Bob Casale

In early 1970, Bob Lewis and Gerald Casale formed the idea of the "devolution" of the human race after Casale's friend Jeffrey Miller was killed by Ohio National Guardsmen firing on a student demonstration.[5] Casale joined Devo in 1973, after being recruited by his brother Gerald. After the band underwent a few line-up changes, Bob Casale became part of the most popular five-piece incarnation, which consisted of two sets of brothers, the Mothersbaughs (Mark and Bob) and the Casales (Gerald and Bob), along with drummer Alan Myers.[2] Casale later claimed that they formed the band because "it was a more immediate way of self-expression that required less money and no outside permission."[6]

Following the commercial failure of their sixth studio album Shout, Warner Bros. dropped Devo. Shortly after, claiming to feel creatively unfulfilled, Alan Myers left the band,[7] causing the remaining band members to abandon the plans for a Shout video LP, as well as a tour. In the interim, Casale began a career as an audio engineer. In 1987, Devo reformed with new drummer David Kendrick. The band stopped performing in 1991, but reformed as a musical act in 1995.[2] Around this time, members of Devo appeared in the film The Spirit of '76 but without Bob Mothersbaugh.

Devo performing live in Atlanta, Georgia, 1978: Bob Casale and Gerald Casale

In Devo concerts, Casale played the lead and rhythm guitar and keyboards while also working with MIDI sampling. He also sang backing vocals, both on albums and at live shows.[8]

Casale and the other Devo members were part of the Church of the SubGenius.

As Devo's mainstream popularity waned during the mid-1980s and its various members began working on side projects, Casale transitioned to music engineering and production. He engineered and mixed Mark Mothersbaugh's first solo album Muzik for Insomniaks in 1985, which was later expanded and released as two CDs in 1988. In 1986, Casale produced and engineered Martini Ranch's debut EP "How Can the Labouring Man Find Time for Self-Culture?" which also featured Alan Myers on percussion and Mark Mothersbaugh on keyboards and in the late summer of 1986 he engineered the debut solo album for the Police's guitarist Andy Summers, recorded at Devo Studios in California. XYZ, featuring songs written and sung by Summers, was then released in 1987.

In 1989, Bob Casale and other members of Devo were involved in the project Visiting Kids, releasing a self-titled EP on the New Rose label in 1990.[9] The band featured Mark Mothersbaugh's then-wife Nancye Ferguson, as well as David Kendrick, Bob Mothersbaugh and Bob's daughter Alex Mothersbaugh. Their record was produced by Bob Casale and Mark Mothersbaugh and Mark also co-wrote some of the songs. Visiting Kids appeared on the soundtrack to the film Rockula, as well as on the Late Show with David Letterman. A promotional video was filmed for the song "Trilobites".

Casale later became a part of the musical production group Mutato Muzika with other members of Devo.[10]

As music engineering and production opportunities expanded for Casale and bandmate Mark Mothersbaugh, Casale began working for television and movies, including Four Rooms, Happy Gilmore, Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums and Rugrats Go Wild.[11]