Robert Mothersbaugh Sr., father to Devo founders Mark, Bob and Jim Mothersbaugh and an integral part of the group's early visual identity under the guise of "General Boy," has died. Though a cause of death has not been revealed, the group revealed the sad news today (May 23) over social media.
Born Robert Leroy Mothersbaugh in 1925, he would find infamy for a generation of experimental rock followers when his sons drafted him into their Devo project in the role of "General Boy." He would appear as the character as early as the group's 1976 student film, In the Beginning Was the End: The Truth About De-Evolution, as well as video interstitials and sometimes in concert.
As the story goes, General Boy is the father of Booji Boy (a.k.a. Mark Mothersbaugh in a creepy baby mask). In the short film, ahead of a Devo performance of "Jocko Homo," the militarist and his son uncovered suppressed documents that explained that, well, we're all Devo. As he explained, gravely: "Every man, woman, and mutant on this planet shall know the truth about de-evolution."
You can watch his famous proclamation down below.
As previously reported, guitarist Bob Casale passed away in 2014, and former drummer Alan Myers died in 2013 after a bout with cancer.
Born Robert Leroy Mothersbaugh in 1925, he would find infamy for a generation of experimental rock followers when his sons drafted him into their Devo project in the role of "General Boy." He would appear as the character as early as the group's 1976 student film, In the Beginning Was the End: The Truth About De-Evolution, as well as video interstitials and sometimes in concert.
As the story goes, General Boy is the father of Booji Boy (a.k.a. Mark Mothersbaugh in a creepy baby mask). In the short film, ahead of a Devo performance of "Jocko Homo," the militarist and his son uncovered suppressed documents that explained that, well, we're all Devo. As he explained, gravely: "Every man, woman, and mutant on this planet shall know the truth about de-evolution."
You can watch his famous proclamation down below.
As previously reported, guitarist Bob Casale passed away in 2014, and former drummer Alan Myers died in 2013 after a bout with cancer.