Most big musical acts slowly crawl into the consciousness via occasional radio plays or word-of-mouth, or the gradually increasing volume of a hit single climbing up the charts. But some crash into sight nationally at very specific moments: like Devo on October 14, 1978, when the band appeared on Saturday Night Live, performing “Satisfaction” and “Jocko Homo” along with a clip from one of their weird early videos about “devolution,” which I think about every time I hear another Republican pol talk about dumping Medicaid on the states.
Here are some non-devolutionary midday news/views treats:
* Who’d a thunk the next big law-and-order debate might come from a biker war right out of Sons of Anarchy?
* NH GOP congressman Frank Guinta in big trouble after FEC reveals he’s been lying about illegal contributions from his parents.
* Ramadi falls completely to IS.
* Long record of failure to enforce labor standards in trade agreements is the real core of Warren’s critique of TPP, says TNR’s Brian Beutler.
* At the Prospect, Paul Waldman says GOP reconsideration of wisdom of Iraq War less important than new “consensus” for bigger defense budget.
And in non-political news:
* So Mad Men finally ended [SPOILER ALERT!]. What did you think of last episode?
As we break for lunch: apparently the networks have blocked YouTube streaming of that first SNL performance by Devo, but here’s a much earlier and clunkier version of “Satisfaction” performed at Max’s Kansas City in July of 1977.
