Tuesday, October 8, 2013

What is in a name?

About a week ago, I was in a conversation with SD and Trocc after a show at Schuba's.  The topic had drifted to music (surprise) and I was struggling temporarily to remember a band's name...



Me: "Shoot, umm...it is one of those bands with a three word name..."

SD: "Steel Pole Bathtub?"...chuckle...

SD: "King Cobb Steelie?"...snicker...

Me:  "Shut it!  No, it was...um...AGENT SIDE GRINDER!"...giggles...

Trocc: "That is a terrible name."

And I couldn't really disagree with him.  Except I did - because I like the band.  

That is why SD was chuckling at his suggestions as well because the Junk Drawer has a soft spot for both Steel Pole Bathtub and King Cobb Steelie. 

SD could give a fuck about those bands but he listens to bands with names like Sunburned Hand of the Man, Pocahaunted, and MV & EE so take his opinion on chuckle worthy band names with a grain of salt.    

But this got me thinking of about how the name of something is completely irrelevant, until you start creating a reputation for that name.  Then that is your brand, right?

It is easy to slag band names when you don't have any interest in their music. But once you fall under the spell of the music you can forgive practically any name.  
Here are a few that currently annoy me: 

  • MGMT - so, I am supposed to say each letter of this name? Why exactly? This band used be called The Management and then when they found out some other band had that awful name, rather than take that as a sign they simply started calling themselves the abbreviation of the word.  I hate the word management, partly because the worst/pointless/LONG meetings I have to attend all start with it.  
  • Trampled By Turtles -  aren't we clever? 
  • The Pains of Being Pure of Heart -- nothing this twee sounding could be good for you in the long run. 
  • Mumford & Sons -- a bit too on the nose for their style of new wave banjo, polished old timey-ness.  Plus it makes me think of Sanford & Son whose theme song I like infinitely better than anything that XRT has forced me to listen to by these guys. 

What band names do you dislike without any regard or knowledge of their music?















1 comment:

  1. I have long professed that if you pick any number of words at random you will have a name for a band as good as any out there. Your theory that the name doesn't matter, rather it is the connection to the music that makes a name supports my theory well.

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