Devo Loves Jacko?: Booji Boy Eulogizes Michael Jackson
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I had the great fortune to catch seminal, industrial, satirical art-punks/techno-wavers Devo in the second of the rock band's two concerts at San Francisco's Regency this past weekend. In the process of being wildly entertained, I also had a rueful laugh or two at the expense of the celebrity death cults that spring up when the famous depart this mortal coil, as the Bard of Avon put it. Too soon or not, Devo invoked Michael Jackson's demise in (to me) humorous fashion.
Led by Gerald Casale and Mark Mothersbaugh, Devo - which was founded in Akron, Ohio during the early '70s and went on to fame and notoriety for its offbeat, relentlessly original recordings and performances - is back and touring to full houses. On Friday, the Devo boys (including four crucial members of the quintet from its heyday) played their debut album, 1978's Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!, in its entirety. On Saturday (when I was in attendance), they donned their trademark flowerpot hats and played the third (and my favorite) of their albums, 1980's Freedom of Choice, track by track. Their socio-anthropological bent was put on the back burner, other than its contextual presence in three of the groundbreaking videos that were done to promote the songs "Girl U Want," "Whip It" (their biggest hit), and "Freedom of Choice." The clips were shown as an appetizer before the Saturday night set, and devolved the crowd into frenzy. The live rendition of Freedom of Choice that followed - even more obscure cuts such as "Mr. B's Ballroom" - was remarkably fresh, especially considering the vintage of the music.
Then, during an encore of the gloriously cynical anthem "Beautiful World," Mothersbaugh - wearing the mask of his infantile character Booji Boy - came on stage and recounted an anecdote that alleged a tryst with the late Michael Jackson. It was suggested that a despondent Booji Boy was in downtown Hollywood and lamenting his move to L.A. from Akron when a stretch limo pulled up and Jackson leaned out of a window to proffer an invitation to a night of fun at Neverland Ranch. The escapade, including in-bed foot fights and breakfast the next morning, was described in all innocence by Booji Boy who added, at the end, that if Michael Jackson could claw his way out of his grave, like in the "Thriller" video, and join him on stage, he'd agree that it's a beautiful world. Which was a cue for the coda of the song.
Okay. Implications of pedophila aside, it was way creepy. But it was also a cracked mirror of the ghoulish hysteria generated by Jackson's death. And, as usual, I was right on board with Devo's skewed, coolly clever point of view.
In Devo's honor, here's their classic video for "Girl U Want," which does a magnificent job of sending up the sort of screaming teen hysteria that has accompanied various rock idols through history, from Elvis to the Beatles to the Jonas Brothers. The little girls understand? Maybe. But so does Devo.
Comments (19)
Hey mike do you know where I can get the version of this song they put on the tank girl soundtrack? not sure if it's even devo who does the one on that soundtrack. the guitar is grittier and the eighties synth beat is more highway to the danger zone if ya know what i mean. anyway it's awesome to meet another devo fan!
Not sure, danse. I'll look into it though and tell you if I find any info. Duty now for the...well, you know.
Thanks Mike! You Rock!
I believe their debut was the first album I ever bought with my own money..I had seen their vids on the video show Night Flight and was intrigued. Smashing write up.
wow man--i'm jealous! i've heard nothing but good things about Devo's roadtrip and even though I'd love to see them do "Mongoloid" and "Satisfaction", it sounds like you caught the night i'd have chosen if i had "________" (you know the punchline).
my friend Nic Harcourt interviewed those guys at SXSW last year and it was fascinating to hear them not only telling a bunch of history but also venting what was obviously a lot of anger relating to how they had to fight their way through the business world to get what ended up as much public respect. there were tense yet funny moments. obviously that carries over into their recorded music and maybe even more so into the live shows. it must have been chillingly fun to watch this.
So awesome. I've seen The Residents in concert, and as far a beautiful marriage of art and post modernism in music, Devo is a close second. I would love to see some of these shows. Perhaps I'm just as twisted as you, though, because I would have found the MJ bit hysterical.
In a twisted way, that makes perfect sense for Devo to invoke Jacko; the way his nose was coming part at the tip, he was, in very fact, devolving before our eyes.
I loved annoying people with that first one Mike! I mean, Columbus in the late 80's was all classic rock and hair band primed, but that did not stop me from cranking "Satisfaction" every chance I got. Would have loved to have seen them, but your massive assault bird's eye view is a more than fine substitute!
Oh, and for DansM, here's that Tank Girl cut, which is (as he says) just meatier. I can't find anything in the liner notes or on-line that gives any why or where...it is what it is.
Scott man I thank you! Now is there any way i can download an mp3 of that? I must have it for my collection.
oh my, that kind of brazen thievery should not be encouraged ;)
if they sold it in stores I wouldent have to steal ;)
well with all this good will and generosity it'd be a shame not to recipricate. heres devo's version of satisfaction as has been mentioned above.
Cody B: Thanks for the kind words, pal. Intriguing they were - and still are.
Robin: Alas, "Mongoloid" and "Satisfaction" were on the previous night's bill of fare, but "Be Still" and "Beautiful World" were pretty heavy encores on Saturday. I'll simply say that I attained satisfaction, even without the eponymous song.
contrabandwidth: The Residents and the Tubes - two stalwart Bay Area groups - certainly influenced the Devo crew, and Mark and Jerry will cop to it when asked. (I continue to smirk about the Jacko anecdote. So sue me.)
Dale: Now that's worth more than a smirk! Devolution in action!
scotfree: Wish you'd been there. Hell, I wish all of you had been there.
dansemcabre: Ah. Always a welcome noise!
i love that they still wear their flowerpot hats.
a night of "fun" at Neverland Ranch goes so many ways that it is potentially a long-running reality show. it's too bad (or good, whichever) the man behind the promise of fun had expired. another great post, Knifey. (;
poeby: I surmise that they wore their yellow haz-mat jumpsuits on Friday when they performed their first album - since those were the designated Devo duds at the time of that release. But I wasn't there. Anybody know how it went?
This is good news indeed. One of the best concerts I've seen was Devo at the SM Civic. The little girls definitely understood on that one - when Booji Boy came out there was mass screaming and a rush of ladies to the stage, one of the funniest things I've witnessed in a hall.
What seemed like an amusing message at the time has become evermore apparent and true.
D'accord, Jonh. Although our society has devolved into doo-doo now for the future.
Great post, Mike.
Hope they come to NYC area so I can catch them.
I always liked these guys when I was in college- even while I liked heavy axe men like Ted Nugent...In this case, I could play both sides of the fence....
Thanks, Fasted. You will enjoy their show, guaranteed.