Videodrone #3: (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction

Videodrone is a weekly feature looking at music videos from the last half century.

(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction (1978)

It's very rare in the world of music that something truly different comes along. In 1978, things were getting interesting: Disco and arena rock were ruling the roost, but punk and new wave had emerged. But even with acts like the Police, the Ramones and the Cars making waves, the real difference makers were Devo.

 

Formed at Kent State University in the early '70s, Devo eventually caught the attention of David Bowie, who helped them secure a contract with Warner Music Group. The band recorded a cover of the Rolling Stones' "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" in 1977 that they self-released, and then re-recorded it with Brian Eno producing as part of the sessions for their debut album, Q. Are We Not Men? A. We Are Devo!

Of course, it was no rote cover. The band developed it during jam sessions, a robotic funk sound that was originally paired with the lyrics of the Stones' "Paint It Black" before switching to "Satisfaction." Gone was Keith Richards' iconic riff from the original, but the band realized that the lyrics about consumer consumption and sexual frustration was a good fit with the "de-evolution" concept. They even got Mick Jagger to sign off on their version.

From the beginning, Devo put an emphasis on visuals. They took their $5,000 promotional budget and spent it on making a video for "Satisfaction." For wardrobe, the band's Gerard Casale bought yellow hazmat suits that were certainly the antithesis of the typical rock star get-up.

Most of the video is performance, but the band's movements are herky jerky and truly unlike anything else going on at the time. About halfway through, the video cuts to Mothersbaugh and a date cuddling on a couch watching the band perform on TV before they're interrupted by an angry mom. There's also a cut to Booji Boy, Devo's unofficial mascot (played by Mothersbaugh), sticking a fork into a toaster, and also to dancer Spazz Attack, whose signature move involved flopping onto his back. It was a perfect storm of weirdness and it was awesome.

The video was groundbreaking, although it didn't really hit the mainstream until a few years later when MTV debuted and started playing "Satisfaction" regularly. But the cover got some traction in October 1978 when Devo appeared on Saturday Night Live. The band's manager, Elliott Roberts, was able to get Lorne Michaels to agree to feature the then-unknown band by promising one of his other clients, Neil Young, would appear at a later date.

Devo came out in the hazmat suits and performed the song perfectly, complete with robotic movements. They later played "Jocko Homo," ripping the jumpsuits off in the middle of the song. The studio audience didn't quite know what to make of the band, but the SNL appearance helped turbo-charge Devo's career. They made more TV appearances on Don Kirshner's Rock Concert, American Bandstand and Fridays (ABC's take on SNL that aired, appropriately enough, on Friday nights) and began playing theaters and touring overseas. 

Their third album, 1980's Freedom of Choice, featured the group's biggest hit, "Whip It," which reached #14 on the Billboard Hot 100. The music video for that song also became popular on MTV, featuring the band wearing their "flower pot" energy dome hats. 

Devo continued on through the '80s but were dropped by Warner Bros. after the poor reception to 1984's Shout. Mothersbaugh began composing music for the Pee Wee's Playhouse TV show. The band took a hiatus for a few years before reforming in 1987 and releasing two more albums before breaking up in 1991. They reunited in 1996 and have toured occasionally since, releasing a new album in 2010.

Devo's influence on music is immense, especially on the visual side of rock. Their endless creativity made music videos much more interesting than just a bunch of dudes playing on a stage.