DEVO was the first rock 'n' roll circus act to dazzle me. Long before I heard them sing a single note I first read about them — in a science fiction magazine profile, cracking wise and even somewhat presciently about the future. Their industrial suits and goggles, the tweaking of retro-kitsch into something that could be seen either as corny or repulsive, depending on the moment, was smarty-pants MAD magazine stuff that held more appeal for me than the blunter aesthetic of their other punk compatriots. Rumors that they weren't at all disinclined to mix it up with disgruntled audience members only heightened their mystique. Like Spike Jones before them, they were deadly serious about their joking around.
So is their perversion of the Rolling Stones' anthem the final word on the so-called counter-culture of the 60s gone mainstream? Is it a jazz approach to rock 'n' roll? Or is it just another act in the ongoing circus, producing infectious fun for all?
All of the above, I think. And I still dig it.
Next!
O.K., Sir.
ReplyDeleteA pause in your Teenage Year Braodcasts, please, for your reaction to this. Might a favorite son be tempted to move back?
Your readers want to know....
(Cont'd)...Rather than the "Jets" (Come on! There's already a football team in NYC and the last NHL team with that name skipped town..), how about the Manitoba Fightin' Mennonites.
ReplyDeleteA nice logo with a farmer (with a strong resembalnce to Neil Young or Louis Riel) with bulging biceps and black broad-brimmed hat skating, extreme-angled, teeth bared and showing proper dental care......
A friend suggested "Threshers," to make the transition as smooth as possible for all involved.
ReplyDeleteSo far I can't quite believe I'm the only one who seems to have any memory of how dismal it felt to finally belong to the NHL. But I'll ponder a little further and see if I can't come up with an addendum.