Devo emerged from a collision between punk and techno sensibilities Back in 1970s, Devo emerged from a collision between punk and techno sensibilities. As a group of nerds from Ohio, their cultural touchstone wasn't working-class rage like punk acts from the UK - instead, it was suburban America, a world where consumerism and pop culture verged on propaganda. Early Devo's style was spastic and angry. They filled their music with references to commercial jingles and science fiction. They acted like robots on stage, called themselves mutants, and explained to anyone who would listen that the world was "de-evolving" into violence, apathy, and marketing.

The problem was that they criticized commercial culture in a way that was catchy and marketable. And so this group of five twitchy young men who wanted to make fun of mainstream culture became the new mainstream.

I can remember vividly when it happened. The song Whip It, Devo's big crossover hit, became popular when I was in the sixth grade. We heard it so often on the radio in my little suburban California town that it went from weird teen anthem to annoying pop pablum. By the time I was in seventh grade, it was as despised as disco. When the DJ put on Whip It at a school dance, we chanted "DEVO SUCKS!" at the top of our lungs for at least a minute until he relented and put on Adam and the Ants instead.