Jerry Casale (of DEVO and Kent State witness) on the 50th Commemoration of May 4, 1970

[progressoid]

[progressoid]

1. He personally knew two of the victims, Jeffrey Miller and Allison Krause

After leaving the Numbers Band and graduation, Casale attended Kent State University, majoring in Art (focusing on fine/performing arts and fashion-related studies). In the late 1960s, he was a self-described hippie until the May 4, 1970 shootings. Being involved with Freshman orientation at the KSU Honors College, he personally knew two of the victims, Jeffrey Miller and Allison Krause, and was near Krause when she was shot.[7] Casale described that day in multiple interviews as being "the day I stopped being a hippie".[8] Together with Bob Lewis, Casale used the shooting as a catalyst to develop the concept of Devolution, forming the band Devo in 1973


The name Devo comes from the concept of 'de-evolution' and the band's related idea that instead of continuing to evolve, mankind has actually begun to regress, as evidenced by the dysfunction and herd mentality of American society.[8] In the late 1960s, this idea was developed as a joke by Kent State University art students Gerald Casale and Bob Lewis, who created a number of satirical art pieces in a devolution vein.

[BigmanPigman]

2. Interesting.

[McKim]

3. Thank You Jerry!!!

Thank you, Jerry for your commemoration speech. Let’s have that event next year and I will show up! This was a pivotal event in my life and I learned a lot about our government that day. Things have never quite been the same. Thank you for honoring these victims.