Purchasers of a limited-edition Devo print are cordially invited to a private reception at Leica Gallery LA. This exclusive event offers a rare opportunity to meet the band in person and have your print and Certificate of Authenticity personally signed by Devo.
Neal Preston
Neal took this print on Sunset Boulevard, in front of Devo World Headquarters. The band is in full effect. Look closely at their fingers, and you have yet again another subversive message from the band. The bold colors of the suits, the sharpness of the building and the crisp blue sky make for a stunning image. Putting all that into one image with the cleverness of the Energy Domes and the fingers make this a stunning portrait. It has been rarely seen outside of Devo’s orbit and will be a stunning addition to your wall.
$2000. 16×20. Edition of 20.
With a career in photography that started in high school and continues to the present, Neal Preston has made a significant contribution to the pop-culture history of his generation. He has worked closely with rock royalty such as Led Zeppelin, The Who, Bruce Springsteen, Queen, David Bowie, Fleetwood Mac, Madonna and countless other luminaries. Generally considered the top “live concert” photographer of his time, Preston has shot live performance CD and DVD covers for Queen, Springsteen, Madonna, Fleetwood Mac, Kiss and many others.
Ebet Roberts
Early in Devo’s career, Ebet met up with the band to photograph them in the streets of New York. They encountered the busker with the sandwich board on 5th Avenue. She quickly captured the photograph of the band with him and the sign he wore, catching everyone at the right moment. Even the passerby with her ice cream cone could not have made a better cameo appearance. Years later, the band reached out to Ebet to bring this image into this exclusive portfolio. The message of this image remains true then and today. On your wall it will bring a smile each time you gaze at it.
$2000. 16×20. Edition of 50.
Ebet Roberts is a renowned photographer whose work captures the essence of music’s most iconic moments and artists. After graduating from the Memphis College of Art, Roberts moved to documenting the vibrant punk scene of the late ’70s. Roberts’ unique ability to capture intimate, revealing moments with Bob Marley, Neil Young, Ravi Shankar, Philip Glass, Bob Dylan, R.E.M., The Ramones, The Cure, The Pretenders, Robert Plant, Bruce Springsteen, Miles Davis, Talking Heads and The Clash has earned her widespread renown. Her prints are featured in the permanent collection of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Seattle’s Experience Music Project, The Grammy Museum and The Hard Rock Cafe.
Allan Tannenbaum
Devo entered Allan Tannenbaum’s studio in 1981 and quickly a bond was formed. With their plastic hair on top and equally shiny patent leather shoes on the bottom, the band was ready for action. Sporting pleated slacks and matching khaki shirts, the band looked around the studio and spotted a few items to amplify their duty then, now and for the future of today, when this print would adorn your wall. The sleek Haliburton Zero briefcase provides a bias for action, as does the walkie-talkie, portable cassette player, digital calculator and analogue pocket spy camera.
$2400. 17×22. Edition of 50.
Pausing for a moment, Devo relaxes in their comfortable Bermuda shorts to assess the latest in fashion trends. Confident that fresh remains the band’s approach, Devo knows that no hair tonic suggestion from a magazine can match their Groom ‘n Clean policy for proper maintenance of footwear and the scalp. Photographer Allan Tannenbaum helped set the stage with a warm toned backdrop to accentuate the color of their jerseys, featuring lighting that highlights the shiny black hair, belts and shoes of the band. This print will look sharp on your wall.
$2400. 17×22. Edition of 50.
Allan Tannenbaum has been photographing since the 1960s. After college he gravitated to the nascent art scene in the SoHo district of Manhattan. When the SoHo Weekly News commenced publication in 1973, Tannenbaum became the Photo Editor and Chief Photographer. Tannenbaum relentlessly covered the art world, music scene, politics, show business and nightlife. The high point of this period was photographing John Lennon and Yoko Ono nude in bed — the low point was the murder of John Lennon 10 days later. Tannenbaum photographed Sid Vicious in handcuffs leaving the hotel room where his girlfriend was dead. He took the cover photograph for Nelson Mandela’s book Long Walk to Freedom. Devo used his photo for their album cover on Duty Now for the Future. Tannenbaum got the biggest and most dangerous story of his career just six blocks from his home – the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. Tannenbaum photographed the explosion of the second plane and Ground Zero between tower collapses.
Richard Alden Peterson
In 1977 during the band’s formative years, Devo ventured into San Francisco’s creative scene where the band encountered the like-minded team behind the influential Search & Destroy punk ‘zine, the first-wave periodical launched by a City Lights Bookstore employee using funds from Allen Ginsberg and typed on Lawrence Ferlinghetti’s typewriter.
Co-publisher and surrealist activist Ricky Trance’s inner-city flat served as a crash pad for Devo and other traveling 1970s punk-era performers. One night, in 1978, while Devo was staying in Ricky’s flat, Sid Vicious arrived wasted at 3:00 in the morning and stepped on Bob 2’s head in total darkness. He reacted instinctively and grabbed Sid’s ankle, twisting it as he screamed in pain. A sprained ankle and an ER visit was the result.
During an earlier visit in 1977, S&D “Aerial Photographer” Richard Alden Peterson helped Devo clear their crash pad room of furniture to create spontaneous imaginative photo art, one of their finest collaborations.
This fantastic image from early in the band’s evolution is a clear harbinger of Devo’s vision. As the session developed, all involved discerned both the sense of collaboration and the sense of each member aesthetically propping up the others. The skewed angles, the uniforms and the turning away from the camera combine to capture Devo’s imperative and ongoing willingness to defy conventional wisdom. Decades later, this innovative gem will likely be the most invigorating image in your collection.
$2000. 17×22. Edition of 23.
Richard Alden Peterson grew up east of San Diego and sold his first photographic print by 8th grade. He caught the attention of legendary rock journalist Lester Bangs, who encouraged Peterson (and Cameron Crowe) in their early years. By age 15, Peterson was photographing and hanging out with performers like The Supremes, Buffalo Springfield, The Stone Poneys, Cream, Turtles, Strawberry Alarm Clock, and The Byrds. For college Peterson headed to the Bay Area, where he connected with fellow anti-establishment travelers, including legendary artist Bruce Conner, with whom Peterson worked printing museum art for 30 years. Bruce Conner created Devo’s “Mongoloid” video. Peterson was at the scene’s epicenter, which allowed him to work on projects by David Byrne and Brian Eno. Peterson’s intimate access to Iggy Pop, Debbie Harry, Joey Ramone and countless others resulted in a treasure trove of images. Peterson’s photography is in the permanent collection of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. This image by Peterson has been exhibited in several museum shows.