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Devo

When 1978's Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! made Devo one of the top acts in the new wave field, it was inevitable that the band's live shows would be bootlegged extensively. Countless Devo bootlegs surfaced in the late '70s and early '80s, and they varied considerably in terms of sound quality. Some sounded terrible, while others would have pleased an audiophile. Released in late 1979, The Men Who Make the Music is one of Devo's more rewarding bootlegs. The sound quality is generally good, if imperfect, and the live performances are excellent. This material on this two-LP set falls into three categories: (1) live performances at the Boarding House in San Francisco in 1979, (2) live performances at the Mubuhay Gardens in San Francisco in 1978, and (3) studio demos from 1974-1977. No serious Devo fan could resist the chance to hear the band performing "Jocko Homo," "Sloppy," "Be Stiff," and "Mongoloid" on stage during its heyday. The studio demos, meanwhile, include "Smart Patrol," "Blockhead," and "Uncontrollable Urge," which is more restrained and less aggressive than the official studio version heard on Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! or the live version heard on this bootleg. In the late '70s and early '80s, Devo was among new wave's most interesting, fresh-sounding bands -- and The Men Who Make the Music has no problem illustrating the vitality of early Devo. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide