Disco de Devo: “Men Who Make the Music [Video]”

While Tammy's review was brilliant, there should be at least one serious review of this tape.

If you like "Whip It" and want to see all those Devo videos you saw on MTV in the '80s, then don't get this tape, get We're All Devo instead. Everything here is from before Freedom of Choice.

If, however, you want to see what Devo was all about, then get this. Get it now.

In the days before "music video", Devo dropped a movie screen and showed "short films" before their peformances. You will see these on this tape.

More importantly, you'll see the band playing in clubs in front of crazed post-punk fans. You'll see Mark have trouble with a Minimoog; you'll see Alan get tangled in his Tyvek suit. You'll see and hear the raw energy of De-evolution first hand.

You can't go back in time to 1979 and see Devo on stage, but you can get this tape, which is as close as you can get.

The Men Who Make the Music was the first home video released by new wave band Devo. Finished in 1979, the film was set to be the first Video LP, but was shelved by Time Life due to concerns about its anti-music industry content. It was released in 1981. A DVD of this film was announced in 2000, due to be released by Rhino Records, but as of 2006 it has still not been released.

The Men Who Make the Music combines concert footage from Devo's 1978 tour with music videos and interstitials featuring a vague story about Devo's rocky relationship with "Big Entertainment". The majority of this story line is contained in a long segment called "Roll Out The Barrel" or "Rod Rooter's Big Ream"/"Rod's Big Reemer" This particular segment was shown as an intermission during Devo's 1979 tour and audio recordings appear on bootlegs from this tour. Part of this film also appears on The Complete Truth About Devolution. The other interstitials involve General Boy (Robert Mothersbaugh, Sr.) discussing DEVO's influence on the world and their philosophy. Members of Devo also make speeches during these interstitials.

TRACK LISTING:

Jocko Homo (Music video, taken from "The Truth About De-evolution")

Titles

General Boy Segment 1

Wiggly World (Live)

General Boy Segment 2

The Day My Baby Gave Me A Surprise (Music video)

Roll Out The Barrel (AKA "Rod Rooter's Big Ream")

Praying Hands (Live)

General Boy Segment 3

Uncontrollable Urge (Live)

(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction (Music video)

General Boy Segment 4

Jocko Homo (Live, partial performance)

Secret Agent Man (Music video, take from "The Truth About De-evolution")

Smart Patrol / Mr. DNA (Live)

Come Back Jonee (Music Video)

General Boy Segment 5

Red Eye (Live)

Credits

Devo Corporate Anthem

I doubt you can! Do you have the Spud to withstand the truth,the truth about de-evolution?? A valuable weapon for every man,woman,and mutant! Will you lay a million eggs..or hatch just one?? Wear gaudy colours or avoid display?? No-one knows,so lets find out!The beast is at the gates! It is time for DEVO!

Fello Mutants, they have stolen BOOJI BOY: renamed him DANCING BABY.

the TRUTH MUST BE TOLD!

in need of ENERGY DOME

Thanks people for the descriptive and enlightening reviews of this video tape. Now I still don't know whether or not to buy it.