An Interview with Mark Mothersbaugh

Mark Mothersbaugh is an iconic musician, composer, and artist whose career spans over four decades and crosses multiple genres.

From the punk rock of Devo to his work on films and television shows, Mothersbaugh’s work has been recognized and appreciated by fans and critics alike.

As he continues to be active in the music industry, a rare opportunity has been presented to get an exclusive interview with the legendary artist. Mothersbaugh will discuss his music, art, and future projects in this interview.

It will be a unique chance to gain insight into the creative process of one of the most influential musicians of the modern era.

Mark’s Career in Music and Art

Mark Mothersbaugh began his career as a musician and composer in the 1970s when he was a part of the band Devo. After the break-up of Devo, Mothersbaugh continued to write music and explored different genres, including film scores and soundtracks.

He also focused on his work as an artist and has had multiple exhibitions of his art around the world.

With his diverse work in music and art, Mothersbaugh has collaborated with multiple artists and brands, including Google, Toyota, and Lexus. His work has also been exhibited at museums, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Akron Art Museum.

Mark’s Creative Process

When asked about his creative process, Mothersbaugh said, “I write a lot of music in my head, but I can’t just sit there and think about it. I have to do something else.

Sometimes I cook, and then I’ll be doing something, and it’ll be like, ‘Oh, there’s that melody that I’ve been thinking about.

It’s in the saucepan!'” Mark Mothersbaugh also said that his creative process often begins with an idea for a particular song that he then develops into a whole piece of music.

He then focuses on how that music can be used in other contexts, such as films or television shows. He also said that this process could also work in reverse, with him starting with a piece of music and then finding an idea or concept that the music can be used for.

Mark’s Experience With Devo

Devo was an Ohio-based art-punk band formed by Mothersbaugh, his brother Bob Mothersbaugh, and Gerald Casale in 1973. After signing a record deal, Devo released their debut album, “Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!” in 1978.

The album reached number 91 on the Billboard 200 and received critical acclaim, with Rolling Stone naming it as one of the “100 Best Albums of the ’80s.” Devo released albums throughout the 1980s, with their final release occurring in 1991.

The band has since been disbanded, but they have been recognized as one of the most influential bands of the modern era.

After the break-up of Devo, Mothersbaugh continued to write music and explored different genres, including film scores and soundtracks. He also focused on his work as an artist and has had multiple exhibitions of his art around the world.

With his diverse work in music and art, Mothersbaugh has collaborated with multiple artists and brands, including Google, Toyota, and Lexus. His work has also been exhibited at museums, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Akron Art Museum.

Mark’s Work in Film and Television

After the break-up of Devo, Mothersbaugh continued to write music and soon began to explore different genres, including film scores and soundtracks. His first major film score was for the 1982 film “Urgh! A Music War.”

His work on this film led him to create the soundtrack for the 1983 film “The Right Stuff.” He then wrote the soundtrack for the 1986 film “Something Wild,” which featured a collaboration with David Bowie.

After these early film scores, Mothersbaugh continued to write music for films and television shows, collaborating with multiple artists.

His work in film and television has included the themes of shows such as “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” “The Adventures of Pete & Pete,” “SpongeBob SquarePants,” and “Harold & Kumar.”

His film work includes the themes of films such as “The Iron Giant,” “21 Jump Street,” “Tron: Legacy,” and “The Lego Movie.”

Mark’s Thoughts on the Music Industry

With the recent developments in the music industry and the increase in streaming services, such as Spotify and Apple Music, Mark Mothersbaugh has had to change his approach as an artist.

He said, “I just have to change my whole way of thinking about how I will make a living. I have to think, ‘OK, well, I’m going to get 70 percent of the pie.’ That’s still a lot of pie.

And I have to think about how to get the audience to notice me and to notice my music and to go out and buy it, and I have to do a better job with the marketing than I did in the ’80s when we spent millions of dollars on marketing.

I didn’t do any marketing. I just put the record out. So I have to get out there and do this hustling thing which I’m not very good at. I’m not very outgoing, and I’m not good at schmoozing with people. But I’m going to have to do that, too.”

Mark’s Current and Future Projects

The band Devo was formed in the 1970s and was active until the 1990s. In 2014, the band reunited and released their 11th studio album in September.

Devo has also released an EP and toured in support of the album, with their most recent show taking place in October 2018.

Alongside Devo, Mothersbaugh has continued to write music and has released multiple albums, including “Some Things Never Change,” released in September 2018.

He has also continued to work in film and television, writing music for films like “Casper” and “The Rugrats Movie.” He has also collaborated with the artist Jeff Koons on “The Common Senses,” a live art installation that will open in Las Vegas in 2020.

Conclusion

Mark Mothersbaugh has had a prolific career as a musician, composer, and artist. His work has spanned several decades and crossed multiple genres, including punk rock, film scores, and soundtracks.

He has also worked as an art curator and exhibited his work at museums worldwide. With his extensive music, film, and art work, Mark Mothersbaugh has collaborated with multiple artists and brands, including Google, Toyota, and Lexus.

With the recent developments in the music industry, Mark Mothersbaugh has had to adapt and rework his approach as an artist. He has had to change his focus to include marketing, hustling, and being more outgoing and schmoozing with others.