Sad News: Devo Guitarist Bob Casale Has Died

A guitarist for the group Devo, Bob Casale, died of heart failure Monday at the age of 61.

Devo guitarist Bob Casale died Monday
at the age of 61.  

I often make references to Devo, talking about those famous red hats they wore, basically flower pots.

But really, Devo was amazing. Strange, for sure, but that's what I like. I'm definitely saddened by Casale's passing.

Devo was, is certainly much, MUCH more than wearing flower pots on one's head.

The band's name, by the way, comes from the word, or their word "de-evolution" the idea that mankind has stopped evolving and is actually regressing.

When they formed way back in the late 60s or 70s, they used as evidence of "de-evolution" the dysfunction of American society.

Given how much worse some aspects of American politics, media and society are now compared to a generation ago, Devo maybe had a point.

Rolling Stone has a good article on Casale, and some awesome links to past articles on Devo.

You probably remember Devo for the song "Whip It"

I personally like their reworking of the Rolling Stones' "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction." The video is awesome and entertaining and weird and wonderful, too. Watch:

Devo Drummer Dies: Wearing A Flower Pot In His Honor

I just heard the news that Alan Myers, the drummer for that very unsual early 1980s band Devo recently died at the age of 58.

Devo is the band probably most famous for the song "Whip It,"

The band Devo recently lost their drummer to cancer.  

Devo was one of those bands that I loved back when I was in high school and college. They, like Talking Heads, Patti Smith and the B-52s, cast me as a bit of a weirdo when everybody except me was listening to Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and, if you were a teeny bopper, Bay City Rollers or something like that.

I just loved Devo's eccentricity. As you can see in the video below, they appear to be wearing flower pots as hats. That was a bit of a trademark for them.

Even when they did a remake, you knew they'd make it their own. Just check out Devo's version of the Rolling Stone's "Can't Get No Satisfaction" if you want proof.

I looked up the Whip It video and it's insane, of course. Which means I love it. It hasn't gotten old with age.

Especially nice, and a good tribute to Myers, comes at the very end of the "Whip It" video. The mom in the video weighs on his antics:  "Oh, that Alan!"

Here's that Whip It video. It will brighten your day: