Devo 2.0
Devo 2.0, also stylized as DEV2.0, was a short-lived American pop group formed in 2006 through a collaboration between the new wave band Devo and Walt Disney Records, featuring five preteen performers who provided vocals over re-recorded instrumentals of Devo's songs, with lyrics modified to suit a younger audience.[1][2] The project aimed to introduce Devo's music to children via covers of hits like "Whip It" and "Freedom of Choice," produced by Devo co-founders Mark Mothersbaugh and Gerald Casale, who handled the backing tracks while the child quintet—Nicole Stoehr on lead vocals, Jacqueline Emerson on keyboards, Nathan Norman on guitar and backing vocals, Michael Gossard on bass, and Kane Ritchotte on drums—fronted the performances.[3][1] The self-titled album DEV2.0, released on March 14, 2006, included ten tracks drawn from Devo's catalog, accompanied by music videos that replicated the original band's visual style with youthful casts.[3] Despite the commercial intent to blend Devo's satirical edge with Disney's family-oriented market, the endeavor achieved limited success, peaking modestly on charts but failing to resonate broadly with either original Devo enthusiasts or the targeted youth demographic.[4][3] Reception among longtime Devo fans was largely negative, with many criticizing the project as a cynical commercialization that diluted the band's subversive themes through sanitized adaptations and child labor optics, though some appreciated its ironic accessibility.[4][3] The group disbanded after approximately one year, with Stoehr and Norman departing, marking the end of the experiment without subsequent releases or tours.[3]Origins and Concept
Background and Conceptual Foundations
Devo's de-evolution philosophy, originating in the late 1960s among Kent State University art students including Gerald Casale and Bob Lewis, posited that human society was regressing rather than advancing, driven by biological reversion, cultural conformity, and technological overreliance. This concept crystallized after the 1970 Kent State shootings, which Casale cited as a catalyst revealing societal dysfunction and inspired the formation of Devo in 1973 as a satirical art project. The band's 1970s and 1980s output critiqued consumerism, media manipulation, and loss of individuality through angular new wave music, robotic aesthetics, and lyrics underscoring humanity's devolved state, such as in tracks emphasizing repetitive urges and institutional absurdities.[5][6] Devo 2.0 emerged in 2006 as a conceptual extension of this philosophy, initiated when Disney approached the band to repurpose their catalog for a youth audience, prompting Casale to frame the endeavor as a deliberate test of whether Devo's ironic critiques could infiltrate younger demographics via child-led reinterpretations. The project assembled performers aged 10 to 12 to embody "younger versions" of the band, aiming to propagate de-evolutionary themes through accessible pop formats while highlighting generational transmission of satire. Casale described the collaboration as aligning with Devo's ethos by commodifying subversive ideas into mainstream children's entertainment, thereby mirroring societal regression in real time.[6][7] Central to the rationale was Casale's assertion that the undertaking itself constituted "proof of de-evolution," exemplified by Disney executives' misreadings of lyrics—such as interpreting harsh social commentary as innocuous phrases—which underscored a broader cultural devolution marked by diluted meaning and corporate sanitization. By casting children to perform in a manufactured, Monkees-inspired group dynamic, the project satirized "de-evolved innocence," where youthful purity was harnessed to repackage adult cynicism into tween-friendly content, testing the persistence of Devo's messages amid commodification. This approach deliberately blurred lines between genuine critique and ironic exploitation, positioning Devo 2.0 as an experiment in de-evolutionary propagation rather than mere nostalgia.[5][6]Development and Disney Collaboration
In 2006, Devo collaborated with Walt Disney Records to develop Devo 2.0, a project initiated by Disney's pitch to repurpose Devo's catalog for a young audience aged 4 to 8 through a Monkees-style group of child performers.[7] The partnership provided Disney with funding, production support, and distribution, while enabling Devo—facing diminished mainstream success since the 1980s—to reintroduce its music via family-friendly adaptations and leverage Disney's market reach.[3] Gerald Casale of Devo oversaw the effort, including directing nine music videos and guiding song modifications to tone down satirical or suggestive elements, such as changing "Girl U Want" to "Boy U Want."[7] Casting began with open auditions organized by Disney, attracting over 1,000 children over 3.5 months and narrowing candidates to 20 before selecting a final quintet of tweens aged approximately 10 to 13.[8] Lead vocalist Nicole Stoehr, a 13-year-old from Sherman Oaks, California, was chosen for her enthusiasm, attitude, and spunk demonstrated in performances of songs like "Whip It" and "That's Good," despite initial unfamiliarity with Devo's material.[8] Selection emphasized genuine interest in music, talent, and performance energy over parental influence or advanced proficiency, with a preference for children who could play instruments, though the final recordings used only the kids' vocals backed by tracks from original Devo members, requiring miming during videos and live appearances.[8] Development progressed from auditions in spring 2005 to rehearsals where the children honed a 20-minute live set, culminating in recording and video production completed in time for the March 14, 2006, release of the CD/DVD combo.[8][7] This timeline reflected Disney's commercial incentives to expand its tween music offerings, blended with Devo's intent to preserve core stylistic elements like energy and edge while complying with family-market constraints, including late-stage lyric reviews that sparked internal "firestorms" over interpretations.[7]Adaptations and Production
Lyrical Modifications
The lyrics of original Devo songs in the Devo 2.0 project were systematically revised to eliminate sexual innuendo, ironic cynicism, and references to violence or social critique that could unsettle child performers or audiences, aligning with Walt Disney Records' stringent family-friendly standards established for media aimed at minors under 13.[9] These alterations prioritized accessibility and safety over strict fidelity to the source material's subversive intent, resulting in a pragmatic but diluted form of the band's de-evolutionary satire, as the changes often replaced pointed commentary with innocuous, motivational phrasing.[7] Specific modifications included softening aggressive imagery in "Through Being Cool," where the original line "Eliminate the ninnies and the twits" was changed to "Eliminate the time you waste in cliques" to excise the connotation of eradication while retaining the chorus hook about rejecting superficiality.[9] In "Girl U Want," the song was retitled and reworked as "Boy U Want" to neutralize gender-specific desire and remove sensual undertones, such as the original's "aroma of undefined love" dripping in a mist, transforming the track into a less provocative ode to aspiration; Devo bassist Gerald Casale noted this as a direct adaptation for the project's youthful cast, though the accompanying video retained more of the unaltered lyrics.[7][9] "Whip It" underwent subtler tweaks, such as altering "give the past the slip" to "give the past a slip" and adjusting end-rhymes to avoid implications of regret or failure like "you will never live it down," preserving the core imperative to action but stripping minor edges of adult wordplay.[9] These revisions reflected Disney's veto power over content deemed risky, compelling Devo to forgo elements like explicit irony that defined their oeuvre, as Casale described the collaboration's constraints in balancing corporate oversight with the conceptual goal of demonstrating cultural regression through simplified expression.[7] While enabling empirical validation of the Devo 2.0 experiment—re-recording hits with preteens to test de-evolution in practice—the changes causally diminished thematic depth, converting critiques of conformity and urge into bland positivity, a trade-off Devo accepted to realize the 2006 release under Disney's aegis.[9]Musical Rearrangements and Recording Process
The backing tracks for Devo 2.0 were re-recorded by original Devo members, including Gerald Casale and Mark Mothersbaugh, who handled the majority of instrumentation to provide an adult-performed foundation for the child vocalists.[7][10] These sessions, conducted in collaboration with Walt Disney Records, resulted in rearrangements that amplified guitar sounds for greater impact and refined keyboard elements to achieve tighter tuning and control compared to the band's 1970s and 1980s originals.[10] The overall production adopted a glossy polish influenced by Disney's commercial priorities, shifting away from the raw, experimental punk-new wave edges of Devo's source material toward a more accessible pop structure emphasizing synchronization and broad appeal.[7][10] Child performers, aged 10 to 13, recorded their vocals separately, with Nicole Stoehr delivering lead parts layered atop the pre-recorded instrumentals, while the group as a whole focused on harmonious delivery rather than instrumental proficiency.[10] No live instrumentation was contributed by the children during these sessions, as the project prioritized studio efficiency and visual staging over juvenile musicianship.[10] Gerald Casale, in addition to participating in the musical reworkings, directed the accompanying music videos, where the performers mimed instrumentation during choreographed dances to maintain tight lip-sync and performance alignment with the tracks.[7] This approach underscored the production's emphasis on performative visuals, enabling the quintet—comprising Stoehr, Jacqueline Emerson, Nathan Norman, Michael Gossard, and Kane McGonegal—to execute routines without the technical demands of real-time playing.[10]Personnel
Child Performers
The Devo 2.0 project assembled a quintet of child performers aged 10 to 13 through auditions overseen by Devo co-founder Gerald Casale in collaboration with Walt Disney Records, drawing from over 1,000 candidates during a 3.5-month period in spring 2005.[8][11] The selection prioritized enthusiasm and basic talent over professional experience, aligning with the concept of reinterpreting Devo's music for a young audience via sanitized covers.[8] The core members included Nicole Stoehr as lead vocalist, a 12-year-old performer who handled primary singing duties on tracks like "Whip It" and "Girl U Want"; Jacqueline Emerson on keyboards and backing vocals; Nathan Norman on lead guitar and vocals; Michael Gossard on bass; and Kane (full name not widely documented in primary sources) on drums.[11][3] In performances and recordings, the children focused on vocal delivery, synchronized dancing, and miming instrument playback rather than live musicianship, as the project emphasized visual and choreographed replication of Devo's style over instrumental proficiency.[3] Following the 2007 disbandment—prompted by Stoehr and Norman's departure—the performers pursued varied paths, with Emerson transitioning to acting roles, including her debut as Foxface in the 2012 film The Hunger Games.[3] Limited public records exist for the others' post-project careers, reflecting the short-lived, promotional nature of the endeavor.[11]Adult Contributors from Original Devo
Gerald Casale, co-founder and bassist of the original Devo, directed the Devo 2.0 project and contributed bass instrumentation to the backing tracks recorded in 2006.[12] Mark Mothersbaugh, the band's lead singer and multi-instrumentalist, provided synthesizers, guitar, and additional vocals on these tracks, while his brother Bob Mothersbaugh supplied lead guitar parts.[13] Bob Casale, rhythm guitarist in the original lineup, added guitar and vocal elements to support the child performers' mimed performances.[13] The original members' technical input formed the musical core, with Devo re-recording backing tracks for nine classic songs plus two new compositions, "Cyclops" and "The Winner," enabling the hybrid format where children fronted sanitized, Disney-targeted versions without altering the underlying arrangements substantially.[14] This distinguished the project from mere covers, as the adults handled production and instrumentation to preserve Devo's sonic foundation amid the novelty child facade.[8] Casale described the endeavor as a potential "passing of the torch to a new generation," aligning it with Devo's history of conceptual experimentation rather than commercial exploitation alone, though the collaboration with Walt Disney Records emphasized kid-friendly adaptations.[8] The 2006-2007 sessions thus leveraged the originals' expertise to blend legacy authenticity with innovative presentation, avoiding reliance on session musicians for the Devo sound.[12]Releases
DEV2.0 Album
The DEV2.0 album, the primary audio release of the Devo 2.0 project, was issued on March 14, 2006, by Walt Disney Records as a compact disc containing 12 tracks.[15] [16] These tracks comprise re-recorded covers of original Devo songs, with lyrics altered to remove adult themes and emphasize child-friendly messages, accompanied by pop production elements and instrumentation performed by adult members of Devo rather than the child performers.[3] [17] Key production credits include Mark Mothersbaugh on synthesized keyboards, Gerald V. Casale on bass, and Bob Mothersbaugh on lead guitar, ensuring the musical backing aligned with Devo's new wave style while adapting to a more accessible sound.[18] The child quintet—Nicole Stoehr on lead vocals, along with Jacqueline Emerson, Nathan Norman, Michael Gossard, and Kane Ritchotte—provided the vocals, though the performers primarily mimed instruments in associated visuals rather than recording them.[19] Tracks such as "Whip It" (2:39) and "Peek-a-Boo" (3:03) exemplify the rearrangements, retaining core hooks like the iconic whip-cracking in "Whip It" but with sanitized narratives focused on everyday encouragement.[17] The full tracklist is as follows:- "That's Good" (3:21)
- "Peek-a-Boo" (3:03)
- "Whip It" (2:39)
- "Boy U Want" (2:56)
- "Uncontrollable Urge" (3:08)
- "Cyclops" (2:48)
- "The Winner" (3:00)
- "Big Mess" (2:41)
- "Freedom of Choice" (3:13)
- "Smart Patrol/Mr. DNA" (3:09)
- "Girl U Want" (3:06)
- "Gates of Steel" (3:24)