Are We Not Men? We Are Devo!

Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! is the debut album by the American new wave music band Devo. Produced by Brian Eno, it was recorded primarily in Cologne, Germany, and released in the U.S. by Warner Bros. Records company in 1978.

The album received somewhat mixed reviews from critics and peaked at number 12 on the UK album charts and number 78 on the U.S. Billboard charts. Recent reviews of the album have been more uniformly positive, and the album has charted on several retrospective "best of" lists from publications including Rolling Stone, Pitchfork Media and Spin.

On May 6, 2009 Devo performed the album live in its entirety for the first time as part of the Don't Look Back concert series curated by All Tomorrow's Parties. On September 16, 2009, Warner Bros. and Devo announced a re-release of Q: Are We Not Men? and Freedom of Choice, with a tour performing both albums.

Production

In 1977, David Bowie and Iggy Pop received a tape of Devo demonstration songs from the wife of Michael Aylward, guitarist in another Akron, Ohio band, Tin Huey. Both Iggy and Bowie, as well as Brian Eno and Robert Fripp, expressed interest in producing Devo's first release. At Devo's New York debut show in 1977, Bowie proclaimed that "this is the band of the future, I'm going to produce them in Tokyo this winter." Eventually, Eno was chosen to produce the album at Konrad Plank's studio located near Cologne, Germany. Bowie was busy with filming Just a Gigolo but helped Eno produce the record during weekends. Two tracks, "Come Back Jonee" and "Shrivel-Up", were recorded at Different Fur in San Francisco. All tracks were mixed at Konrad Plank's studio named Conny's Studio. Since Devo was without a record deal, Eno paid for the flights and studio cost for the band, confident that the band would be signed to a record contract. In return for his work on the album, Eno asked for a share of any subsequent deals.

Phunk Junkeez

The Phunk Junkeez are an American rap rock band from Phoenix, Arizona that formed in 1991 and have established a strong underground following. The band has toured the U.S. extensively, even making it as far as Japan.

The band plays music fusing a number of different styles, from hardcore punk to trip hop.

Eventually, the band was signed to Trauma Records/Interscope Records and have released six albums over the last 23 years.

The band has had member changes over its 24 years, especially on guitar, but three original members still make up part of the band to this day: Soulman (singer), Jumbo Jim (bass) and DJ Roach (singer and DJ).

History

The Phunk Junkeez founders, Kirk Reznik (a.k.a. "K-Tel Disco") and Joe Valiente ("Soulman"), started performing to prerecorded beats under the name "White Boy Rap," a name Soulman used for solo performances. Later, they performed as an opening act for such artists as MC Hammer and Run-D.M.C. That project turned into "BumRap" in 1987, followed by the "Phunk Junkeez" in 1990. In 1991 the two rappers, Reznik and Valente, joined forces with "Last Laugh" members Todd Mahoney on guitar and Jeff Holmes on bass (Holmes stayed on until 1994 as a production/tour manager). Soon after, Kirk & Joe merged with a local band, "Freak Squad," and later that year brought in DJ Roach Clip from their rap days. The band members included Jumbo Jim (bassist), Mike Kramer (guitarist), and Disco Danny Dynamite (a.k.a. Disco Danny D, Disco Dan, DK Mueller) on drums. The Phunk Junkeez were a massively popular act in the Valley throughout the early 1990s, playing huge, illegal warehouse keggers and routinely drawing more than 1,000 fans into clubs. DJs Soulman and Roach Clip are both natives of Alaska and grew up in the same trailer park, although never met until both had grown up and moved to Arizona.

Phunk Junkeez (album)

Phunk Junkeez is the Phunk Junkeez' first album, released in 1992 under their label Naked Language. It was re-released on March 21, 2002, under the Ichiban label.

Track listing

References