Legendary new-wave nerds Devo will release expanded editions of their classic albums Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo and Freedom of Choice and play them both in their entirety during a seven-city, 14-concert tour this November — all as a run-up to releasing their first new album in two decades next year.
The releases and tour are part of a just-announced “360 deal” the Akron, Ohio, band struck with its old label, Warner Bros., that will cover “recorded music, touring, merchandising, Web services, promotion, e-commerce, sponsorships, licensing and endorsements.”
Warner will reissue 1978’s Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo and 1980’s Freedom of Choice on Nov. 3 as deluxe CD reissues and on colored vinyl (tracklists not yet announced). The label also will reissue Devo’s first 7-inch single, “Mongoloid”/”Jocko Homo.” And fans who purchase tickets to the November concerts will receive a code to download three previously unreleased versions of “Whip It,” “Turn Around” (covered by Nirvana on its Hoarmoaning EP) and “Red Shark” (later renamed “It’s Not Right” and recorded with different lyrics).
Devo’s Gerald V. Casale posted this on the band’s Web site:
Spudboys and Spudgirls, what goes around comes around! 30 years of De-evolution finds Devo back together with the label that unleashed them upon the land — Warner Brothers Records! Why now, why WB? Because the hour is getting late. It’s now or never and you know it’s true. De-evolution is real! It’s time for Devo to reclaim their territory now that the world has turned and vindicated their original vision. What better way to celebrate than with the devil you know? As Booji Boy said “We’re All Devo”!
The band, which has performed sporadically and recorded a few songs in the years since its mid-’90s reunion, will embark on a North American trek in November, performing Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo in its entirety on the first night of each two-night stand, and Freedom of Choice on the second night.
And, finally, Devo — Casale and Mark Mothersbaugh, plus their brothers Bob Mothersbaugh and Bob Casale, and ex-Nine Inch Nails drummer Josh Freese — continue to work on the band’s first new album since 1990’s Smooth Noodle Maps. Rumored to be titled Fresh, the album is due out sometime in 2010.
See full tour dates after the jump…
Devo tour dates:
Nov. 3: Henry Fonda Theater, Los Angeles, CA
Nov. 4: Henry Fonda Theater, Los Angeles, CA
Nov. 6: The Regency Ballroom, San Francisco, CA
Nov. 7: The Regency Ballroom, San Francisco, CA
Nov. 8: The Moore, Seattle, WA
Nov. 9: The Moore, Seattle, WA
Nov. 12: The Vic Theatre, Chicago, IL
Nov. 13: The Vic Theatre, Chicago, IL
Nov. 15: 9:30 Club, Washington, DC
Nov. 16: 9:30 Club, Washington, DC
Nov. 20: Irving Plaza, New York, NY
Nov. 21: Irving Plaza, New York, NY
Nov. 23: Phoenix Concert Theatre, Toronto, ON
Nov. 24: Phoenix Concert Theatre, Toronto, ON
