DEV-O Re-Issue
 

Greetings Earthling!

This Monday, 25 October 1999, at Noon Pacific Daylight Time

[1900 UTC], Rhino Handmade will begin taking orders for our

spudliest release yet:

A 22-track reissue of the 1981 DEVO 'DEV-O Live' mini-album.

The final piece of the recorded DEVO puzzle, at least for

those of us who reside in These Wacky United States, is -at

long last- in place. Eighteen years after its first vinyl

appearance on these shores, DEVO's 'DEV-O Live' is finally

available on a fully-packed homegrown compact disc.

And, if we say so ourselves, the wait has been worth it.

For this is no ordinary garden variety homegrown compact disc

at that.

The Archivists at The Rhino Handmade Institute Of

Petromusicology, all slightly devolved themselves, have

crafted a wildly expanded version of 'DEV-O Live' which adds,

depending on how you choose to count these things, either ten

or sixteen additional tracks. And to top it off, they have

carefully put it in a clear plastic sleeve which replicates

the packaging of the original Warner Bros mini album release.

Several months after the release of DEVO's 'Freedom Of

Choice' album, Warner Bros pressed up a promotional radio-

station-only disc which had been recorded live at The Fox

Warfield Theatre for initial use as a King Biscuit Flower

Hour broadcast.

This superbly-performed, wonderfully-recorded, almost-

complete concert was promotionally released under the 'Warner

Bros Music Show' banner as WBMS-115.

And it is, by any measure, a simply marvelous performance.

Basked in the warm glow of the success of the 'Freedom Of

Choice' album and baked by the fire of a hit single in "Whip

It", DEVO's 1980 tour was, in a word, outstanding. There was

that then-previously-unreleased "Freedom Of Choice Theme

Song" attached to "Whip It" to start things off. It ended

with their furiously stunning version of "Come Back Jonee".

And inbetween were fourteen vital, often re-interpreted

versions (such as the quirkily re-worked "Be Stiff"), of DEVO

favourites from their first three albums.

The reaction to this promotional album was so enthusiastic

that it was decided to fashion a second promotional disc and,

later, a commercial release from these tapes.

So, for the commercial release, six tracks were selected from

this Fox Warfield performance, re-sequenced to best fit on a

mini-album, were all spiffed up with new artwork and were

encased in a clear plastic sleeve and re-named 'DEV-O Live'.

Our Rhino Handmade 'DEV-O Live' expanded compact disc

contains the complete 6-track MINI 3548 commercial mini-album

and the complete 16-track WBMS-115 promotional album. Each is

in their original running order.

"Why both?" you may ask. Because, as the 6-track commercial

mini-album was substantially re-sequenced from the original

promotional version, we wanted to give Every Hungry Spud

their freedom to choose whatever version -either commercial

or promotional- which tickled their mutated fancy. And,

besides, as we all know, the Fifth Commandment of The

Devolutionary Oath is, of course, "We Must Repeat".

So that this compact disc will play each version from

beginning to end without interruption, we have edited the

ends of the original Side Ones to the beginnings of the

original Side Twos. For those of you who are as fussy as we

are about such things, you should also know that we have re-

named the first track of the 'Warner Bros Music Show' to

match the way it was componently listed on the subsequent

commercial mini-album. And, for the sake of completists who

like to stay fully informed, we have also removed 15 seconds

of the announcer's voice from the beginning of the Fox

Warfield show.

And, lastly, it's been made loud to be played loud with the

fervent hope that you will finally begin the process of

indoctrinating your neighbors.

The 6-track commercial 'DEV-O Live' mini-album has never

before been on compact disc in the US and the complete

promotional 'Warner Bros Music Show' disc has never before

been on compact disc anywhere on Planet Earth.

Both have been gathered together with loving care, re-

mastered from the original vault masters, wrapped up in

transparent petroleum byproducts and presently to you for

your complete molecular enjoyment at your next clambake,

shindig or hoedown.

DEVO'DEV-O Live' will be available in an individually-

numbered limited edition of 5,000 (five thousand) copies.

It is NOT AVAILABLE in any store on the planet.

It is available ONLY from Rhino Handmade.

It is available ONLY on The Internet at:

http://www.rhinohandmade.com

For our next Rhino Handmade release, The Archivists have

selected a rather amazing boxed set. We're not quite ready to

discuss it just yet but I'll tell you all about it in two weeks.

Rhino Handmade Institute Of Petromusicology

e-mail: mr.hand@rhino.com

----------

DEVO

'DEV-O Live'

Catalogue Number:

RHM2 7708

ALL TIMES APPROXIMATE

[Approximately 74:00 Total Time]

1. FREEDOM OF CHOICE THEME SONG 2:46

2. WHIP IT 2:41

3. GIRL U WANT 2:56

4. GATES OF STEEL 3:17

5. BE STIFF 2:50

6. PLANET EARTH 2:32

Tracks 1 to 6 taken from Warner Bros mini-album MINI 3548

'DEV-O LIVE'

7. FREEDOM OF CHOICE THEME SONG 2:46

8. WHIP IT 2:41

9. SNOWBALL 2:42

10. IT'S NOT RIGHT 2:20

11. GIRL U WANT 2:56

12. PLANET EARTH 2:32

13. S.I.B. (SWELLING ITCHING BRAIN) 4:06

14. SECRET AGENT MAN 3:17

15. BLOCKHEAD 3:25

16. UNCONTROLLABLE URGE 3:08

17. MONGOLOID 2:50

18. BE STIFF 2:50

19. GATES OF STEEL 3:17

20. SMART PATROL/MR. DNA 4:08

21. GUT FEELING/(SLAP YOUR MAMMY) 4:12

22. COME BACK JONEE 3:19

Tracks 7 to 22 taken from Warner Bros promotional album WBMS-

115 'DEVO LIVE: WARNER BROS MUSIC SHOW'

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