Wearing yellow Tyvek suits, the members of Devo pose with avant-garde spunk in front of Akron’s now-defunct Chili Dog Mac. While the Akron new wave band, founded in 1973, is most known for its upbeat ‘80s hit “Whip It,” its genesis followed a tragedy. Member Gerald Casale was an art student at Kent State University when shots from the Ohio National Guard flew — and killed two of his friends, Allison Krause and Jeffrey Miller — on May 4, 1970. The tragedy prompted Casale, along with others, including fellow student Mark Mothersbaugh, to launch Devo — creating conceptual music about the de-evolution of mankind. David Bowie called Devo “the band of the future” — and even now, it’s hard to find another group that embodies its unique style. Catch Devo at the Akron Civic Theatre June 3 for its Devo: Mutate, Don’t Stagnate tour, and experience its distinctive energy for yourself.
