Bob Casale

Bob Casale
File:Bob Casale 1.jpg Casale performing live in 2008
Background information
Birth name	Robert Edward Pizzute Jr.
Also known as	Bob 2
Born	(1952-07-14)July 14, 1952 Kent, Ohio, U.S.
Died	Los Angeles, U.S.
Genres	New wave punk rock post-punk electropunk art punk synthpop electronic rock film score
Occupation(s)	Musician producer audio engineer
Instruments	Synthesizer guitar keyboards
Years active	1973–2014
Associated acts	Devo Jihad Jerry & the Evildoers The Wipeouters
Notable instruments
Gibson L6-S Custom Ibanez Talman Hagstrom PB-24-G Gibson Marauder

Robert Edward "Bob" Casale, Jr. (born Robert Edward Pizzute, Jr., July 14, 1952 – February 17, 2014) or Bob 2 was an American musician and sound engineer, best known as a guitarist and keyboardist in the new wave band Devo. He was the brother of Gerald Casale.

Devo

Bob Casale was born in Kent, Ohio. His birth name was Pizzute because his father had legally changed his name from Robert Edward Casale to that of his foster parents. Casale originally trained as a medical radiation technologist, but was recruited by his brother Gerald Casale to join his band Devo. After the band underwent a few line-up changes, Bob Casale became part of the most popular five-piece incarnation, which included the Casale brothers: Jerry and Bob ("Bob 2"), and the Mothersbaugh brothers: Mark and Bob ("Bob 1"), as well as drummer Alan Myers.

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. Starting in 1984, Casale was the audio engineer for all of Devo's albums, including Shout, Total Devo, Smooth Noodle Maps and Something for Everybody.

The band stopped performing in 1991, but reformed as a musical act in 1995.

Life after Devo

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. In the late summer of 1986, he engineered the first solo album for Police guitarist Andy Summers, recorded at Devo Studios in California. XYZ, featuring songs written and sung by Summers, was then released in 1987. Casale later became a part of the musical production group Mutato Muzika with other members of Devo.

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.

Death

Casale died of heart failure in Los Angeles on February 17, 2014. According to his brother Gerald, he went to the emergency room because he was coughing up blood. He was scheduled for tests and his family went home. During the tests, Casale became "agitated" and was given a sedative, after which his blood pressure plunged. He was given epinephrine. When his heart stopped, the medical staff was unable to get it started again.

He is survived by his brother Gerald, wife Lisa and two children, Alex and Samantha.

External links

• Bob Casale at the Internet Movie Database