DEVOlution

In June, DEVO's drummer, Alan Myers, who played with the band from 1976 - 1986 (perhaps their most progressive decade), passed away from brain cancer at 58 years old.  I was distraught.  I wrote a blog post about him.  In recent months, I haven't been writing as often as I used to, but I have not abandoned my blog, I've just taken a short hiatus.  Until now...

I felt compelled to find some time to write today when I heard the news regarding another member of the band DEVO.  Bob Casale died of heart failure on Monday at the young age of 61.  In the early seventies, Bob and his brother, Gerald, along with band mate Alan Myers and brothers, Mark and Bob Mothersbaugh formed a band that had a sound and style like no other.  DEVO has continued to progress and stay relevant over four decades.  Impressive.  

One of my favs.

According to co-founder Gerald Casale, the name "Devo" comes from the concept of 'de-evolution' - the idea that mankind has actually begun to regress rather than to evolve.  For a longtime DEVO devotee (my pal WendyB and I even wore costumes for Halloween), the tragic losses of the DEVO members definitely feels like regression -- in a sense.  And even though DEVO is not what it once was, the band is not "Through Being Cool."  R.I.P. Bob.