Paid $50 to quit: How Devo’s early days drove audiences mad
Last year, Devo seemingly called time on their touring careers, 50 years after their first foray onto the stage together. Presumably, the money they made from their 2023 world tour was a little more than the $50 they were once reportedly offered in their early days to quit before they’d begun, even when adjusted for inflation.
The $50 they were given to pack in their performance was nothing compared to some of the other reactions they provoked in people through their work. “We were either laughed at, people felt sorry for us, or they wanted to kill us. We were physically attacked on stage, forced to stop playing, promoters would unplug us.”
But what was it that people found so offensive about Devo and their music? Formed in Akron, Ohio, in 1973, Devo does not look, sound, or act anything like the kind of band you would imagine to be formed in Akron, Ohio, in 1973.
Whilst their music sounds like it comes from the future – especially considering the time in which it was being released – the band actually named themselves for the concept of “de-evolution” and their belief that mankind had started a slow regression. They pointed to the dysfunction and herd mentality of American society as key pieces of evidence for their Devolution theory, a theory which probably didn’t win them too many friends right out of the gate.
This social theory and other satirical themes made its way into their lyrics which, combined with their bombastic, experimental, frenetic and futuristic sounding music (which at times was so clearly inspired by the science fiction that the groups members so enjoyed) was likely too much for even the most sympathetic audiences. And that’s not to mention their often atonal vocal delivery.
In fact, for all the violence that was threatened against them, it seems as if Devo set out to be as provocative as possible themselves and, at times, outright antagonistic with their audiences during their performances. At one gig, they played their track Jocko Homo for so long – reportedly shouting, “Are we not men? We are Devo!” for about 30-minutes – that co-founder Mark Mothersbaugh suggested that “even the most peace-loving hippy wanted to throw fists” at them.
But for everyone who responded to the group with violence, they won as many admirers in high places, too, including both David Bowie and Iggy Pop. In 1978, they came to national prominence with their appearance on Saturday Night Live. A week prior, the musical act had been The Rolling Stones, and in typically antagonistic style, Devo gave ‘(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction’ their new wave spin. Mick Jagger approved and was later spotted dancing to their version.
By 1980, some of the initial shock factor had worn off and the band even made it as high as number 14 in the charts with their single Whip It. Once the musical world had caught up with their new wave styles, synth-pop production, futuristic stage attire and politics, Devo no longer seemed quite as out-there as they once had.
Listening back 50 years on, it almost feels quaint that something so now-familiar could cause such a stir or that anyone would have felt compelled to offer such a sum for the band to quit altogether. Now that their farewell tour has come and gone, audiences would probably pay a lot more than $50 to hear the band perform one more time.
