The second law of thermodynamics states that entropy is inevitable. All things degrade over time, degenerating into chaos. No one knew this better than the new wave outfit Devo. Their manifesto of sorts outlined that humanity was not evolving, but rather de-evolving towards a regressive state. Initially more surreal performance art than a band, the Akron-based spud boys would eventually be flung into the limelight with hits like “Whip It” topping the charts, leading to numerous sold out arena concerts across the globe to spread their often misunderstood message.
So what led up to this sudden explosion of interest in the band? Cartoonist JB Roe explores this question by digging into their rise to fame in this two-part comic, starting in 1977 when the band created their second single: an-off kilter deconstruction of the Rolling Stones’ classic, “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” during a simple jam session. More postmodernist disentanglement than a cover, “Satisfaction”—and the events following its recording—would lay the groundwork for the band’s career as an inescapable force as a wholly American institution.
Stay tuned for the second half of The De-Evolution Will Be Televised—and see what Mick Jagger thought of the band’s unorthodox take on the Stones…
