Gerald V. Casale is DEVO's founder, co-songwriter & singer, award winning music video & commercial director, and proprietor of the 50 by 50 wine company.
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While an Art major at Kent State University, GERALD V. CASALE was a self-described 'hippie' until the May 4 massacre in 1970. He personally knew two of the victims, and was nearby one when she was killed. Casale used the shootings as a catalyst to develop the concept of 'De-evolution,' forming DEVO in 1973.
Spanning nearly 50 years, GERALD V. CASALE's career began in the early-1970s as 'chief strategist' of DEVO. With the enormous mainstream success of their song “Whip It,” the band is sometimes considered a 'one-hit wonder,' yet internationally they've earned a Silver Record, 3 Gold Records, 2 Platinum Records, and a combined total of 25 records on the Billboard Charts.
GERALD V. CASALE is one of two primary composers of DEVO's music, and he designs their legendary stagewear, including the famous red 'Energy Dome' hat. As an innovative and pioneering film director, Casale created DEVO's classic music videos, and directed for Foo Fighters, Mint Condition, Rush, The Refreshments, A Perfect Circle, Jane Siberry, The Cars, Ridel High, Klymaxx, Hum, Silverchair, and Soundgarden.
AWARDS & NOMINATIONS: In 1984, Gerald V. Casale & DEVO received a GRAMMY Award nomination for Best Video Album, and was given the first MOOG Innovator Award at Moogfest 2010. In 1997, Casale won the International Viewer's Choice Award for MTV Australia. DEVO received a ROCK AND ROLL Hall Of Fame nomination in 2018, and in January of 2020 their debut album was inducted into the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame.
COLLABORATIONS: David Byrne, Datarock, Debbie Harry, Phunk Investigation, Brian Eno, Money Mark, Jermaine Jackson, Dust Brothers, Toni Basil, Die Alten Maschinen, Information Society, David Bowie, Santigold, and Neil Young.
LEGACY: A staggering variety of artists cite DEVO as an important influence, and their songs have been covered by Nirvana, The Flaming Lips, Sepultura, Moby, Arcade Fire, Ween, The Aquabats, Yo La Tengo, Iggy Pop, The Black Keys, Danzig, They Might Be Giants, Ministry, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, and Rage Against The Machine.