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What's in a name? A lot! A name can make or break you as a band. I've noticed a trend in band names these days. Now, maybe I'm a little slow, but... oh well. To get a leg up on being a Famous Band in the new millenium (to be fair, the trend dates back to the 80's), your band needs a name with a compound word. Not a REAL compound word, mind you - something made up which makes either no sense, almost no sense, or is based on some inside joke only the band members know. Remember in the 60's, you had to have a cool animal name starting with "The?" Notable non-animal exceptions were The Who, The Doors, The Zombies, and The Guess Who... but you still had to have "The." There's still a few of these around. Let's look at a few big names on the scene: Coldplay Nickelback Radiohead Sum41 Sugarland Then there's the ones that use a space between the two words. I'm counting these too: Maroon 5 Pearl Jam I posted a blog today about this, listing a few more indie bands I found: www.alyssastory.blogspot.comI'm sure I missed a few! Take a stab at it. Who else is there? Who started it? Did "The Beatles" start the "The __Animal Name__" craze in '62, or was it already going on, and they were just following the crowd? What would've happened to world music forever if the Fab Four had called themselves something else? Like "LoveChickens" or "Needlerose?" Do you know an awesome band somewhere who insists on a difficult, unmarketable name that's shooting themselves in the foot? How about a band with a GREAT name but no talent? If you're in a band - what's your band name, how did you come up with it, and why do you think it suits you to a T? Here's one name change that should never have happened. A cool Portland band called "Seafood Mama" (catchy!) became the forgettable nonsense word "Quarterflash." Flash! Gone. Whoops. Linda
Last edited by Linda Adams; 03/03/08 07:48 PM.
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Great thread, Linda...I predict a long shelf life. In between the "The" bands and the "CompoundWord" bands, there was the "One Word" bands. Yes, Heart, Foreigner, Genesis...etc. I love thinking up funny band names. The Facilities might be good. Today we might do well with Pledgedrive, or Fieldcorn...There was actually a punk band called Bongwater. Can't wait to hear some of these responses...
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Linda, I think the old rules may still apply to bluegrass bands. You used to need a 3-part name: (1) the "The" (because you *had* to have a "The"), (2) name of a town, geographic feature, or suchlike, and (3) the name of an activity--preferably a countrified one. The Lost City Ramblers, The Kingston Trio--even The E Street Band Huey Lewis plays with carries on that tradition, though they're rock 'n' roll. I'm on the mailing list of an all-woman bluegrass band hight The Misty Mamas. So the tradition does go on.
I have noticed a disturbing trend in country music to just use the artist/lead singer's name and nothing else--as if the rest of the band were irrelevant. Never used t'be that way. Even when Hank Williams was famous, the concert posters always billed it as "Hank Williams and the [I forget the name] Boys."
Joe
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Hank Williams band was "The Drifting Cowboys". The Beatles coined their name after Buddy Holley's "Crickets". Insects were "In" in those days. Ben
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I have been in a few bands the first was called "Axis" also "Arthurs Seat" was another and "The Hipple People" "The Klaxons" My current Band is "The Edge" We always get the OH like in U2 you must be a U2 tribute band. Did you copy his name. Well we were the edge long before U2 came on the scene. In the 60s most bands were THE something or other there were a lot of animal names and things to to with weather or scientific things. Eagles, Falcons, tigers, Zephyrs, Hurricanes, lazers etc etc. 70s "The" was lost and bands were called a one word name or double barreled names usually two things totally unrelated or opposed eg Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Judas Priest, Yes, Rush, Since then anything goes some have the some have doubled barreled and some even have a silly sentence name eg Everything but the girl. Nowadays the more weird the better.
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This could be fun.
First we had to get a band together...My partner & I had several musicians show up for practice and get excited & then drop out. So we're sitting around a bar one night and lamenting the lack of both a name & a band..."Billy was there, but he dropped out...Mikey never came back...And what was the other guys name? Jack? Yeah, Jack couldn't make it...."Jack Couldn't Make" it became the name of the band, and we haven't run into a musician yet who doesn't understand & sympathize:-)...I wanted to name us "Fifty Fat & Balding", but no one else would go along.
Midnite
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A pal of mine used to be in a band called Fourplay. Yep there was five of them. Everyone was tickled by the name.
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LOL, these are too funny. Keep 'em coming! Oh yes, the one-word names. And the place names... Boston, Kansas. I noticed the country artists were mostly individual artist names rather than bands when I looked them up. Odd. "50, Fat & Balding," I'm not sure I'd go listen to. LOL. "Jack Couldn't Make It" would be especially funny if y'all made the big time. Everyone would feel sorry for Jack who shoulda known better. But no one would turn out for "We Fired Frank." There's a band who started out here & is getting bigger - my daughter knows the younger brother of one of the guys, which is strange to me, but there it is - "Daphne Loves Derby." Clever. Linda
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Played in a band once called "Dr. Fountain and the The Hair Ball Oracle." The name was eventually shortened to "Oracle". I knew some guys with a really cool band name, "Nervous Rex", not much substance though. A few years ago I read a band name in the local paper of "Corky and the Pork Snorkles", one of my personal all time favorites.
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We used to have "Jack couldn't make it" tee-shirts...Once had a woman show up at a gig with her "My divorce is finalized!" Party...Ex's name was Jack & they immediately bought & wore 8 tee-shirts...Folks who came in later thought we had a gaggle of groupies.
Midnite "Jack Couldn't Make It" would be especially funny if y'all made the big time. Everyone would feel sorry for Jack who shoulda known better. But no one would turn out for "We Fired Frank."
Linda [/quote]
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Saw a band in Key Largo...Big Dick & the Extenders...Not quite a 'family friendly' show:-)
Midnite
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Many years ago, I played in a band called "Freddie Fetus and the Embryos."
BTW, many years ago, Rindy Ross, the singer for Quarterflash, told me that the name came from a quote about how to make it in the music business. (I forget who originally said it.) It was something on the order of "it takes three quarters talent and one quarter flash."
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Linda,
Great thread! For a while, when I was living in Germany, I performed under a pseudo...we were called "Alan Moore and The Rural Route Four". Another band I played in was called "Texas State Line". You probably figured it out; but I played only contemporary and traditional country back then.
One of the more interesting names I saw was a band from either Hungary or Czechloslavakia...they were called "The Agnostic Christians".
Al
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I always thought Bare Naked Ladies was the greatest marketing ploy for a band name. And no there isn't a single female in the group.
Marty my home Experience is that marvelous thing that enables you to recognize a mistake when you make it again!
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Speaking of marketing ploys, there have been many a local band with the name Free Beer. Always seems to draw a crowd.
My first band, in 9th grade, was called Ecstasy. Truth be told, we were closer to agony.
I was in a band for a short while called Felix and the Phallics. And some other friends had a band called Not The Fetal Wombats.
I recall a local punk band called Dumpster Juice.
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Many years ago our band was considering a name change..
My suggestion was "tANKS"
i FIGURED WE'D DO AN ALBUM AND CALL IT.."tANKS" Our second album would be"Tanks again" Our third would be a double album package called Tanks Alot" Our fourth would be an all time hits package called " tanks for the Memories" And of course the fifth album would be other artists doing covers of our songs..we'd call that one "Tanks, but no Tanks"
We settled on Fast Eddie and the band suggested a stint in rehab might be in order for me.
Bob Young
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There was a local 80s punk band called The Exploited. Great name wish I had thought of that one as I have been exploited all my life. There was also a punk band at the time called FU2. I wonder if Bono took the hump.
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ROFL.... these are too too funny to read through. Bob Y, "tanks" for that story. Midnite, fun "Jack" t-shirt story too. Linda
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don't know why but the last 2 groups I've had have gone by names that can mean a couple things, one of them having a sexual play on words,in the nineties we had "One Track Mind" and the band I'm still playing in is "Lucky Stiff"
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We were all so clever back in the day. I remember loving weird ethnic instruments before they were popular (as if they ever were) and tried to use then in a rock setting. I figured most folks would think it all sounded like crap, so I wanted to think of a name that was the biggest pile of crap ever. And what would that be?
Elephant dung of course! But that was a bit too crass to use as a band name.
So after a little research, we came up with the ever-so-creative name for the band based on one of the fine uses for dung. We were called, "The Nairobi Trailmarkers." We did one show.
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Aw, Moker - and here I thought the name referred to a dead guy. And was nice and IRONIC. Oh well...
Tom: Next time, remember dinosaurs were bigger than elephants.
(that makes no sense - it must be late)
Linda
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Thanks for the laughs, ya'll! This thread caught my eye especially because we're starting an acoustic trio - in addition to the Gospel duo B & B on the Rock and the band, Blue Merlot. Alongside of the fun of working on material, there's the "what do we name this baby?" question. I don't have an answer yet. However, here's something to while away the time with: http://www.bandnamemaker.com/http://www.thebluesmokeband.com/band.poster.generator.phpand another fun one.... http://www.blamepro.com/bang.htmreload the page and see what they come up with. Somehow, it's not the same as coming up with your own name...but a fun time-waster, and maybe find some inspiration. Brenda
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I've been working in the pop scene and some of the band/group names that are current in my scene are: "Varsity"; "NLT"; "V-Factory"; "TCA"; "The Citys' Finest"; "US5"; "Vybe"; "Menudo" (isn't that cows' stomache?); etc.....
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Hi Gregory. It has always puzzled me why boy bands and pop groups have such cheesy naff names. It appears to be an art form all of its own. I know they sing really cheesy songs and wear real cheesy gear but do they have to have a cheesy handle as well. LOL
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Menudo is actually a Mexican soup and a Latino pop band has already used the name. I know there are some pretty strange band names out there. The Butt Hole Surfer's is one that I remember. There are a few that have names that are even worse than that. I don't have a clue on what these folks were thinking!
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Hi all,
My biggest dream is having my own band, I don't know what I would call it, but my album, if I ever get it published, I would like to call it,
"You too can make it"
Thanks for the fun read, great topic.
Michele Your Aussie friend from down under
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When I was young and did far too many foolish things, my 'friends' nicknamed me 'Berserk' which quickly shortened to 'Berz.' Which folks often confused with 'Buzz' but that's beside the point.
Anyway, for my on again-off again side project band I chose to build on that and named it Berzircon. Crazy imitation diamonds, if you will.
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shine on you crazy imitation diamond
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Here are some names of the Bands I've been in:
The Black Revolvers (named after the Beatles LP) The Extreme Caution The Seeds of Heredity (what were we thinking!) The Corvairs - Unsafe at any Volume Leward Tack (Fleetwood Mac?) The Longfellows (our neighborhood name, not what you're thinking) Steve West and the Northern Stars
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Two band names my friends and I discussed but discarded...
Betty's Cucumber (yes there's a story to it)
The Silent Scream of the Salted Slug (Although we did use this to get free drinks one night in Margate, NJ)
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Fun thread,
I think Karen and Richard revolted against "The" requirements by insisting that "Carpenters" stand alone on the cover art and some of us early DJ's actually respected that enough to intro their records by simply saying something like: "Here's the latest from Carpenters."
Bands I've played in:
"The" Cohesions (64) Jack's Rebels (70) Knox Creek Cole Company (same band new name) Blackhorse (Nashvile road band) "The" Music City Review (or was it Nashville Music Review?) Clinnon East and "the" darn can't remember, some dumb hillbilly moniker. and to support your early point a string of other "nothing became of them" un-recallable handles.
One of my favorite local bands was "Mr. Floods Party" named for a poem I think and they KICKED a*$, opened for Chicago once.
Went to High school (Kearsley in Flint, Mi) with Mark Farner and lived right down the street from Mel Schacher. Members of that band "Grand Funk" went through a string of names. Terry & "the" Pirates with Terry Knight (Knapp)"The" Pack, or Fabulous Pack, Grand Funk Railroad, and finally Grand Funk. Heard some rumors that Farner may return as GF is on the road again but can't confirm that, and I think their calling themselves GFR again.
MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE BAND NAME IS:
Dixie Wrecked
Wayne
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One of my favourite band names Hayseed Dixie. If you do not already know them check them out. Named as a pun of AC/DC these guys take classic rock and do them in alternative ways. If you have never heard Queens Fat Bottomed Girls or Aerosmiths Walk This Way played as bluegrass have a listen. Blew my socks off and split my sides laughing.
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HIDee Mz Linda!
Back in my College Days I used to Airbrush LOGOS on Band Drum Heads, among my many Moneymakers. Funniest/MOST Memorable: Had a Big Uglee Ol' Smilin' SPIDER with a Spoon in all 8 of it's Hairy hands...& Band was named "MISS MUFFET & THE SPOON JOBS"...
Drummer John Shayne allus Stayed Busy giggin'-away/Noone EVER forgot the Band's Name/It worked! (He's a Catholic PRIEST these days...a Boston Bigshot, but I knew him "When"..heh!)
IF I ever get a Band together when Total Retirement Strikes, I'll bill under "TampaStan (& The Tan-Line Band)" (Already Recorded a Few under that Heading..heh!) Inspired by "KC & The Sunshine Band"..& "Jimmy Buffett (& the Coral Reefer Band)"...both of which "Conveyed The Tropical-Image" rather Well!
Chrissie Hind's "The Pretenders" was Great Anti-Hero Band-Naming...& Jagger SURE knew Which Dylan Tune to name HIS Mates Under..eh? & "? and The Mysterians"...KILLER! "Cream" was a Catchy One-Worder...Joplin Owed "Big Bro & The Holding Co." for her early success, JMO. MOst RE-Named Band of the '60's: "Jefferson AIRPLANE(Etc.)"
Allus Appreciated the sick humor behind "Toad The Wet Sprocket".
"Blood, Sweat & Tears" was rather Poetic...
IF you shot for the Top, why not START There: "The SUPREMES"..."4 TOPS"..etc.
& for Unforgettableness: "Gladys Knight (& The PIPS)"
"The BEATLES": Brilliant: "Cute-sey, yet Rhythm-Laden..WITH a Touch of Violent Behaviour-Implied." Phonetically, it Blasts Ya, then Dribbles crispy-Away.
Gotta Scoot..
Big Hugs, Stan
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That would be pretty funny! Linda One of my favourite band names Hayseed Dixie. If you do not already know them check them out. Named as a pun of AC/DC these guys take classic rock and do them in alternative ways. If you have never heard Queens Fat Bottomed Girls or Aerosmiths Walk This Way played as bluegrass have a listen. Blew my socks off and split my sides laughing.
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Thanks for popping in, Stan! I figured you'd have some fun stories.
""The BEATLES": Brilliant: "Cute-sey, yet Rhythm-Laden..WITH a Touch of Violent Behaviour-Implied." Phonetically, it Blasts Ya, then Dribbles crispy-Away."
Dribbles crispy-away?! Wow! I never gave it that much thought - but what a powerful description! Like I said, I doubt they'd have gotten as far with "The Ringo Kids" or "Lovespoons" or something.
Queen was "Smile" before they were Queen. There's a funny Freddie story behind that too, but I won't bore everybody. Previous bands they were part of were "Wreckage" and "Ibex" - both those are OK, but "Smile" - shudder. Bleh. Good call to change that.
Linda
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"If one man can do it, any man can do it. It is true. But the real question is, if one man did it, are you willing to do what it takes to do it as well?" –Brian Austin Whitney
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