Engineer [Assistant] – Brian Leshon (tracks: 1-09 to 1-13), Ed Delena* (tracks: 2-07 to 2-09, 2-12), Karat Faye (tracks: 1-15 to 1-20, 1-22, 1-23, 1-25), Phil Jost (tracks: 1-09 to 1-13), Stuart Graham (tracks: 2-02 to 2-04), Ted Pattison (tracks: 2-14 to 2-16)
Producer – Brian Eno (tracks: 1-04 to 1-08), Devo (tracks: 1-02, 1-03, 1-14 to 1-26, 2-01, 2-05 to 2-16, 2-18 to 2-22, 2-24), Ken Scott (tracks: 1-09 to 1-13), Roy Thomas Baker (tracks: 2-02 to 2-04)
Producer [In Association With] – Robert Margouleff (tracks: 1-15 to 1-20)
Disc 1: Track 1 previously unissued. From the film short In The Beginning Was The End: The Truth About De-Evolution (3/77). Recorded at Harlan Hall, Akron, OH Tracks 2 & 3 from Booji Boy single #7033-14 (2/77). Recorded & mixed at Cleveland Recording Company. An alternate version of track 3 appeared in the film short In The Beginning Was The End: The Truth About De-Evolution (3/77) Track 4 from Stiff [U.K.] single #BOY-2 (7/78). Recorded & mixed at Conny's Studio, Köhn, Germany Tracks 5-8 from the album Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! Warner Bros. #BSK-3239 (9/15/78); LPs #78. Recorded & mixed at Conny's Studio, Köhn, Germany. Track 8 recorded at Different Fur Studios, San Francisco, CA. An edited version of track 5 was issued as Warner Bros. single #WBS-8675 (9/20/78). An earlier version of track 6 was issued as Booji Boy/Bomp single #72843-1/#75677-2 (1977). An edited version of track 8 was issued as Warner Bros single #WBS-8745 (1/17/79) Tracks 9-12 from the album Duty Now For The future Warner Bros. #BSK-3337 (6/1/79); LPs #73. Recorded & mixed at Chateau Recorders, North Hollywood, CA. Track 11 Warner Bros. single #WBS-49028. An earlier version of track 11 appeared in the film short In The Beginning Was The End: The Truth About De-Evolution (3/77) Track 13 from Virgin [U.K.] single #VS-280 (8/79). Recorded & mixed at Chateau Recorders, North Hollywood, CA Track 14 previously unissued. From the film Human Highway (6/82). Recorded & mixed at Sunwest Recording Studios, Hollywood, CA (late 1979) Tracks 15-20 from the album Freedom of Choice Warner Bros. #BSK-3435 (5/14/80); LPs #22. Recorded & mixed at Record Plant, Los Angeles, CA. Tracks 15 and 20 Warner Bros. single #WBS-49524 (7/9/80). Tracks 16 and 19 Warner Bros. single #WBS-49621 (11/12/80); Pop #103. A live version of track 17 was issued as Warner Bros. Single #WBS-49715 (3/25/81). Track 18 Warner Bros. single #WBS-49550 (8/6/80); Pop #14. Track 21 from the album Heavy Metal: Music From The Motion Picture [various artists] Full Moon/Asylum #DP-90004 (7/81); LPs #12. Full Moon/Asylum single #E-47204 (8/17/81); Pop #43. Also issued as Warner Bros. single #EP-3595, included free with first pressings of the album New Traditionalists (9/16/81). Recorded & mixed at Cherokee Recording Studios, Hollywood, CA Tracks 22-25 from the album New Traditionalists Warner Bros. #BSK-3595 (9/16/81); LPs #23. Recorded at The Power Station, New York, NY. Mixed at The Power Station, New York, NY & Record Plant, Los Angeles, CA. Track 23 Warner Bros. single #WBS-50048 (3/17/82); Pop #107. Track 24 Warner Bros. single #WBS-50010 (1/13/82) Track 25 Warner Bros. single #WBS-49834 (10/14/81) Track 26 from Warner Bros. [picture disc] single #WBSP-49826 (10/14/81). Recorded & mixed at Amigo Recording Studio, North Hollywood, CA
Disc 2: Track 1 previously unissued. Recording location unknown (11/22/79) Tracks 2-4 from the album Oh No, It's Devo Warner Bros. #23741 (10/27/82); LPs #47. Recorded & mixed at Cherokee Recording Studios, Hollywood, CA Track 2 Warner Bros. single #7-29931 (9/22/82); Pop #106. Track 3 Warner Bros. single #7-29811 (11/24/82); Pop #104 Track 5 previously unissued. From the PC CD-ROM game Interstate '82 (11/99). Recorded at Devo Rehearsal Facility, Panorama City, CA (6/82). Restored & remixed at Mutato Muzika, West Hollywood, CA (11/98) Track 6 from the album Doctor Detroit: Featuring Songs From The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack [various artists] Backstreet/MCA #BSR-6120 (5/83). Backstreet/MCA maxI-single #BSR-13968 (4/83). The original version was issued as Backstreet/MCA single #BSR-52215 (4/83); Pop #59. Recorded & mixed at Record Plant, Hollywood, CA Tracks 7-9 from the album Shout Warner Bros. #25097 (10/8/84); LPs #83. Recorded & mixed at Record Plant, Los Angeles, CA. Tracks 7 and 8 Warner Bros. maxi-single #9-20316 (3/13/85). Track 9 Warner Bros. single #7-29133 (11/14/84) Track 10 previously unissued. From the film Happy Hour (2/27/87). Recorded & mixed at Record Plant, Los Angeles, CA (10/11/85) Track 11 from the album 9 1/2 Weeks: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack [various artists] Capitol #SV-12470 (2/21/86); LPs #59. Recorded & mixed at Record Plant, Los Angeles, CA Track 12 from the album Fright Night: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack [various artists] Private/CBS #SZ-40087 (8/1/85). Recorded & mixed at Record Plant, Los Angeles, CA (3/13/84 - 6/12/84) Track 13 previously unissued. From the film Revenge Of The Nerds II: Nerds In Paradise (7/87). Recorded & mixed at Studio Devo, Marina Del Rey, CA (4/87) Tracks 14-16 from the album Total Devo Enigma #D-73303 (5/24/88); LPs #189. Track 14 Enigma single #7-75029/maxi-single #7-75515 (10/88). Recorded at Master Control Studios, Burbank, CA & remixed in the downstairs storage room at Enigma Records, Culver City, CA. Track 15 Enigma single #7-75023/maxi-single #V-75511 (7/88). Recorded at Studio Devo, Marina Del Rey, CA & remixed at Soundtrack Studios, New York, NY. Track 16 recorded & mixed at Studio Devo, Marina Del Rey, CA Track 17 from the album Now It Can Be Told: Devo At The Palace 12/9/88 Enigma #7-73514 (1989). Recorded at The Palace, Hollywood, CA. Mixed at Master Control Studios, Burbank, CA. Tracks 18-19 from the album Smoothnoodlemaps Enigma #73526 (6/90). Recorded & mixed at Master Control Studios, Burbank, CA. Track 19 Enigma maxi-single #75077-4/#75551-2 (1990); Tks #7 Track 20 from the album Supercop: Music From And Inspired By The Dimension Motion Picture [various artists] Interscope #INTD-90088 (7/30/96); LPs #133. Recorded & mixed at Mutato Muzika, West Hollywood, CA Tracks 21-22 previously unissued. From the film Meet Wally Sparks (1/31/97). Recorded & mixed at Mutato Muzika, West Hollwood, CA (4/96) Track 23 previously unissued. From the video The Men Who Make The Music (1981). Recorded in a warehouse, Minneapolis, MN (1979) Track 24 new recording. Recorded & mixed at Mutato Muzika, West Hollywood, CA (1/31/00)
Remastering: Digiprep
All selections ℗ 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985 & 2000 Warner Bros. Records Inc. except: "We're All Devo" ℗ 1977 Devo, Inc., "Jocko Homo" and "Mongoloid" ℗ 1977 Booji Boy Records, "Be Stiff" ℗ 1978 Stiff Records, "General Boy Visits Apocalypse Now" ℗ 2000 Devo, Inc., "One Dumb Thing" ℗ 1999 Devo Inc., "I Wouldn't Do That To You" ℗ 1987 & 2000 Devo, Inc., "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka-Dot Bikini" and "Communication Break-up" ℗ 1997 & 2000 Devo, Inc., "Duty Now For The Future" ℗ 1981 Devo, Inc. and "The Words Get Stuck In My Throat" ℗ 2000 Devo, Inc., under license from Devo, Inc. "Theme From Doctor Detroit" ℗ 1983 Backstreet Records, under license from Universal Music Special Markets, Inc. "Bread And Butter" ℗ 1986 Capitol Records, Inc., under license from EMI-Capitol Music Special Markets "Baby Doll", "Disco Dancer" and "Some Things Never Change" ℗ 1988 Enigma Records, "It Doesn't Matter To Me" ℗ 1989 Enigma Records, "Stuck In A Loop" and "Post Post-Modern Man" ℗ 1990 Enigma Records, all licensed from Restless Records "Head Like A Hole" ℗ 1996 Interscope Records, under license from Interscope Records
"Whip It" was cool, but I became a "fan" in 1982 with their "Oh, No! It's Devo" album. 1983's "Theme From Doctor Detroit" was just about the greatest thing I'd ever heard! I'm sure many die hard fans would take issue with that, but I was loving the electronic music movement of the time with bands like The Human League, Men Without Hats and Thomas Dolby. To date, this 2cd set is the only official place to find "Theme From Doctor Detroit" on CD, and it's the 12" version to boot! Hopefully some day the 7" version will find its way to CD or digital download.
Everything in this boxset has been remastered. The remastering at times can seem a bit bassy and lacking the higher end of details. Headphones is the best way to listen. I have this box and it's 100% worth buying.
Of course the best Devo remastered set is "This Is the Devo Box" Japan 2008 (WPCR-12955/61).
Great compilation, and highly recommended for both beginners and collectors of Devo. For beginners, it's MUCH better than any of those cheapo comps and/or "Greatest Hits"-type things. For one, it offers a broad selection of Devo material, from the self-released Booji Boy singles, to 1990's-era recordings, and everything in between. For collectors, it has some previously hard-to-find material (like the General Boy and Nutra-Speaks spoken pieces, the soundtrack odds n' ends), and some new recordings (an excellent studio version of "The Word's Get Stuck In My Throat").