The Yeti\’s Cyber Smithy

Fire all of your guns at once…

We are Devo. D.E.V.O.
We wear flowerpots on our head.

I think I get it. I think I finally get it. The pop band of when ever the hell it was intended serious social commentary on the society in which they lived. If they didn’t, they should have. The band’s name (pronounced DEE-vo) means devolution, being basically the opposite of evolution. At least that is my theory and I am sticking to it.

Now if you were around for the height of Devo’s popularity, you are probably thinking: Of course A.J. duh? It’s all right there in their name. But did you know that the social commentary was born in the death of students at Kent Sate University when the National Guard opened fire on protesting students? In particular, the death of Allison Krause (April 23, 1951 - May 4, 1970), a friend of one of the band’s contributing founders saw dead. Although unarmed and at distance, Allison had been shot in the back with an M1 Garand rifle. Kind of deep for a pop band hugh? Ye, it is something a lot of people seemed to have missed.

I don’t agree with Devo. I do not think our culture is devolving at all. I think it is running its course. Everything has a beginning, middle and an end. Such is at the very core of not only marketing strategies, but religious ideology as well. I think our culture is just nearing its end.

Now before you think I am a doomsdayist (new word), I do not think this means the end of the earth or even of humanities strives on her face. But I do think that this culture in which we live is certainly doomed and I am not so sure that is a bad thing. You see, I am convinced humanity is ill-equipped for the society we have built for our selves. We just aren’t ready for large-scale communities, much less globalism. We haven’t mastered the tools necessary to deal with the masses.

Maybe it’s just me. I don’t much like listening to the warnings provided by Devo. Steppenwolf, ah now there is a band. Despite not being the folk who wrote the thing, they will probably go down in history for their version of Born to be Wild. Ah, now there is a song. No flower pots needed.

“Fire all of your guns at once and explode into space”.

Wikipedia.com says: “It is often used in popular culture to denote a biker appearance or mentality.”

I say it’s the song that lets me know that I am not alone with my frustrations. I say it is a song, which summed up and defined an entire generation of folk who felt the same way I do about society. Chances are you think I am talking about Bikers, but I am not. Well, not 99% of them. I am talking about the folk with the patches on their backs and no stinking AMA badge on their shoulders.

So what is a Steppenwolf sort of a guy supposed to do in a Devo world?

Words and music by Mars Bonfire

Get your motor runnin’
Head out on the highway
Lookin’ for adventure
And whatever comes our way
Yeah Darlin’ go make it happen
Take the world in a love embrace
Fire all of your guns at once
And explode into space

I like smoke and lightning
Heavy metal thunder
Racin’ with the wind
And the feelin’ that I’m under
Yeah Darlin’ go make it happen
Take the world in a love embrace
Fire all of your guns at once
And explode into space

Like a true nature’s child
We were born, born to be wild
We can climb so high
I never wanna die

Born to be wild
Born to be wild

© MCA Music (BMI)
All rights for the USA controlled and administered by
MCA Corporation of America, INC