Mechanical Man (EP)

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Mechanical Man EP
Mechanical Man EP.jpg
EP by
Devo
Released1978
Recorded1975–1976
Genre
Length13:48
Label Elevator Records
Producer Devo
Devo chronology
B Stiff EP
(1978)		Mechanical Man EP
(1978)		 Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!
(1978)

Mechanical Man is an EP by the American new wave band Devo, released in 1978 by Elevator Records. It includes four 4-track basement demos by the band, recorded before they were signed to a record contract with Warner Bros. Records.

Contents

Background

The EP was a 7-inch single housed in a plain sleeve that came in a variety of colors including pink, blue, red, yellow and green. Most EP sleeves were numbered on the back, although the exact number of EPs pressed is unknown. [1]

Opinions differ as to the legitimacy of the EP, with some sources considering it a bootleg. [2] In a Trouser Press article on the band dating from January 1979, Cole Springer refers to it as a bootleg of British origin. [3] However, Devo webmaster and archivist Michael Pilmer later stated that it was produced by Virgin Records and included with some copies of the band's 1978 debut album Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! in the United Kingdom. [1] In 2023, Devo member Gerald Casale said that the songs were "the five tracks we were most excited about at the time". [2]

"Blackout" was later known as "Clockout" and "Auto-Modown" includes the unlisted track "Space Girl Blues".[ citation needed ]

Recording

The tracks "Mechanical Man" and "Auto-Modown" were recorded in 1975, when the band was a quartet and Jim Mothersbaugh was their drummer. [4] "Blackout" was recorded in 1976, when Bob Casale had joined and Alan Myers had replaced Jim. [5]

Reissue

In 2023, Electronic Sound magazine repressed a limited edition of the Mechanical Man EP on yellow 7-inch vinyl and offered it as a bundle with issue 103, a 100-page celebration of Devo's 50th anniversary. [2] The bundle became their fastest-selling issue ever, quickly selling out on the website, and the magazine later made a poster of the cover available for sale. [6]

Track listing

Side one

  1. "Mechanical Man" (Mark Mothersbaugh) – 3:27
  2. "Blockhead" (Bob Mothersbaugh, M. Mothersbaugh) – 3:08

Side two

  1. "Blackout" (Gerald V. Casale) – 3:11
  2. "Auto-Modown" (G.V. Casale) – 3:51

Personnel

Instrumental credits adapted from liner notes of 2013 Superior Viaduct reissues of Hardcore Devo: Volume One (1990) [4] and Hardcore Devo: Volume Two (1991). [5] Credits for "Blockhead" cannot be confirmed.

Devo

Technical

References

  1. 1 2 Pilmer, Michael. "Mechanical Man". Devo Obsesso.
  2. 1 2 3 "Issue 103 — Electronic Sound". Electronic Sound. Retrieved July 18, 2023.
  3. ↑ Springer, Cole (January 1979). "YES!". Trouser Press . No. 35. p. 15.
  4. 1 2 Devo (2013). Hardcore Volume 1 (LP liner notes). San Francisco: Superior Viaduct. SV024.
  5. 1 2 Devo (2013). Hardcore Volume 2 (LP liner notes). San Francisco: Superior Viaduct. SV025.
  6. ↑ "ES103 Devo AS Poster — Electronic Sound". Electronic Sound. Retrieved July 18, 2023.
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