5-Minute Time Out: Mark Mothersbaugh
The Devo founder on his Yo Gabba Gabba gig.
by Gwynne Watkins
October 17, 2008
Fans of new wave music will instantly recognize Mark Mothersbaugh as a founding member of the groundbreaking post-punk band Devo — but even if you don't have "Whip It" or "Beautiful World" on your iPod, you probably know his work. Starting with a gig as the composer for Pee Wee's Playhouse in 1986, Mothersbaugh has made a career scoring films, TV shows, commercials and videogames; his most recognizable compositions include the music for Rugrats and Rushmore. He's also a visual artist, presenting around twenty-five gallery shows a year — and for the past year, he's been sharing his artistic talents with kids as the host of "Mark's Magic Pictures," the drawing segment of Yo Gabba Gabba. Babble talked to Mark about drawing, working with Pee Wee, and what his young daughters think of Devo. — Gwynne Watkins
I've been watching Yo Gabba Gabba. My son is a little too young for it right now—
He's about seventeen?
Yeah, it's a little too high-concept for him. He's seven months old, actually, but he'll love it in a couple years. How old are your kids?
Four and seven.
Do they watch the show?
"Doing Yo Gabba Gabba was a way to subversively get into my kids' minds."
They're the ones who got me to even want to be on the show. I get offered all sorts of things that don't interest me, and just don't have time to do everything. But I had a DVD of the pilot that they'd given me when they asked me to be the art-maker, and I was playing it at home and the kids both really got into it. They were already singing whatever the songs were. They're both adopted; the younger one has been with me since she was one, and the older one has only been with me for about two years now, so they don't even know that their dad has done the music for about thirty different kids show starting with Pee Wee's Playhouse. I've tried. I've put Rugrats on TV, and it's like an alien thing. So [doing Yo Gabba Gabba] was a way to subversively get into their minds.
If I asked them "What does your dad do?" what would they say?
They would say I'm being silly on TV. No, they'd say I draw. Because the older girl, she's obsessed with drawing. That's one of the things we do have in common.
Are your kids fans of Devo?
Yeah, they got there by way of Devo 2.0. They came to a Devo show and saw Dad onstage. They thought it was ridiculous. They're like, "Why are you dressed in this silly outfit and why are you singing these songs that Devo sings?" Yeah, they were kind of confused by that. But I've taken them to enough shows that they have it figured out.
So they think that Devo is a cover band of itself? Somehow that seems appropriate.
Yeah. [Laughs]
©2008 Gwynne Watkins and Nerve Media
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Gwynne Watkins was Babble's founding Senior Editor. She has written for a variety of web and print publications, and her theatrical work has been produced throughout the New York area. Her new family musical, Tea with Chachaji, will premiere in early 2010. |
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