Akron, Ohio 19 73,
before new wave before punk rock.
2 kent state graduates Gerald Sally and Bob
Lewis
found their destin when they met up with
a keyboard from a band called Floss Ba.
His name, Mark Mother's spa.
Together they formed something
entirely different.
Releasing their mongol
creation upon an unsuspecting wiggly world
with Sp mix designed to whip it at
every turn.
In this episode of the Dandy Fun House,
we've venture to ask the eternal burning question
Are we not men
for this
is the story of dev.
Let's step into the fun house.
Where am I? You just enter the danny
house.
Hello, and welcome to the Dandy Fun Video
show podcast in blog.
This is where we whip up the very
best in retro pop culture, toys and games,
and all the fun stuff. I'm your host,
Neil Dandy, and in this episode, We're gonna
carry out our duty now for the future.
By bringing you the story of dev.
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Alright. Dev.
If you're a little older like me, you
probably remember,
this weird funky electronic band going back as
far as their appearances,
on the original Saturday night live in the
seventies
when it used to be funny.
If you're a little younger, you might be
familiar with the 80 hit whip it.
Well,
not only is Dev still a creative force
today, but they've got quite the s past,
and it goes back farther than you might
think.
It's the late 19 sixties and 2 kent
state University Art students named Gerald Ka and
Bob Lewis, make an art project together, reflecting
the theory that mankind is not only not
evolving
but actually d evolving.
Both were budding modern artist and also musicians.
Has sally was performing with a band called
the numbers band.
Around 19 70, they began hanging out with
another band called Floss Bob,
featuring a crazy talented keyboard named Mark Mother's
boss.
See where I'm going with all this. The
musicians began jamming around with each other as
people did in the early seventies and creating
a more cutting edge feel and what was
around at that time during the height of
hippie culture.
They also discovered that they shared a love
for satire.
1 day, Mark Mother's ba was sharing a
pamphlet to the other guys called Jo
Heaven bound.
And it featured the character of a winged
devil named D evolution.
Now, this pamphlet would later inspire the classic
song, Jo
As well as the band name, but we're
not quite there yet.
Then 05/04/1970.
The infamous massacre it kent state took place,
and the theory of d evolution became all
too real and far too close to home.
Gerald K was a witness to the event
and personally saw 2 of his friends gun
down.
His life changed in an instant. He stopped
being a hippie and became angry, very angry.
Funneling is anger into our artistic expression
this event would ultimately become the inspiration
for the coming together of this group of
musicians to form a band,
with the underlying theme highlighting
the regression of mankind.
In 19 73, they made it official with
Gerald recruiting his brother, Bob, and Mark recruiting
his brother, Bob, while adding in Allen Myers,
Rod Rei
and Fred Weber to round out the group.
Thus sex diva was born. That's what they
were originally called.
When it was shortened to just D is
up for debate, but from all the information
I've been able to gather, it happened pretty
quickly during the formative years of the band.
This newly formed ensemble
through conventional out the window,
experimenting with electronic sounds
mixed with sensibilities of the burg roots of
what would soon become
punk rock.
Dev performed around the university over the next
few years with various players coming and going.
Sometimes a 4 piece, other times a larger
group and under the creative direction of Gerald
K who
experimented heavily with the format of music videos,
Dev created their first videos
for the song secret agent man
as well as Jo.
In 19 75, they eventually settled in with
a solid lineup of 5 members that would
last for the next 10 years.
In 19 76, a short film,
including the band called the truth about dea
evolution was released by a director named Chuck
Stat
and gained some notoriety as well as winning
a prize at the Ann arbor film festival.
Now, this gave Dev some much needed publicity
and also caught the attention of Avant Guard
Rockstar star David Bowie who be fronted the
band and ultimately helped negotiate a recording contract
with Warner Music group. And in 19 77,
Dev released their first single with Warner,
Mongol,
a 45 record with Jo as the flip
side. They followed up this release with their
cover of satisfaction
by the Rolling stones.
At come 19 78,
Dev finally released their first full length album.
Are we not men? We are dev,
produced by Brian En and proceeded to gain
national exposure
with an appearance on Saturday night live
when it used to be funny,
and they performed satisfaction
and Jo
for the nation.
In the following year 19 79, Dev released
the album, Duty now for the future, featuring
the song block head,
as well as a cover of Johnny Rivers
secret agent man.
A dev toward extensively in support of the
album, and actually opened up for themselves on
a lot of these dates pretending to be
a Christian soft rock band called Dove, the
band of love.
They would appear the following year as dove
the band of love in the 19 80
tele
spoof film
pray Tv,
then came the eighties. Now when the eighties
rolled round, Dev,
had laid the groundwork and they were in
the right place at the right time with
the right weird looks and the right back
catalogs of the videos and songs
to take full advantage of the juggernaut that
was coming onto to the air waves Mtv.
Back when Mtv had music.
Dev made a new album
with songs that were catch and more radio
friendly,
but still very much dev.
The album,
freedom of choice. The lead single whip it.
The video featured crazy red flower pot hats
on the band, which
became synonymous with the group almost overnight, and
Mark Mother's ba using a bull
on everything in sight, including whipping a cigarette
out of a model's mouth. It was a
breakthrough hit for the band and catapult them
right into new wave rockstar status all over
the world.
The album of also featured 2 other medium
hits grow you want and the title track
freedom of choice.
While they continued touring and releasing music and
exploring deeper levels of creativity,
they never did quite have another single
as big as whip it.
The freedom of choice tour
tore relentlessly through the Japan,
Uk France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Canada
and United States audiences.
And the following year in 19 81,
Dev hit down under in a big way,
releasing a Live
Called Dev Live, which became a huge hit
in Australia
and landed them at the top of their
charts for 3 weeks solid.
Now, for those of you out there who
don't know what an P is.
It's a 12 inch vinyl record with usually
just a couple songs on each side. Ep
p standing for extended play, which meant longer
than a 7 inch 45 record, but still
not quite a full album.
A dev continued to enjoy success in Australia,
for many years to come with live Tv
appearances,
lots of radio support and their video staying
in heavy rotation.
Australia the eighties could not get enough dev.
The group also released a song around this
time, which was recorded during the sessions for
the album, freedom of choice, but
never made the final cut, working in a
coal mine.
They submitted it for the soundtrack of the
movie heavy metal, but Warner brothers ultimately rejected
it. So they released it as an independent
single in the run up to their next
album,
new traditional.
19 81 also found the band becoming the
backing band for Hollywood,
chore,
turned actress turned pop artist,
Tony Basil, you know? Oh, Mickey. It's a
fine. You're a fine. You blow my mind
Hey, Mickey.
And in 19 82, Dev released the album.
Oh, no it's Dev with limited success, and
also contributed 2 songs to the Dan Asteroid
movie,
doctor Detroit.
19 84,
Dev put out a flop of an album
commercially speaking called Shout,
which featured a cover of Jamie Hendrix,
are you experienced?
I love the song. And the video feature
in the band wearing inflatable outfits and floating
in the air with sai
swirling all around them with the Dev twist
of course. But unfortunately, the Album tank hard
and their label wasn't in the mood. So
Warner bought out the remainder of their recording
contract and diva was out on the street
with flower pot hats in hand.
And this led the longtime member, Alan Myers
is also deciding that He had his fill
of whipping it
and exited the group, citing lack of creative
fulfillment.
End dev,
3 years later in 19 87,
Dev bring in former sparks drummer
David Kendrick to replace Alan Myers,
and then re record most of their most
popular songs
as easy listening music.
Which they released on cassette to their fan
club Club dev,
and later as a Cd entitled easy listening
disc. Which they would play as house music
prior to their concerts.
However, their most notable project of 19 87
would be recording the soundtrack for the horror
film,
slaughter house rock starring Tony Basil, which was
released in 19 88.
Dev also signed a new recording contract in
19 88 with En records,
releasing the album
total Dev and set out on a brand
new world tour with hopes running high, but
unfortunately, the album didn't do well.
In 19 90, Dev took another shot. With
a new album called
smooth noodle maps.
Now this would prove to be their worst
selling album of all time.
The attempted tour to support smooth noodle maps
also fell apart as their record label
Filed for bankruptcy
and ticket sales were practically nonexistent existent. The
tour was canceled midway through, and dev sadly
dev evolved themselves
into non existence
and dis.
Mark Mother's ball would later be interviewed about
the breakup of dev.
And he said that at the time,
they were doing their final tour in Europe,
and they were watching
spinal tap on the bus and said,
this is our life
and they decided things had to change. So
the agreement was made that they wouldn't do
live shows anymore.
Now following the breakup of dev,
Mark Mother's boss established a music production house
along with the 2 bobs from Dev to
form mu music.
This production company enjoyed a great deal of
success,
creating the soundtrack for such popular shows as
Pee Play house.
The Nickelodeon cartoon rug rats and countless other
Tv and film scores. A Mark did the
composing and his brother, Bob was the chief
audio engineer. Gerald Ka,
meanwhile, Dove head first
into his love of video production.
Creating videos for bands like Rush,
sound garden, and the fo fighters as well
as Tv commercials.
While Dev was no longer
officially a banned,
They did reunite in 19 95 to re
record their classic song
girl you want for the horrible movie tank
girl. Sorry. I tried to watch that tank
wreck of a flick a few times that.
I I just couldn't. I couldn't make it
past the first 15 minutes. I mean, it's
bad.
But what's not bad is the fact that
coming back together led to talk of performing
live again. And in 19 96, Dev re
turned to the stage at the Sundance film
festival in Park City, Utah. From there, they
started performing in the rotating mystery slot at
La, Palo
and also recorded a cover of the song
head like a hole from 9 inch nails,
which was used in the movie super.
Diva was back.
They had such a warm welcome at La
Palo
that they were invited back the following year
as headline liners.
As the Internet
became more ubiquitous throughout the 19 nineties.
Dev found themselves and their music reaching a
whole new generation of fans. And in 2001,
a fan convention, focusing on all things dev,
including A5K foot race,
was launched in Cleveland, Ohio
and continues to this day.
And by the mid 2 thousands, D music
began finding its way in the Tv commercials
for Sw using Whip,
as well as target utilizing what's probably Second
most recognizable song beautiful world.
Ad also toured extensively throughout this time.
And Mark Mother's ba in an interview discussed
how being older and deciding to tour again
after several years off the road
didn't come without its challenges.
After
sitting in a chair producing in a studio
for a whole lot of years.
He discovered that he had some physical challenges
performing the way he used to.
And decided he wasn't willing to bring less
than the best. So hit the gym he
did,
and he whipped
himself back into shape in order to be
able to bounce around,
run out in the audience
and perform the levels that he once did.
Now, the new newfound dedication to the band
ultimately led to a reunion in 2009 with
their former record label, warner music
For re releases of their classic albums, are
we not men we are dev and freedom
of choice, followed by a tour plane both
albums in their entirety.
Now this reunion with Warner continued,
and in 20 10, Dev released their first
full length album in 20 years something for
everybody.
And also became the recipients of the very
first,
Mo innovator award at Mo fest 20 10
in Nashville North Carolina.
For those of you who don't know what
Mo is. It's a brand of keyboard
that revolutionized music,
during the sixties and seventies,
bringing electronic sounds into our modern culture.
On a sadly in 20 14,
tragedy struck and founding member Bob Ka died
of heart failure at the age of 61.
Dev honored him by embarking on a 10
city tour as a quart,
to raise funds to support his family.
5 years later in 20 21,
Toy maker Funko, Honors Dev,
releasing 2 different versions of dev funko pops,
highlighting the looks from their videos whip it
and also satisfaction.
Shortly thereafter
merchandising continued with an official dev branded Vodka
through the trust me Vodka brand.
20 22,
Dev are nominated for the third time for
induction into the Rock and roll hall of
fame, but like their 20 18 and 20
21
nominations are not chosen.
And I'm just gonna say it. The rock
and roll hall of fame sucks and it's
a joke.
Now, hopefully now that the idiot from Rolling
Stone Magazine, Jan Werner is no longer on
the board.
Some things might change for the better in
groups like dev, journey,
foreigner,
iron maiden. I mean, there's a sea of
people at every single iron Maiden concert everywhere
in the world.
And dare I say Ted N mnuchin, will
receive their long overdue honors, but I'm not
hold my breath, nor do I actually care
that much. The Rock Roll Hall of fame
has sq.
Any shreds of credibility that it may have
once had,
and it's cost them their relevance.
Why am I even talking about this right
now?
Okay.
Back to Dev?
In 20 23, dev toward in celebration of
50 years.
Right. Like that. Yeah. In 20 24, a
documentary film about Dev simply titled Dev,
premiered to the Sundance film festival.
Also another film entitled 50 years of dev,
premiered at the Marquee theater in Park City,
Utah on 01/22/2024,
followed by a live performance of the band
itself.
Now this year also marked with a special
box set release
On rhino records, dev, 50 years of dea
evolution, 19 73 to 20 23 with 4
Lps I'm Clear vinyl that spell out dev
when you line them all up. This is
a must for any ra fan. And speaking
of fans,
Maybe you'd like to check out the official
Dev fan club,
club dev,
you can find it at club dev dot
com.
Forward slash dev,
hyphen home. At least, that's where I ended
up finding it. I tried to go just
to club dev, but the website was under
renovation at the time. And this is also
the official diva website.
And speaking of official,
Dev has kept their 50 years
with an announcement
that they are officially retiring from touring.
Will there be any future creative output from
the band?
Maybe we'll see some answers once the website's
finished with its renovations?
Only the sp can tell.
And if you couldn't already tell, that's the
story of Da.
And if you'd like to help me afford
that cool rhino records box said I've had
my eye,
please consider supporting future productions of the Dandy
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Fun and dandy.
Are we not men?