It’s hard to make art in the entertainment world.
That non-ironic statement from Devo’s Mark Mothersbaugh was just one bit of entertainment business wisdom dropped by the band’s singer/keyboardist in front of a sold-out crowd Saturday at the Akron Art Museum’s auditorium.
Mothersbaugh and bassist/singer Gerald Casale showed up for a special program featuring a screening of 11 Devo videos, most directed by Casale, along with four of Casale’s non-Devo related commercials.
Following the 45 minutes of videos, former deputy mayor and moderator David Lieberth introduced Casale and Mothersbaugh, noting that Devo is often cited as the first band to produce the modern music video.
Both Casale and Mothersbaugh talked about the band’s technical and financial limitations and how it spurred creativity and creative problem-solving.
“We were the Little Rascals of filmmaking,” Casale said, referencing the popular series of 1930s comedy short films featuring poor children who often gathered their meager means to “put on a show.”
“And, we were also early propagators of irony-based humor in videos,” Casale noted.
The Devo videos spanned 1977 to 1984. Several were shot in and around Akron using friends and family and others Casale referred to as “non-union talent.” The videos filmed in Northeast Ohio include the band’s herky-jerky rendition of Satisfaction, shot in downtown Akron at the old Strand Theater.
Casale’s commercials included an innuendo-filled 2000 commercial for bottled milk that was banned in Canada that drew laughs from the crowd and a Miller Lite commercial banned by the NFL.
After the screening, both men talked of how the near nonexistent budgets and complete creative freedom affected the art. “Some of it is real cheap looking and I kind of like it because of the honesty of it,” Casale said.
Lieberth later asked the duo their thoughts on the availability and low-cost of current technology and the state of music videos. Casale was largely unimpressed.
“Everybody wants to conform,” he said. “They want the same directors, they want the guy who did Taylor Swift’s video.”
Casale also suggested that the technical struggle was part of the artistic process.
Mothersbaugh admitted there was “plenty of poo” but praised the technology and cited his 12- and 15-year-old children’s easy access.
“Kids can make music on their cellphones and videos on their iPads and they don’t have to ask a record company for anything,” Mothersbaugh said.
Among the crowd that paid $65 (for non-museum members) were folks in the band’s signature red energy domes, ancient tour-shirts and items waiting to be signed.
Scott Schrade, 49, of Cuyahoga Falls, recalled buying the 45 for Whip It and seeing Devo’s videos on the early days of MTV.
“Couldn’t escape Devo if you were into early MTV. They were very prominent,” Schrade said.
“Being a Devo fan, I’d seen a lot of the footage before but there was a few things, especially Jerry’s commercials, it was nice to see. And the video for It’s a Beautiful World kind of sends shivers down your spine. There’s so much in there,” he said.
Schrade, who played in bands in the 1990s through the early aughts, said it was “wonderful to hear some of the details,” behind the videos he grew up watching.
Following the screening and talk, there was a reception and autograph signing featuring wines from Casale’s 50/50 vineyard. The two bandmates also took time to chat with fans.
Malcolm X Abram can be reached at mabram@thebeaconjournal.com or 330-996-3758.