Band Names

Posted by: JeffS

Band Names - 09/06/2003 06:46

I’m at my wits end on this one. I hate picking band names (as you end up being stuck with that identity for a long time), but I’m recording a CD and trying to get some word of mouth going around San Antonio. I can’t call venues and say, “I have a group, here’s our demo . . . no, we don’t have a name yet.” Talk about frustrating, all I want to do is play and write music!

So here’s the question. Anybody got a great band name out there that they’d be willing to let me use? Our style is kind of pop-folk (because the acoustic guitar and focal harmonies are the main focus of most songs), though sometimes we edge into rock. Most of the lyrics are personal stories or ideas and have a spiritual context, but I’m not looking specifically for a religiously themed band named. Just something that doesn’t sound cheesy. The motif I like most is the “storyteller”, as that’s kind of how I see the lyrics and style, but no names in that vein seem to jump out at me.

Anyway, we need not limit this thread to band names that fit my description (as heavy metal band names are always the most fun to come up with); this could be a fun thread even if I don’t get anything useful. I’m sure, however, that you guys could at least come up with something better than JOI (Jesus On the Inside!), which someone suggested. I think that one caused me physical pain!
Posted by: Dignan

Re: Band Names - 09/06/2003 07:17

You're asking other people for band names?? That's half the fun! My friends and I came up with no less than 300 band names ourselves. I'll post the list here if I can find it.

We ended up with "The Slow Nerves" (from a Flaming Lips song).
Posted by: JeffS

Re: Band Names - 09/06/2003 07:24

?? That's half the fun!
Maybe for other people, which is why I'm asking! I've also come up with a thousand different names, but they don't really fit our style. Plus, it's getting exceedingly difficult to find ones that aren't taken.

I've recalled several conversations when something was said and some would say "you know, that'd be a great band name!", but I can't remember a single one now.

I'd like to see your list though, it might be a fun read.
Posted by: cushman

Re: Band Names - 09/06/2003 07:30

If I ever started a band, I'd name it "Lumber Party".

We'd dress up like lumberjacks, and do Husquavarna solos.

If you do pick a band name, make sure it starts with "The". You can't get a band going nowadays without starting with "The." The Strokes, The Hives, The Vines, The The. See what I mean?
Posted by: Ezekiel

Re: Band Names - 09/06/2003 07:31

I knew a band in college called 'Lumber Trunk'.

-Zeke
Posted by: tonyc

Re: Band Names - 09/06/2003 07:46

If you do pick a band name, make sure it starts with "The". You can't get a band going nowadays without starting with "The." The Strokes, The Hives, The Vines, The The. See what I mean?
This trend replaces the trend of several years ago, when you had to include some random integer in your band's name. (Blink 182, Matchbox 20, 7 Mary 3, Eve 6, etc.)

I'm usually pretty good at generating band names, but folk/pop (or pop/folk?) is a genre that doesn't lend itself to much creativity in that regard. Seems to me many acts that fall into that category are either solo artists or have not-so-creative names like "The [insert name of lead singer here] Band."
Posted by: wfaulk

Re: Band Names - 09/06/2003 07:53

7 Mary 3
I think they're awful, but I always thought that was a great band name. It was Jon's unit number on CHiPs. Ponch was 7 Mary 4.

I'm a fan of obscure pop-culture references like that.

The rest of those band names I don't get.
Posted by: pgrzelak

Re: Band Names - 09/06/2003 07:56

You could always pull out the old thesaurus and come up with variations on storyteller. This works well especially when combined with a random adjective, preferably with some assonance about it, as below:

The Mistaken Minstral
The Battlin' Bards
The Wayward Wanderers

etc. As a fun side project, you can code up a quick Random Bandname Generator script, and see what it comes out with.
Posted by: cushman

Re: Band Names - 09/06/2003 07:58

Or you could go the entire other way from "The" and end up with a phrase for your band name.

They Might Be Giants
And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead
Godspeed Ye Black Emperor
Rage Against The Machine
Posted by: tonyc

Re: Band Names - 09/06/2003 07:59

etc. As a fun side project, you can code up a quick Random Bandname Generator script, and see what it comes out with.
Like these?

http://www.elsewhere.org/cgi-bin/bandname

http://www.irz.com/robin/bandnameprogram/

http://www.joescafe.com/bands/bands.cgi

http://bandnamemaker.shapebyforce.com/

http://members.aol.com/Valdes379/EmoGame.html

Posted by: JeffS

Re: Band Names - 09/06/2003 08:02

"The [insert name of lead singer here] Band."
Hmmm, not quite going for "The FerretBoy Band!"

My inability to pick names is evident in my handle, which is simply my old fraternity nickname (or a shortened version of it). I had no idea when I logged in here I'd be sticking around much.

I'm not sure the Folk/ pop is the best way to describe our style either, but it's hard to say. I'm terrible with that sort of stuff. I suppose we'd fall into a similar category to "Jar's of Clay" (which I like as a band name), though we don't sound much like them. Still, lot's of harmony and acoustic guitar stuff.
Posted by: wfaulk

Re: Band Names - 09/06/2003 08:04

While searching for something, I stumbled across the best deejay name ever:

DJ Salinger

Hah!
Posted by: pgrzelak

Re: Band Names - 09/06/2003 08:04

I have always thought that "harmonic dissonance" would make a great band name. (Taken from the lyrics of As The World, by Echolyn.)
Posted by: JeffS

Re: Band Names - 09/06/2003 08:09

You could always pull out the old thesaurus and come up with variations on storyteller.
Actually did this the other night but came up with little. Might not have used the right thesaurus, though, as "Minstral" didn't come up and I like it.

This works well especially when combined with a random adjective, preferably with some assonance about it
Hadn’t thought about this at all, but you came up with three better ideas than I've had since I started thinking about it (see, I'm really not good at this). Now to think of some good adjectives . . .
Posted by: JeffS

Re: Band Names - 09/06/2003 08:12

Like these?
Oh, I might waste away my Monday morning clicking on those . . .
Posted by: tonyc

Re: Band Names - 09/06/2003 08:13

Oh, I might waste away my Monday morning clicking on those . . .
You're welcome.

Let us know what you come up with.
Posted by: TheRhino

Re: Band Names - 09/06/2003 08:17

This trend replaces the trend of several years ago, when you had to include some random integer in your band's name. (Blink 182, Matchbox 20, 7 Mary 3, Eve 6, etc.)

Or, with the (C)Rap Metal bands, you have to include 'mud'. (Mudvayne, Puddle Of Mud, Stereomud)

Also, the greatest band name ever has been taken
Posted by: JeffS

Re: Band Names - 09/06/2003 08:17

harmonic dissonance
That is good; makes me wish I was in a rock band!

"harmonic resonance" would better fit our style though . . . (if the monitors are working properly, that is!)
Posted by: cushman

Re: Band Names - 09/06/2003 08:24

If you want to go with a musical theme, you could always use something like:

C Flat
Fortissimo!
The Chord Changes
Posted by: Ezekiel

Re: Band Names - 09/06/2003 08:34

You could always bend in the geek reference and call yourselves C# Shooters.

-Zeke
Posted by: pgrzelak

Re: Band Names - 09/06/2003 08:47

Nice touch! I like that... Great alternative name!

Drinking is also a good theme - Tankards and Troubadours.
Posted by: butter

Re: Band Names - 09/06/2003 09:30

My friends and I always had this fantasy of starting a band and calling ourselves either:

My dog ate my stroke-book
or
Bacne (Back Acne)

Don't think they would really fly for a spiritual based band.
Posted by: tfabris

Re: Band Names - 09/06/2003 09:46

harmonic dissonance
"harmonic resonance" would better fit our style though
Heh, one of my musician friends used to say: "There's no such thing as wrong notes. Only naive dissonance."
Posted by: tfabris

Re: Band Names - 09/06/2003 09:48

A different musician friend of mine said that he had an idea for a band name. What he wanted to do was be the producer/promoter for an all-girl pop group, and he would name it "Venus Envy".
Posted by: bootsy

Re: Band Names - 09/06/2003 10:17

For a time, there was a local all-girl band called "Dickless..."

Posted by: Ezekiel

Re: Band Names - 09/06/2003 11:10

My favorite local band name recently was 'Bumping Uglies'.

-Zeke
Posted by: wfaulk

Re: Band Names - 09/06/2003 11:17

We have a ``Patty Hurst Shifter''.
Posted by: Anonymous

Re: Band Names - 09/06/2003 12:24

Perpetual Motion
The Mechanical Pencils
Bulb
The Double Clickers
Fiberoptic
Dyslixec
Kcuf
Qwerty
Absolute Zero - name of first album: Negative Four Hundred Fifty-Nine Point Five Degrees Farenheit.
Snot Booger - best for a punk rock band. Snot Shot would also be feasible.
The Stickers
Automatic Fish Sandwich

hmmm.. That's all I got for now. too bad The Atomic Bitchwax II is already taken. That would have been my top choice.

EDIT: edited to add Snot Shot.
Posted by: ricin

Re: Band Names - 09/06/2003 12:37

My friends and I always wanted to start a band called "The Muskateers." We even did up our first album cover and everything. Album was to be called "From the pasture." (That album title would make more sense if you saw the cover, and hung around us for a little while. ) Of course, we never did anything other than that. I think I even still have the graphics from the album somewhere. Anyway, not that it has anything to do with you looking for a name, we all just thought it was a clever name. This was about 5 years ago. For some reason, it doesn't seem as kewl now.
Posted by: tonyc

Re: Band Names - 09/06/2003 12:40

Absolute Zero - name of first album: Negative Four Hundred Fifty-Nine Point Five Degrees Farenheit.
And the much-anticipated sophomore effort, "Really Fucking Cold."

Edit: Seems that one's taken...
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&uid=3:43:20|PM&sql=Br20e4j473wal
Posted by: Anonymous

Re: Band Names - 09/06/2003 12:55

I was going to suggest "Zero K" for the second album.
Posted by: Dignan

Re: Band Names - 09/06/2003 13:20

Well, if anyone wants to read some band names, here you go.

These may seem dumb, but we were trying to spurt out as many names as we could think of. So I don't appologize for them
Posted by: JeffS

Re: Band Names - 09/06/2003 13:48

That's a fun list! I only skimmed it, but I'm going to go back and read 'em all. I think "We Hate Creed" is my favorite though.
Posted by: lectric

Re: Band Names - 09/06/2003 15:05

Bacne (Back Acne)
Is this a reference to You Don't Know Jack? The Spacne commercial was a funny one.
Posted by: thinfourth2

Re: Band Names - 09/06/2003 15:46

Best band name in the main stream

"Carter the unstopable sex machine" famous for hitting Philp Scohfield

another favorite is

"The sultans of ping FC"


mates college band was called "skinless creature" which was different
Posted by: genixia

Re: Band Names - 09/06/2003 16:32

...Deep in the ocean at the bottom of the sea...
Posted by: 94cobra

Re: Band Names - 09/06/2003 16:45

Do you have a sample of your music we could listen to? Might make determining the style easier.
Posted by: Dignan

Re: Band Names - 09/06/2003 17:34

Thanks! I am quite fond of many of them "We Hate Creed" is high on my list too
Posted by: JeffS

Re: Band Names - 09/06/2003 17:58

I was going to post the song but had a moments difficulty and got cold feet. I think the guy doing the sound engineering would freek if I put one of the not-yet-ready demos out on the web, so I just can't make myself do it. I assure you I'll put a sample up when he's ready, but by then I'm sure we'll be locked into, er I mean chosen a band name.
Posted by: tfabris

Re: Band Names - 09/06/2003 18:27

Maybe the band name will simply "come to you" at some point. You know, like a flash of inspiration. All you have to do is keep your eyes/ears open and pay attention to your environment and wait for something that fits to come along.

Some friends of mine were in a pop/rock band together during the 80's, and were going through the same name search you're dealing with right now. One day, the lead guitarist/songwriter (Jeff) went out to see a movie with the second guitarist/keyboardist (Greg). The theater was part of one of those national "chains" of theaters, so before each film, the theater would run a short filmstrip which announced the chain name, advertise refreshments, asked you to throw away your own trash, and declared "no smoking". But the latter message was worded strangely. It said, "May we suggest that smoking is prohibited." Jeff said to Greg something like, "That's unusual syntax, don't you think?", and Greg realized that "Syntax" was the perfect name for the band. Jeff agreed, so Syntax it was.

So just watch and listen, maybe a phrase or a word will make itself known to you. You just have to watch for it.
Posted by: mcomb

Re: Band Names - 09/06/2003 20:18

Hmmm, not quite going for "The FerretBoy Band!"

I don't know, I think there is actually some potential there...

The Ferret Project
Fuzzy Vermin
Stretched Rats
Canned Ferrets
Sleeping Ferrets Lie
etc.

-Mike
Posted by: tonyc

Re: Band Names - 09/06/2003 21:39

"We Hate Creed" is high on my list too
Spot on!

Speaking of which, did you hear about this story? Great stuff. Power to the people!

Posted by: canuckInOR

Re: Band Names - 09/06/2003 22:06

Every time I see one of these Creed posts, I keep wondering, "who the hell are Creed?" I guess I listen to my Creed-less Empeg player too much...
Posted by: ithoughti

Re: Band Names - 09/06/2003 22:07

ohhh...

How about...

Monkeypox !!
Posted by: genixia

Re: Band Names - 09/06/2003 22:08

LOL. Very topical
Posted by: ithoughti

Re: Band Names - 09/06/2003 22:17

oohhh...or..

S.A.R.S

Somewhat About Religion Stuff

Posted by: Anonymous

Re: Band Names - 09/06/2003 22:21

I like Creed.
Posted by: frog51

Re: Band Names - 10/06/2003 01:18

And I like the name Dyslixec!

Actually, I liked the first Creed album - but then they stayed the same...in a bad way, unlike ACDC who stayed the same in a good way
Posted by: JeffS

Re: Band Names - 10/06/2003 04:55

oohhh...or..

S.A.R.S


Cute!

Besides the obvious, acronyms are like the thing (FFH, PFR...) in Christian music right now (or should I say CCM as it's more commonly referenced?). One of our thoughts was to just pick three random letters and let everyone else decide what they stand for!

This thread has actually gotton my mind on a few good tracks, though everything good one I've come up with sounds so benign compared to what some of you have listed, which is good for a spiritual folk/ pop group, but it's also kind of a letdown after reading some of your suggestions.

Anyway, current thinking between my wife and I (she's one of the other singers in the group) is "Steady On" (which again is not nearly as cool as "Harmonic Dissonance" or some of the other suggestions), but we just sort of happened upon it talking about this thread. We're not sold on it yet (and there is a third member to consult), but it is the only name we've come up with that doesn't sound like a thrash band or isn't just too cheesy.

Anyway, keep the ideas flowing if you have any other names, this has been rather fun thread to read.
Posted by: JeffS

Re: Band Names - 10/06/2003 04:57

I don't know, I think there is actually some potential there...


One of the band naming engines that Tony pointed me to came up with "Tower of Puppies". I guess it could be "Tower of Ferrets" . . .
Posted by: lopan

Re: Band Names - 10/06/2003 07:20

We had a band in high school, we called ourselves "Fetal Pigs"
Some other names that just seem great to me are...
Jellied Eel
Frank and the muck bangers (this one is stuck in my head for some reason, I'm wondering if it is already a real band name?)
Fark!
Jebidiah and the magical prosthetic

Those are just a few off the top of my head that seem, well kind of cool.
Posted by: cushman

Re: Band Names - 10/06/2003 11:52

If you are a christian band, why not take a passage from the Bible?

Isaiah 34:11 - The Plumb Line of Desolation, The Measuring Line of Chaos

http://bible.gospelcom.net/ lets you search by keyword.
Posted by: Dignan

Re: Band Names - 10/06/2003 12:18

Search words "ferret"
Sorry, we found no verses matching your specifications. Try a different search type, or a different Bible version.
Sorry, I tried
Posted by: JeffS

Re: Band Names - 10/06/2003 12:31

http://bible.gospelcom.net/ lets you search by keyword
Yeah, we did that too. Only those don't exactly scream folk/ pop. "Jars Of Clay" is a good one taken from the bible, but most either end up mega-thrash sounding or really sappy.
Posted by: cushman

Re: Band Names - 10/06/2003 12:35

I don't know dude, The Plumb Line of Desolation sounds like an acoustic hippy tree-hugging whiner band to me .
Posted by: JeffS

Re: Band Names - 10/06/2003 12:54


Search words "ferret"
Sorry, we found no verses matching your specifications. Try a different search type, or a different Bible version.

Sorry, I tried

We could be "The Ferrets: Hey, We Were On The Ark Too!"
Posted by: thinfourth2

Re: Band Names - 10/06/2003 12:57

Well once you got a name may i suggest a label for you to realease on http://www.fathippyrecords.co.uk/
Posted by: fusto

Re: Band Names - 10/06/2003 13:00

Monkeypox !!
Bastard!
You took mine!

Just read about that in the Globe today.
Damn prairie dogs...
Posted by: Ezekiel

Re: Band Names - 10/06/2003 20:20

Wipe them out. All of them. [/emporer]

-Zeke