thus spake drake: Ear on TV: Week of 06.14.10: Devo

It's been 20 years since de-evolution champions Devo had released an album, and for it's return, the band jokingly turns to the industry that best furthers the cause of de-voltion: Advertising.

Instead of relying on original label Warner Bros., Devo leaders Mark Mothersbaugh and Gerald Casale reached out to advertising agencies to market their next release. Agency Mother won the account and the result is a 'test to learn' approach, where the band used focus groups and market research to determine everything from the songs that end up on the release, to the color of their famous energy caps (fans chose blue, inching out the classic red domes). The resulting release is reflective of its title, Something For Everything, mixing not only classic Devo sounds but also featuring input from Santigold and The Dust Brothers' John King. The strategy is nothing new, but Devo's tongue-in cheek honesty behind the process makes an interesting comment on the often rocky marriage between commerce and art.

Part of any good music marketing scheme (even a fake one), of course, it to put the product in front of as many faces as possible. In that spirit Devo plays Letterman on Tuesday night; performs and chats with fellow de-evolutionist Stephen Colbert for The Colbert Report on Wednesday; and then spreads the virus to daytime with an appearance on Regis & Kelly on Friday. By week's end, the Devolution Army should have enough recruits to be at full strength again. My blue energy cap is in the mail.

Elsewhere, the Bonnaroo Music Festival just finished its 10th annual run, and like in the past, FUSE network was there to capture much of the action. On Thursday, highlights from the four day festival will be edited together for Live From Bonnaroo 2010, featuring live performances and interviews from the likes of Jay-Z, Kings of Leon, Weezer and the duo of Damien Marley and Nas, who got a surprise introduction from Conan O'Brien, who manages to get at least one women to flash 'some boobies':