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In this 1978 photo taken by Janet Macoska, the band Devo, from left, Mark Mothersbaugh, Bob Mothersbaugh, kneeling, Jerry Casale, Bob Casale and Alan Myers pose for a photo. Bob Casale died Monday. He was 61.

(Associated Press / Devo Inc.)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Devo founding member and guitarist Bob Casale died of heart failure on Monday. He was 61. His brother Gerald, also a founding member of the band, reported Casale's death on a Devo Facebook page.

"As an original member of Devo, Bob Casale was there in the trenches with me from the beginning," wrote Gerald. "He was my level-headed brother, a solid performer and talented audio engineer, always giving more than he got. He was excited about the possibility of Mark Mothersbaugh allowing Devo to play shows again. His sudden death from conditions that lead to heart failure came as a total shock to all of us."

We reached Devo member Mark Mothersbaugh at his Mutato Muzika office in Los Angeles. He was still shaken by the news.

"This is so sudden and tragic," said an emotional Mothersbaugh, whose brothers Bob and Jim were also founding members. "He was the nicest guy in the band. He had the best personality. He had the longest fuse. He was a problem solver."

Mark Motherbaugh said the band had plans to tour this summer.

"We were going to go out in June and July playing some music that was pre-first album. We called it science fiction blues. Captain Beefheart type stuff. But now I can't think of anything but Bob and his wife and two kids. His son Alex is 24, and his daughter Samantha is a couple years younger. We're all just thinking about them right now."

Mothersbaugh credited Casale, who played guitar and keyboards in the band, with helping him compose music for television and films.

"Bob engineered my music for all the Wes Anderson films. After our third album, 'Freedom of Choice,' he became very involved in engineering our records."

Casale was born in 1952. Two sets of brothers founded the band in 1972. The Casales were from Kent; the Mothersbaughs were from Akron. Drummer Alan Myers joined the group in 1976, replacing Jim Mothersbaugh.