New Wave outfit Devo are to be the subject of a new documentary by director and producer Chris Smith. Simply titled Devo, the project will dive into Devo’s formation in the wake of the Kent State massacre in Ohio, their breakout moment with ‘Whip It’, and their diehard fandom.
It’s the first official documentary about the Ohio group, and will feature archival footage and interviews from all the players involved. The documentary is currently in production, and it has no release date at the time of writing.
Devo: ‘Whip It’
“Devo was a huge influence on me,” Smith shared in a statement. “Their approach to music, film, video and art was something I had never seen before and was one of the truly formative artistic influences that showed me there were entirely new ways to look at things.”
Smith helmed Netflix’s 2019 project about the Fyre Festival debacle in FYRE: The Greatest Party That Never Happened. He’s been involved in numerous other projects across his career, including Jim & Andy – which detailed Jim Carrey’s acting process while playing Andy Kaufman in Man on the Moon – and Tiger King, which Smith didn’t direct but rather produced.
Devo released their first album in 1978 and went on to release a number of wildly successful singles, including ‘Whip It’, ‘Girl U Want’, and ‘Freedom of Choice’. They disbanded in 1991, but reformed a few years later. Devo are currently on a global farewell tour.
Further Reading
DEVO’s Hometown Have Declared April 1st ‘DEVO Day’
Jay-Z, Foo Fighters, Mary J. Blige & More Nominated For 2021 Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame
Fuzzy Haskins, Original Parliament-Funkadelic Member, Has Died at 81
