Although the Stiff EP has never had a proper CD release, all but one of its tracks have been re-released on various compilation albums in the digital format:- "Jocko Homo" - Pioneers Who Got Scalped: The AnthologyPioneers Who Got ScalpedPioneers Who Got Scalped is an anthology by the rock band Devo, released in 2000. 17 of the 50 tracks are previously unissued on CD, including b-sides, remixes, soundtrack songs and spoken word material...
- "(I Can't Get Me No) Satisfaction" - Greatest Misses, Hardcore Devo: Volume OneHardcore Devo: Volume OneHardcore Devo: Volume One is the first of two collections of demos released by the post-punk/new wave band Devo. It is currently out of print.-Overview:...
- "Be Stiff" - Devo's Greatest MissesDevo's Greatest MissesGreatest Misses is a collection of songs by Devo released in 1990. The album includes several photos from previous albums, and the second half of an article on the band by Howie Klein. The first half of this article appears in the accompanying material for Devo's Greatest Hits...
, Pioneers Who Got Scalped: The Anthology
- "Mongoloid" - Pioneers Who Got Scalped: The Anthology. (A slightly different mix appeared on Hardcore Devo: Volume One.)
- "(I Saw My Baby Gettin') Sloppy" - Recombo DNARecombo DNARecombo DNA is a collection of studio demos and unreleased tracks by the band Devo. It was released in 2000 by Rhino Handmade and limited to 5,000 copies....
(the extra few seconds of drum noise and shouting before the song starts has been removed from this version)
- "Social Fools" - Still unreleased, although a different version appeared as the B-side of "Come Back Jonee" and later on the Virgin CD release of "Q: Are We Not Men/A: We Are Devo!"/Dev-O Live EP" as a bonus track.
Side one
- "Jocko HomoJocko Homo"Jocko Homo" is the B-side to Devo's first single, "Mongoloid," released as a single in 1977 on Devo's own label, Booji Boy Records and later released in the UK on Stiff Records. The song was re-recorded as the feature song for Devo's first album, Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! on Warner Bros....
" (Mark MothersbaughMark MothersbaughMark Allen Mothersbaugh is an American musician, composer, singer and painter. He is the co-founder of the new wave band Devo and has been its lead singer since 1972. His other musical projects include work for television series, films, and video games....
) - 3:21 - "(I Can't Get Me No) Satisfaction(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" Satisfaction" is a song by the English rock band The Rolling Stones, released in 1965. It was written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards and produced by Andrew Loog Oldham. Richards's throwaway three-note guitar riff — intended to be replaced by horns — opens and drives the song...
" (Mick JaggerMick JaggerSir Michael Philip "Mick" Jagger is an English musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist and a founding member of The Rolling Stones....
, Keith RichardsKeith RichardsKeith Richards is an English musician, songwriter, and founding member of the Rolling Stones. Rolling Stone magazine said Richards had created "rock's greatest single body of riffs", and placed him as the "10th greatest guitarist of all time." Fourteen songs written by Richards and songwriting...
) - 2:53 - "Be StiffBe Stiff"Be Stiff" is the third single by New Wave group Devo, released in 1977. The song was taken from the sessions for Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! that were being produced by Brian Eno at the time....
" (Gerald V. Casale, Bob LewisBob Lewis (musician)Robert Curtis Lewis was a founding member of the New Wave band Devo...
) - 2:35
Side two
- "MongoloidMongoloid (song)"Mongoloid" is the first single released by Devo in 1977, on the Booji Boy Records label. It was backed with the song "Jocko Homo." "Mongoloid" also had one of the first music videos made using collage. "Mongoloid" would later be re-recorded by Devo and appeared on the album Q: Are We Not Men? A:...
" (G.V. Casale) - 3:30 - "(I Saw My Baby Gettin') Sloppy" (M. Mothersbaugh, Bob MothersbaughBob MothersbaughRobert Leroy "Bob" Mothersbaugh, Jr.,, or "Bob 1", is the lead guitar player and occasional vocalist for Devo and younger brother of lead vocalist Mark Mothersbaugh...
, G.V. Casale, Gary Jackett) - 2:20 - "Social Fools" (G.V. Casale, M. Mothersbaugh) - 2:52
Personnel
- Bob Casale - rhythm guitar, additional keyboards, occasional backing vocals
- Gerald V. Casale - bass guitar, additional keyboards, lead vocals
- Bob MothersbaughBob MothersbaughRobert Leroy "Bob" Mothersbaugh, Jr.,, or "Bob 1", is the lead guitar player and occasional vocalist for Devo and younger brother of lead vocalist Mark Mothersbaugh...
- lead guitar, backing vocals - Jim MothersbaughJim MothersbaughJim Mothersbaugh was the second drummer for Devo, replacing Rod Reisman who only played for a single show. Jim joined Devo with his older brothers, Bob and Mark.Jim appears on several early Devo demos...
- electronic drums - Mark MothersbaughMark MothersbaughMark Allen Mothersbaugh is an American musician, composer, singer and painter. He is the co-founder of the new wave band Devo and has been its lead singer since 1972. His other musical projects include work for television series, films, and video games....
- keyboards, occasional guitar, lead vocals - Alan Myers - drums