Watch Devo - The Men Who Make The Music

Devo - The Men Who Make The Music is an American musical documentary film released in 1981 directed by Tony Palmer. The movie follows the journey of the American new wave band Devo, from their early days in Akron, Ohio to their successful emergence as one of the most unique and influential bands of the late 70s and early 80s. The film is not a chronology of the band's career, but rather is structured around key moments in their journey, woven together with interviews, archival footage, and live performances. It opens with the band members discussing their early influences and aspirations, and their desire to create music that would be groundbreaking and push boundaries.

As the movie unfolds, we see the band experiment with their unique sound, which mixes rock, funk, and electronic influences, and their iconic look, which features matching jumpsuits and energy domes. The band's core members - Mark Mothersbaugh, Gerald Casale, Bob Casale, and Bob Mothersbaugh - share their creative process in the studio, revealing their attention to detail and meticulous approach to crafting each song.

The documentary delves into the band's art school background and their interest in multimedia presentations, with clips of their early performance art pieces and short films. We also see the band struggling to gain traction in the music industry before they were discovered by David Bowie's then-manager Tony DeFries, leading to the release of their breakthrough album, Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! in 1978.

Throughout the movie, the band reflects on their controversy-stirring performances on Saturday Night Live, their influence on other prominent musicians, and their current state of affairs. The documentary also features snippets of performances from shows, with interviews with fans and critics that dive into the implications of the band's aesthetics, philosophy and sound.

A standout moment from the documentary is when the band performs two songs from their album Freedom of Choice, ‘Whip It’ and ‘Freedom of Choice’, live at the Santa Ana Civic Center. In the scenes from the show, we get an up-close view of Devo's frenetic stage presence and the energy of their devoted fans, complete with audience members donning energy domes in homage to the band's iconic look.

The film concludes with Devo's thoughts on their legacy, with the band discussing the impact their music had on popular culture, from influencing the birth of the MTV network to influencing music videos and paving the way for the Electronic music movement that shaped the 1980s.

In summary, Devo - The Men Who Make The Music is an iconic and revealing documentary that offers an inside look at the early years of one of the most innovative bands in music history. Through interviews, live concert footage, and snippets of performances, the documentary showcases the band's creative process and their unique approach to making music, and documents the impact they had on popular culture. The documentary is a must-watch for anyone interested in American new wave, rock or punk music, fashion and all those wanting to learn how an underdog group with a unique sound made it, as Devo still enjoys a dedicated following till date.