20,000 vinyl LPs 390: Devo ~ Are We Not Men?

 ~   

Devo - 1978 

photo by Ebet Roberts 

In 1977 five misfits from Ohio with a love of performance art, took the Mick Jagger classic (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction and mutated it beyond recognition.  

 

 

Devo - 1977, NY City
  photo by Ebet Roberts  

 

 

On August 28, 1978, Devo released their first album, Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!, a venture that fused the electronic music of the time with punk.      

Devo ~ Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!

vinyl LP front cover 

 cover design by John Cabalka & Erik Munsön 

photo of album cover by Styrous®

 

 

I remember seeing the video for Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! on MTV in the early 80's. At that time the channel broadcast 24 hours a day and they were desperate for videos to play and they played ANYthing! I saw the most amazing things before they eventually played only music videos.         

 

Recommendations from David Bowie and Iggy Pop enabled the group to secure a recording contract with Warner Bros. The album was produced by Brian Eno and featured re-recordings of their previous singles Mongoloid and (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction.         

 

                  

Devo ~ Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!

vinyl LP back cover 

 cover design by John Cabalka & Erik Munsön 

photo of album cover by Styrous®

The album was produced by Brian Eno at the Conny Plank studio in Cologne, Germany and the Different Fur Studios located in the Mission District area of San Francisco, California, with Patrick Gleeson.      

         

Devo ~ Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!

vinyl LP back cover detail 

 cover design by John Cabalka & Erik Munsön 

detail photo by Styrous®

Devo ~ Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!

vinyl LP back cover detail 

 cover design by John Cabalka & Erik Munsön 

detail photo by Styrous®

Tracklist:
       
Side 1:

        

A1 - Uncontrollable Urge - 3:08
A2 - (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction, written by Mick Jagger, Keith Richards* - 2:38
A3 - Praying Hands - 2:47
A4 - Space Junk - 2:13
A5 - Mongoloid - 3:42
A6 - Jocko Homo - 3:38

       
Side 2:
       
B1 - Too Much Paranoias - 1:56
B2 - Gut Feeling / (Slap Your Mammy) - 4:54
B3 - Come Back Jonee - 3:46
B4 - Sloppy (I Saw My Baby Gettin') - 2:37
B5 - Shrivel-Up - 3:05
        
Companies, etc.
       
    Copyright © – Warner Bros. Records Inc.
    Recorded At – Conny's Studio
    Mixed At – Conny's Studio
    Recorded At – Different Fur Studios
    Published By – Devo Music
    Published By – Virgin Music Ltd.
    Published By – Immediate Music Inc.
    Pressed By – KM Records Inc.
        
Credits:
       
    Design [Graphic Supervision] – John Cabalka
    Design [Package Production Design] – Erik Munsön
    Engineer – Patrick Gleeson (tracks: B3, B5)
    Engineer [Mix] – Conrad Planck*
    Graphics [Concept And Execution] – Devo Inc.*
    Performer – Alan*, Bob1*, Jerry*, Mark*, Bob2*
    Photography By – Bobbi Watson*
    Producer – Brian Eno
    Written-By – Bob Mothersbaugh (tracks: B2 [Gut Feeling], B4, B5), Gary Jackett (tracks: B4), Gerald V. Casale (tracks: A3 to A5, B2 [Slap Your Mammy], B3 to B5), Mark Mothersbaugh (tracks: A1, A3, A4, A6 to B2 [Gut Feeling], B3 to B5)
        
Notes:
       
This version was pressed at KM Records Inc.. Grey WB labels, slight variation from other releases listed here (see photos).

Issued with printed inner sleeve containing lyrics, credits, info and photos.

Runouts are etched.

       
Barcode and Other Identifiers
       
    Matrix / Runout (Run-out Side A): BSK-1-3239 KM1 Q: ARE WE NOT MEN?
    Matrix / Runout (Run-out Side B): BSK-2-3239 KM1 A: WE ARE DEVO!
    Rights Society: BMI

 

Devo – Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!
Label: Warner Bros. Records – BSK 3239
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, KM Pressing
Country: US
Released: 1978
Genre: Rock
Style: New Wave 

         

Viewfinder links:        

        

David Bowie         

Devo        

Brian Eno         

Patrick Gleeson            

Mick Jagger              

Mark Mothersbaugh            

Conny Plank               

Iggy Pop         

        

Net links:        

        

altrockchick.com ~ A: We Are Devo! – Classic Music Review        

Club Devo ~ Are We Not Men? We Are Devo! (re-mixes)         

NPR ~ Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo        

Proxy Music ~ Not Men: The story behind the devolved cover of Devo’s debut album         

        

        

YouTube links:        

        

Devo ~        

         (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction          

         Mongoloid       

David Bowie introduces Devo, (Max's Kansas City, NY City, 14 November '77)    

        

        

         

        

        

        

Styrous® ~ Thursday, August 28, 2025        
       

 

 

~

20,000 Vinyl LPs Archive
MAIN MENU - Blog Articles
~

Chrisma ~ Chinese Restaurant lyrics

 ~  

*		1		Thank you		4:17
		2		Black silk stocking		2:36
		3		Lola		2:52
		4		C-rock		5:29
		5		What for		3:43
		6		Wanderlust		2:14
		7		Lycee		7:38
		8		Mandoia		4:24
		9		Thank you		4:19
				Total playing time		37:53

Black silk stocking lyrics

Sensitive her feeling, when she's Waking in the morning, Black silk stocking Black silk stocking Put your hand inside it, and she'll tell you where to find it, Black silk stocking Black silk stocking And when she is not talking, be sure she wants some rockin' Black silk stocking Black silk stocking If you're not into rockin' you're best to keep on walking Black silk stocking Black silk stocking You think she's going to leave you, but she only wants to see you in her, black silk stocking Black silk stocking

Lutting instigation, her spell is captivating, Black silk stocking Black silk stocking Provoking whip, lash lash, please stop smoking Black silk stocking Black silk stocking Ho baby, baby no-ones loving, your degeneration Black silk stocking Black silk stocking Oh baby, no-ones loving, your degeneration Black silk stocking Black silk stocking

Lola lyrics

She lives alone Lola, But every night she goes down, to the Chinese where she works very hard there, sipping her cocktails. expenses paid Lola She is performing For a cause, Her glances faking, A deep fascination, She wants information She goes upstairs Lola Clinging on to Another man, She lays him down, down Almond eyes on fire,

Seducing his mind Behind the smoke and Screenz-a, Lola is a Private eye, She well disguises Her lingering actions, No-one suspecting At the Chinese Lola Killed all those Who did her wrong, Her soul is blazing Whith blood thirsty craving, No-one, objecting

C-rock lyrics

Let's rocking
Go back rocking
[etc.]

What for lyrics

What for She likes the way you bore, What for Her foot's inside the door, What for She'll push you to the floor, what for She loves the way you bore What for She likes the way you go What for Her answer's never no, what for She likes to take you so what for She loves you when you're low What for She likes to make you sigh, what for shee seems to get you high what for she's got to get some more what for she loves the way you bore, what for she never did before

What for She likes the way you know What for She likes it very slow, what for Your mind's about to blow, what for And you're just going to owl got it got it got it what for she likes the way you bore, what for She loves the way you bore Take it, take it, take it, take it, take it, what for We're getting to the core What for, we like the way we bore

Wanderlust lyrics

Got the wanderlust you go te the airport and see a plane take off, go to England or take a trip by sea and get off, where you want to get off, write to the boy next door, who always wants to do, what you're just about to do tell him that you like New York city I'm sure he'll like it too - you say you like your nation - so let's take a long vacation Tell your navigator to wait downstairs with his white gloves on, tell him to zip up your bag with his white gloves on take your diamond, so if you've got the money left, you can always sell it here I come, get ready get set fire go, go, go, go, go - you say you like your nation - so let's take a long vacation My transfer agent sens me where I Where I want to go That's a fact He thinks I'm great 'cos I treat him like dirt, like durt, he does me favours But I could do with even better ones, they call him sticky 'cos I treat him like dirt, like dirt, like dirt - you say you like your nation - so let's take a long vacation

Your transit airman is heating up the engine clear your head, go out and get it instead of watching T.V., and stagnating in your bed, by the window thinking of the next record that you're going to buy, you like Maurice with his safety pin so it's gonna be a Punk one - you say you like your nation - so let's take a long vacation Got the wanderlust it's time to go and do, what you've decided to do Go to Milan Or if not just you take a bike to see a sight I feel free you feel free and how about the boy next door, tell him that you like New York I'm sure he'll like it too - you say you like your nation - so let's take a long vacation

Lycee lyrics

I was looking through Through the, the window pane Tears of rain ran down, And blurred a sight so bad, Revolution now, Somehow, I feel afraid I, I heard her cry out loud, echoes insane, shee feel to the ground, her hand reached out in vain Young, Lycee was young, but now, oh there she lay, who will call her name, Victim of blood red flame, she, a living sun will not come back again

I, I saw her face Through the, the window pane, I, still hear her cry I feel, I want to die, I, I saw her face Through the, the window pane, I, still hear her cry I feel I want to die

Mandoia lyrics

I'v gotta in Mandoia An easy hackin in the haia smoking laia I see the hakin of the Maia In Mandoia I feel the iaia to mahoia through my Lala I see the hackin of Ma'haia in Mandoia An easy hackin in the haia smoking laia I see the hakin of the Maia In Mandoia I feel the iaia to mahoia through my Lala I see the hackin of Ma'haia so schön you can komm... so schön you can komm... so schön you can komm... so schön you can komm... I'v gotta in Mandoia An easy hackin in the haia smoking laia I see the hakin of the Maia In Mandoia I feel the iaia to mahoia through my Lala I see the hackin of Ma'haia I'v gotta in Mandoia An easy hackin in the haia smoking laia

I see the hakin of the Maia In Mandoia I feel the iaia to mahoia through my Lala I see the hackin of Ma'haia so schön you can komm... so schön you can komm... so schön you can komm... so schön you can komm... so schön you can komm... so schön you can komm... so schön you can komm... so schön you can komm... so schön you can komm... so schön you can komm... so schön you can komm... so schön you can komm... so schön you can komm... so schön you can komm... so schön you can komm... so schön you can komm... so schön you can komm... so schön you can komm... so schön you can komm... so schön you can komm...

Thank you lyrics

We would like to thank:
Mr. King: for the wonderful chinese food
Moira: for lending us coffee
Yiannis: for inviting us to pay for meals
The japs: for inventing the American finger tip orchestra
The traffic warden: for the 52 parking tickets
The Queen: for her Silver Jubilee...
Romeo Ongarello: for international telecommunications
The publishers: for allowing us to earn 50% OF OUR RIGHTS

We would like to thank: Lonnie Donegan Eddie Cochran Fats Domino Jerry Lee Lewis Little Richard Bill Haley Chuck Berry Wanda Jackson Charlie Watts The Boys Mick Jagger The Saints Bill wyman Iggy Pop Neu (Ney)

Fats and his Cats Dave Anthony Mods Les Paul Sha-Na-Na Roxy Music Buddy Holly Gene Vincent Jimi Hendrix Jonny Kid Brian Jones Jim Morrison Elvis Presley Marc Bolan Louis Armstrong Bing Crosby

and to everyone alse we have forgotten in words but not in thoughts
thoughts, thoughts, thoughts, thoughts, thoughts, thoughts      

       

      

       

      

      

      

      

      

     

Viewfinder links:

     

Vangelis           

Chrisma

Chrisma ~ Chinese Restaurant           

     

YouTube link:

     

Chrisma     

     

     

     

     

     

Styrous® ~ Monday, march 1, 2021   

~

Music Notes

MAIN MENU - Blog Articles

~

Iggy Pop articles/mentions

~    
     
David Bowie ~ Aladdin Sane
Chrisma ~ Chinese Restaurant      
GroWiser @ the Farmer's Market in Oakland     
             
     
        
             
          
     
        
        Iggy Pop      
date & photographer unknown      
        

       

~

Music Notes Articles
MAIN MENU - Blog Articles
~

GroWiser @ the Farmer's Market in Old Oakland

~

GroWiser ~ Ball & Chain
CD pamphlet back
photo by Styrous®  



   
One of the perks of living in a major metropoitan area is the chance operation that puts one in touch with amazing things, events, people, art and, of course, music.      

       

I experienced one of those perks yesterday at the Old Oakland Farmer's Market where I met three members of the group GroWiser performing. 

GroWiser - Old Oakland - 2018 

photo by Styrous®

I had a fantastic time listening to their music and talking to the keybordist and leader, Hubert Emerson, saxophonist, Sahar Imani Miller and Ralph Eutsey on congas.

GroWiser - Old Oakland - 2018 

photo byStyrous®

Man! Can Miller wail out a tune on that sax! They also did some mellow tunes in which she "crooned" her way into my heart. Like Sugar, I've always been a sucker for the saxophone; Woody Herman in the forties, Earl Bostic, Charlie Parker & Sonny Rollins in the fifties, Ornette Coleman, John Coltrane & Dexter Gordon in the sixties, Stan Getz, Grover Washington, Jr. in the seventies and of course, in the eighties, John Zorn.         

        

Emerson told me his group had been performing at the market for decades but for some reason I had missed him and this was my first encounter with them.

Ralph Eutsey, Hubert Emerson & Sahar Imani Miller

GroWiser - Old Oakland - 2018 

photo by Styrous®

I bought several of their CDs, a couple of which they autographed for me. I'll write about the albums as I listen to them.

GroWiser ~ Ball & Chain
CD pamphlet cover
photographers unknown
photo of cover by Styrous®

The group's music is a fusion of jazz, blues, funk and maybe a hint of soul. They played a beautiful song, Hungry Eyes, (not to be confused with the song of the same name by Eric Carmen) that is a knockout (link below)! I could easily imagine moving in ecstacy to it when I was younger and in a dance club. The song is on the Tears of God album, which I bought and will write about at a later date after I've listened to it.     

GroWiser ~ Ball & Chain
CD case
photo by Styrous®

There is a video of them during a recording session of Middle of the Night, from the Don't Look Back album, and Out On the Town from  at the Jingletown Studios in Oakland on YouTube (link below). Miller totally wails out on sax as well as sings in it.   

The Jingletown Studios was the next block down from my studio. It was founded by the members of Green Day. There were many rock groups who recorded there, the heavy metal band from Oakland, Machine Head, the rock band from San Jose, Smash Mouth, Iggy Pop, as well as Green Day. There are a couple of videos by audio engineer, videographer, and musician Chris Dugan about the studios (link below).

Chris Dugan @ the Jingletown Studios

photo by Niall David

The last I heard, the studios were up for sale. Before it was turned into a recording studio, the building had been gutted in a massive fire in 2006.    

Jingletown Studios fire - 2006 

photo by Styrous®

I haven't had time to listen to the GroWiser albums I bought yesterday but judging from the fantastic time I had listening to them perform, I look forward to many hours of blissful listening.   

GroWiser ~ Ball & Chain
CD
photo by Styrous®

     

       

        
      

       

Viewfinder link:      

       

Music & Mayhem      

       

Net links:      

       

GroWiser website   

Project: Albatross ~ The GroWiser Band   
Huffpost ~ Chris Dugan at JingleTown Recording Studio    

       

YouTube links:      

       

Hungry Eyes (live)        
Hungry Eyes @ the at Jingletown Studios        
Middle of the Night      

Out on the Town      

       
     
            

Styrous® ~ Saturday, June 23, 2018      

        

~

Music Notes Articles 

MAIN MENU - Blog Articles

~