Total Devo
Encyclopedia
Total Devo was the seventh studio album by American
New Wave
band Devo
. It was released in 1988 (see 1988 in music
). It was the first Devo album that was recorded without drummer Alan Myers, who was replaced by former Sparks
drummer David Kendrick. Some fans consider this among the weakest Devo albums; however, this same disc has proven to be fairly accessible to many non-Devo fans due to the more polished electronic sound as well as the more introverted lyrics, many of which allude to a failed romantic relationship.
"The Shadow" has lyrics that contain numerous references to literary works (the chorus is partially lifted from T. S. Eliot
's poem The Hollow Men
) and it incorporates the catchphrase from the serials following the character The Shadow
("Who knows what lurks in the hearts of men?/The shadow knows!"). "Some Things Never Change" (which also quotes The Beatles
' 'A Day in the Life
') is used in Interplay
's computer game, Neuromancer (itself an adaptation of the novel of the same name
by William Gibson
).
"Disco Dancer" was remixed and released as a single and a music video, the latter of which, according to Gerald Casale
in his commentary for The Complete Truth About De-Evolution laserdisc
and DVD
, failed to receive airplay after first being aired on MTV's "Smash or Trash?" segment. Apparently it was "trashed" and MTV refused to air it after that.
Total Devo was the only Devo album to be released on DAT
, as well as vinyl, cassette
, and CD.
and Gerald V. Casale unless otherwise indicated.
photo on the back cover, the band members posed naked, in a spoof of Prince's "Lovesexy" album art.
The caption on the front cover has changed depending on the number of tracks contained on each release. The cover of the original vinyl release (Enigma:D1-73303) included the caption "11 digital cartoons from the de-evolution band," while the CD release (Enigma:D2-73303) was captioned "13 digital cartoons from the de-evolution band." A cassette release was captioned "12 digital cartoons...", and the Restless Records re-release is captioned with "16 digital cartoons..."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
New Wave
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...
band 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...
. It was released in 1988 (see 1988 in music
1988 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1988.-January-March:* January 1 – André Rieu's Johann Strauss Orchestra plays its first concert....
). It was the first Devo album that was recorded without drummer Alan Myers, who was replaced by former Sparks
Sparks (band)
Sparks is an American rock and pop band formed in Los Angeles in 1968 by brothers Ron and Russell Mael , initially under the name Halfnelson...
drummer David Kendrick. Some fans consider this among the weakest Devo albums; however, this same disc has proven to be fairly accessible to many non-Devo fans due to the more polished electronic sound as well as the more introverted lyrics, many of which allude to a failed romantic relationship.
"The Shadow" has lyrics that contain numerous references to literary works (the chorus is partially lifted from T. S. Eliot
T. S. Eliot
Thomas Stearns "T. S." Eliot OM was a playwright, literary critic, and arguably the most important English-language poet of the 20th century. Although he was born an American he moved to the United Kingdom in 1914 and was naturalised as a British subject in 1927 at age 39.The poem that made his...
's poem The Hollow Men
The Hollow Men
The Hollow Men is a major poem by T. S. Eliot. Its themes are, like many of Eliot's poems, overlapping and fragmentary, but it is recognised to be concerned most with post-World War I Europe under the Treaty of Versailles , the difficulty of hope and religious conversion, and, as some critics...
) and it incorporates the catchphrase from the serials following the character The Shadow
The Shadow
The Shadow is a collection of serialized dramas, originally in pulp magazines, then on 1930s radio and then in a wide variety of media, that follow the exploits of the title character, a crime-fighting vigilante in the pulps, which carried over to the airwaves as a "wealthy, young man about town"...
("Who knows what lurks in the hearts of men?/The shadow knows!"). "Some Things Never Change" (which also quotes The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
' 'A Day in the Life
A Day in the Life
"A Day in the Life" is a song by The Beatles, the final track on the group's 1967 album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Credited to Lennon–McCartney, the song comprises distinct segments written independently by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, with orchestral additions...
') is used in Interplay
Interplay Entertainment
Interplay Entertainment Corporation is an American video game developer and publisher, founded in 1983 as Interplay Productions by Brian Fargo. The company had been a quality developer until they started publishing their own games in 1988, like Neuromancer and Battle Chess. The company was renamed...
's computer game, Neuromancer (itself an adaptation of the novel of the same name
Neuromancer
Neuromancer is a 1984 novel by William Gibson, a seminal work in the cyberpunk genre and the first winner of the science-fiction "triple crown" — the Nebula Award, the Philip K. Dick Award, and the Hugo Award. It was Gibson's debut novel and the beginning of the Sprawl trilogy...
by William Gibson
William Gibson
William Gibson is an American-Canadian science fiction author.William Gibson may also refer to:-Association football:*Will Gibson , Scottish footballer...
).
"Disco Dancer" was remixed and released as a single and a music video, the latter of which, according to Gerald Casale
Gerald Casale
Gerald Vincent Casale , often known as Jerry Casale, is a vocalist, bass guitar/synthesizer player, and a founding member of the new wave band Devo...
in his commentary for The Complete Truth About De-Evolution laserdisc
Laserdisc
LaserDisc was a home video format and the first commercial optical disc storage medium. Initially licensed, sold, and marketed as MCA DiscoVision in North America in 1978, the technology was previously referred to interally as Optical Videodisc System, Reflective Optical Videodisc, Laser Optical...
and DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
, failed to receive airplay after first being aired on MTV's "Smash or Trash?" segment. Apparently it was "trashed" and MTV refused to air it after that.
Total Devo was the only Devo album to be released on DAT
Digital Audio Tape
Digital Audio Tape is a signal recording and playback medium developed by Sony and introduced in 1987. In appearance it is similar to a compact audio cassette, using 4 mm magnetic tape enclosed in a protective shell, but is roughly half the size at 73 mm × 54 mm × 10.5 mm. As...
, as well as vinyl, cassette
Compact Cassette
The Compact Cassette, often referred to as audio cassette, cassette tape, cassette, or simply tape, is a magnetic tape sound recording format. It was designed originally for dictation, but improvements in fidelity led the Compact Cassette to supplant the Stereo 8-track cartridge and reel-to-reel...
, and CD.
Track listing
All songs written by Mark MothersbaughMark Mothersbaugh
Mark 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....
and Gerald V. Casale unless otherwise indicated.
- "Baby Doll"
- "Disco Dancer"
- "Some Things Never Change"
- "Plain Truth"
- "Happy Guy"
- "Don't Be CruelDon't Be Cruel-Legacy:"Don't Be Cruel" went on to become Presley's biggest selling single recorded in 1956, with sales over six million by 1961. It became a regular feature of his live sets until his death in 1977, and was often coupled with "Jailhouse Rock" or "Teddy Bear" during performances from 1969.Many...
" - "The Shadow"
- "I'd Cry If You Died"
- "Agitated"
- "Man Turned Inside Out"
- "Sexi Luv"
- "Blow Up"
- "Some Things Never Change"
- In 1994, Restless RecordsRestless RecordsRestless Records was started in El Segundo, California in 1981 by Enigma Records and primarly released alternative, metal and punk records. Restless also licensed and released records from Bar/None Records, Metal Blade Records and Mute Records...
reissued the album on CD with the following bonus tracks:
- "Baby Doll" (Extended Mix) (5:42)
- "Disco Dancer" (12" Version) (6:30)
- "Agitated" (Hyperextended Mix) (5:42)
Cover Design
The cover photo is based on an early promotional photo by Devo from 1977. However, in taking the cover shot, David Kendrick's chin fell behind Bob Casale's uniform. Rather than retake the photo, a second photo of Kendrick's chin was very obviously pasted on. For the silhouetteSilhouette
A silhouette is the image of a person, an object or scene consisting of the outline and a basically featureless interior, with the silhouetted object usually being black. Although the art form has been popular since the mid-18th century, the term “silhouette” was seldom used until the early decades...
photo on the back cover, the band members posed naked, in a spoof of Prince's "Lovesexy" album art.
The caption on the front cover has changed depending on the number of tracks contained on each release. The cover of the original vinyl release (Enigma:D1-73303) included the caption "11 digital cartoons from the de-evolution band," while the CD release (Enigma:D2-73303) was captioned "13 digital cartoons from the de-evolution band." A cassette release was captioned "12 digital cartoons...", and the Restless Records re-release is captioned with "16 digital cartoons..."
Charts
Album - Billboard (North America)| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Pop Albums | 189 |