​In the band’s formative years they ventured to the creative scene in San Francisco. There DEVO encountered the like-minded team behind the influential periodical Search & Destroy. In 1977, bandmembers were staying at Richard Trance’s house, the scenester who hosted all the punk bands. One night Sid Vicious arrived wasted at 3:00 in the morning and stepped on Bob 2’s head in total darkness. He reacted instinctively and grabbed Sid’s ankle, twisting it as he screamed in pain. A sprained ankle and an ER visit was the result. At some point during one of DEVO’s visits to the crash pad, the room was cleared of furniture and the band and photographer Richard Alden Peterson created one their finest collaborations. This fantastic image from early in the band’s evolution is a clear harbinger of DEVO’s vision. As the session developed, all involved discerned both the sense of collaboration and the sense of each member aesthetically propping up the others. The skewed angles, the uniforms and the turning away from the camera combine to capture DEVO’s imperative and ongoing willingness to defy conventional wisdom. Decades later this rarely seen gem will likely be the most invigorating image in your collection.

$2000. 16x20 (unframed). Edition of 23.

Richard Alden Peterson grew up east of San Diego and was selling his photographs by 8 th grade. He caught the attention of legendary rock journalist Lester Bangs, who encouraged Peterson (and Cameron Crowe) in their early years. By age 16, Peterson was shooting and hanging out with The Supremes, Buffalo Springfield, The Stone Poneys, Cream, Turtles, Strawberry Alarm Clock and The Byrds. By college age Peterson headed north to the Bay Area, where he fell in with a decidedly anti-establishment crew of fellow travelers. That included Bruce Conner, Allen Ginsberg and the folks at City Lights Bookstore. Peterson was at the epicenter of the scene, which provided him the opportunity to work on projects by David Byrne and Brian Eno. Peterson’s intimate access to the likes of Iggy Pop, Debbie Harry, Joey Ramone and countless others resulted in a treasure trove of images. Peterson’s photography is in the permanent collection of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.