Hardcore Devo at Fox Theater Saturday

40 Years of Devo with 1974-1977 Songs Live

Post-punk, new wave rockers Devo had their first hit song “Whip It” in 1980, but years before that the group was playing, and recording, more obscure, low-fi tunes like “Jocko Homo,” “Mongoloid,” and the cover of the Rolling Stones’ "Satisfaction." 

Celebrating 40 years of existence, remaining members of Devo are hitting the road with the Hardcore Devo Tour, focusing on their music from 1974-1977. 

Last year’s reissue of the compilation album Hardcore Devo: Volumes One and Two highlighted the power and timelessness of those raw songs. 

Talking about the tour, Devo co-founder Jerry Casale told Rolling Stone magazine, “We haven’t played those songs in 40 years. Songs like ‘Mechanical Man,’ ‘Space Girl Blues,’ ‘She Didn’t Know I Was a Midget.’ We wanted to show people what we were doing at the time by using the same instruments, really hardcore and raw. We were the White Stripes and the Black Keys in an era before those guys. We wanted to show people what it was like to actually hear whacked-out parts being played together." 

Tickets are still available for the Saturday night show at the Fox Theater in Oakland. They cost $45 each before fees. 

Gerry Casale was in San Francisco a few weeks ago celebrating the start of his new wine company 50 by 50. The first run includes a pair of releases with a delicious 2012 Pinot Noir ($30) and very good 2013 Rose of Pinot Noir ($20). 

In a one-on-one videotaped interview, longtime wine enthusiast Casale told us that he has wanted to make wine for over 30 years, and that he is very committed to it. 

“I just want people to know that I’m really serious. It’s not like Sammy Hagar stuck his name on a bottle of wine or something. It’s not like that,” Casale reiterated. 

Casale also talked about the similarities of being a musician and wine maker, like others famous rock star winemakers like Sonoma’s Les Claypool (Primus), Maynard James Keenan (Tool) and Dave Matthews. 

If you are an architecture enthusiast, you might be more excited to find out that the “50 by 50 Estate was designed over 60 years ago by the preeminent, 20th century Modernist architect, Mies Van Der Rohe, this perfectly squared design is clad in high tempered glass panels measuring 8 x 25 x 10 feet,” according to information handed out at the tasting event. “The view from inside offers the occupants a 360 degree panorama of the 50 by 50 Estate with its gentle slopes, giant live oaks, terraced rows of grape vines [and] the mountains beyond.” 

To see renderings of the 50 by 50 Estate, and to hear Casale talk about his inspiration on this new endeavor, watch our video interview with him.

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