B-52's would have been a great instrumental surf band. Any time one of those fuckers open their mouth it's all over. Plus, Kate Pierson makes me dislike Iggy Pop for 3+ minutes at a time.

Could the B-52's possibly inspire this kind of fan devo-tion?

B-52s had their early moments but not many. They are terminally guilty for the worst frat party anthem in history.

Devo by 30 lengths, if not a lap.

It's very easy for me to say that I prefer the B-52's to Devo.

And so I do it.

I like the music better, I like the playing better (Ricky Wilson for fuck's sake), I like the conceptual backing better, and the B-52's have a soul. A big, gay soul.

tmidgett wrote:It's very easy for me to say that I prefer the B-52's to Devo.

And so I do it.

I like the music better, I like the playing better (Ricky Wilson for fuck's sake), I like the conceptual backing better, and the B-52's have a soul. A big, gay soul.

I totally respect being into the B-52's more, but I disagree with the idea that Devo didn't have soul. Sure, they were really arch and ironic, but I think they're sort of numbed out and burnt on modern life and it's dehumanizing aspects. I kind of thought that was the whole point. It's a really nihilistic perspective, but I think that nihilism and soul aren't necessarily exclusive; in fact, it's just the opposite if done right.

I've always found the B-52's to be annoying, but I would totally do Kate Pierson circa 1989.

unsaved wrote:I've always found the B-52's to be annoying, but I would totally do Kate Pierson circa 1989.

I'm planning on doing Kate Pierson circa 2009. She's got a bed'n'breakfast nearby.

Anyway DEVO wins, even though I do love the B-52's. This poll is like comparing Dead Kennedys to Nena.

nathan. wrote:they were really arch and ironic, but I think they're sort of numbed out and burnt on modern life and it's dehumanizing aspects. I kind of thought that was the whole point.

Change that 'but' to an 'and,' and I agree 100%.

Sure, that was the point.

There's a few bands with a 'numbed out and burnt on modern life and its dehumanizing aspects' thing going on that I love.

But none of them are arch or ironic.

I've never thought about it this much, but I guess I'm not that taken by the combination of those elements--archness, irony, and 'numbed out and burnt on modern life.'

It's kind of a drag as an aesthetic, and I'm not feeling it, number one. It's not engaging, it's not that funny, I do not connect with it personally.

Number two, even if I was feeling it, I'm not going to hang my hat on it. You pinch numbness and dehumanization in with irony, and things get claustrophobic pretty quick.

If the music was good enough, I would never even think about any of that shit. I would roll with it. On occasion Devo is that good. But not a lot.

I love the B-52's.

Anyway DEVO wins, even though I do love the B-52's. This poll is like comparing the Dead Kennedys to Nena.

I think Devo->DKs is an insightful comparison.

I have less use for the DKs than Devo, for many of the same reasons I'm not that into Devo, as outlined above.

B-52's->Nena is ridiculous, but I think you know that.

tmidgett wrote:B-52's->Nena is ridiculous, but I think you know that.

Yeah I was trying to think of a fun 80's pop song that had political leanings but paled in comparison to DKs' stances. There is no allusion to the B-52's implied.

Well, I'm off to the DKs vs. DEVO thread!

tmidgett wrote:I've never thought about it this much, but I guess I'm not that taken by the combination of those elements--archness, irony, and 'numbed out and burnt on modern life.'

Yeah, I could see that. One of the things I like about Devo is that as you're describing them, I usually wouldn't get behind that kind of thing at all. For some reason, they made something work that shouldn't, maybe because I think there's also more genuine feeling at the core of what they were doing than it might seem at first glance. They also were a beast live back in the day, which the B-52's were, too, but as much as I prefer Ricky as a guitar player, I've had more hair-standing-on-end moments with Devo than the B-52's, I guess.

tmidgett wrote:It's very easy for me to say that I prefer the B-52's to Devo.

And so I do it.

I like the music better, I like the playing better (Ricky Wilson for fuck's sake), I like the conceptual backing better, and the B-52's have a soul. A big, gay soul.

Man, I didn't see this one coming.