In 1981, [Devo]'s runaway success with [Whip It] had executives at [Warner Brothers] salivating. Devo was hot, and they needed to cash in. Since Devo's followup album, [New Traditionalists] would not be ready for some time, Warner decided to put out a live mini-album to grab that extra bit of cash in the interim.

The concert Dev-O Live draws from was recorded at the [Fox Warfield Theater] in [San Francisco] for the [King Biscuit Flower Hour]. The complete show was released as a promotional Warner Brothers Music Show album, sans the song [Pink Pussycat]. Two versions of Dev-O Live were released, one as a four-track EP, and one as a six-song Mini-Album. While not a major success, the album brought the band and the label some revenue.

Dev-O Live is not just for completists, however, as it contains two tracks unavailable outside of [bootleg] recordings. First off is the show opener, Freedom Of Choice Theme Song, an instrumental arrangement of [Freedom Of Choice]. The second is an incredible version of the early single [Be Stiff], including a powerful [synthesizer] solo.

Aside from a clip of Devo performing [Uncontrollable Urge] in the film [Urgh! A Music War], Dev-O Live was the only official documentation of Devo's 1980 world tour. Fortunately, [Rhino Handmade], a sublabel of [Rhino Records] released an expanded version of Dev-O Live in 1999. The Dev-O Live [CD] is packaged in a minature LP sleeve, and contains both the original six-track EP, and the 16 track promo album.

Tracklist of Dev-O Live Mini-Album:

Freedom Of Choice Theme Song
[Whip It]
[Girl U Want]
[Gates of Steel]
[Be Stiff]
[Planet Earth]

Tracklist of Rhino Handmade Dev-O Live CD:

Freedom Of Choice Theme Song
[Whip It]
[Girl U Want]
[Gates of Steel]
[Be Stiff]
[Planet Earth]
Freedom Of Choice Theme Song
[Whip It]
[Snowball]
[It's Not Right]
[Girl U Want]
[Planet Earth]
[S.I.B. (Swelling Itching Brain)]
[Secret Agent Man]
[Blockhead]
[Uncontrollable Urge]
[Mongoloid]
[Be Stiff]
[Gates Of Steel]
[Smart Patrol/Mr. DNA]
[Gut Feeling (Slap Your Mammy)]
[Come Back Jonee]

Dev-O Live (thing)