Mark Mothersbaugh

Mark Mothersbaugh in 2023

### AKA

Booji Boy, M. Mathersbaugh, M. Motherbough, M. Mothersbauch, M. Mothersbaug, M. Mothersbough, Mark Devo Mothersbaugh, Mark Mothers Baugh, Mark Mothesbaugh, Montherskaugh, Motherbaugh, Mothersbaugh M, Mothersbaugh Mark Allen, Mothershaugh, S. Mothersbaugh, マーク

### Genres

New wave, synth-pop, electronic rock, punk rock, post-punk, synth-punk, art punk, film score

### Labels

Watertower Music, Enigma, Mutmuz, Hollywood Sony Classical, Tra Project, Interscope, Rhino Handmade, Kid Rhino, Casual Tonalities, Mutato Muzika, Touchstone Pictures, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Pale Blue, La-La Land, Varèse Sarabande, Intrada

### Associated acts

Devo, Dev2.o, The Iguanas, Silas Hite, Josh Mancell, Wataru Hokoyama, The Wipeouters, Man Ray Band, Spud & Pud Devo, The Smart Patrol

**Mark Allen Mothersbaugh** is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and composer. He came to prominence in the late 1970s as co-founder, lead singer, and keyboardist of the new wave band Devo, whose single "Whip It" was a top 20 single in the US in 1980, peaking at No. 14 and which has since maintained a cult following. Mothersbaugh is one of the leading composers of Devo's music.

Mothersbaugh is thanked in the program for *The Mole Show* and is, along with bandmate Gerald Casale, an outspoken fan of The Residents. Both members have been rumoured as a member of The Residents-  with Mark often rumoured to have been on keyboards during The 13th Anniversary Show (which toured during Devo's first hiatus). That rumours was disproven when Residents spokesperson Hardy Fox confirmed he played keyboards on that tour. Mark was briefly label-mates with The Residents, as both were signed to the failing Enigma Records in the late 1980s. His song "Speed Racer" has been described as "almost as engagingly weird as anything the Residents did."

Similarly to The Residents, Mothersbaugh also appears regularly on stage as a masked character, *Booji Boy;* although this was likely not influenced by The Residents' masked tendencies; Mothersbaugh has been appearing masked on stage since Devo's first performance in 1973.

## History

Born in Akron, Ohio, U.S., on May 18th, 1950, Mark formed Devo along with Gerald Casale, Bob Lewis, and Peter Gregg at age 23 years 1973, although this lineup would change several times, eventually leading to the iconic five person lineup of Mark Mothersbaugh, Gerald Casale, Bob Mothersbaugh, Bob Casale and Alan Myers in December of 1976.

On June 19th, 1977, after a Devo show at Hideo's Discodrome in Cleveland Heights, Mothersbaugh met with David Thomas of Pere Ubu, who shared some singles that reminded him of Devo. He played a *Hawkwind* song as well as The Residents' version of "Satisfaction," which Devo had just begun to play in concert. Mothersbaugh was impressed by the single and began looking into the group's other material.

Soon Devo had to decide as to whether or not they wanted to stay in Ohio; Mark thought they could become "the Akron, Ohio version of The Residents," putting out niche records every year with a limited audience, or expand into other states to see how much strength the Devo aesthetic had.In July of 1977, Devo relocated to California, and major record deals soon followed.

Around 1981, Mothersbaugh recommend that his manager Eliot Roberts and Bill Gerber sign The Residents, after his suggestion of signing *The Human League* had resulted in massive commercial success - Gerber acted as The Residents' manager between 1982 and 1985, and even narrated *The Uncle Sam Mole Show* concert.

Mothersbaugh attended The Residents' private 'Mole Show' test performance a at The House in Santa Monica on April 10th, 1982, and can be heard quipping from the audience during set up on the CD re-issue of *Pal TV LP*. Mothersbaugh also attended their Halloween show at Perkins Palace in Pasadena. Notably, *Wall of Voodoo*, The Residents' opening band, had opened for Devo the night prior for their televised *3-DEVO* concert. Mothersbaugh was thanked in the program for the tour and later described The Mole Show as "The dinkiest thing they've ever done."

After the show, Eliot approached Mothersbaugh and said, "Don't ever recommend another band to me." Mothersbaugh remained an active fan afterward and described "It's A Man's World" as his favorite thing they ever did. In 1986, Mothersbaugh illustrated the cover of *The Cryptic Guide to The Residents* and, the year following, recorded "My Home Town" for the Ralph Records compilation *Potatoes*. Archival footage of Mothersbaugh is featured in the 2016 documentary *The Theory of Obsucirty*, during a Gerald Casale interview segment.

On June 14th, 2023, it was announced that a new quote from Mothersbaugh on the group would appear in *A Sight For Sore Eyes Volume 2*, a book collecting The Residents' visual art from 1982 and 1997.

## See Also

* Gerald Casale
* Josh Freese

1. ↑ https://queencitysoundsandart.wordpress.com/2018/04/12/the-residents-bring-their-weird-and-wonderful-multi-media-show-to-denver/
2. ↑ https://www.yardbarker.com/entertainment/articles/the\_most\_intriguing\_mysterious\_bands\_of\_all\_time/s1\_\_37672155#slide\_16
3. ↑ https://popdose.com/the-complete-idiots-guide-to-the-residents/
4. ↑ https://trouserpress.com/forum/read.php?1,29389,29409
5. ↑ https://www.kqed.org/arts/10137103/tap-into-your-inner-resident-notes-on-our-planets-strangest-band
6. ↑ https://www.kcrw.com/music/shows/guest-dj-project/mark-mothersbaugh
7. ↑ https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/saturdayaudio/2018761706/devo-frontman-mark-mothersbaugh-plays-favourites
8. ↑ https://www.thewire.co.uk/in-writing/interviews/mark-mothersbaugh-unedited-transcript