Topic: Is it impossible to name a band nowadays? (Read 8229 times)

Bivouac · « **on:** May 30, 2006, 01:27:26 AM »

I seriously can't do it. I'm in a new band and everything we've come up with reminds me of something else, doesn't represent the mood of the lyrics/music, too wordy, or isn't that memorable...

I suppose I'm pretty picky when it comes to band names, there are very few that I really like, but this should be easier than it is. The last band I was in was in the same predicament and ended up getting shitfaced together one night and writing something on a beer-soaked napkin. I'm not really sure I was aware of the name at the time, but we all signed the napkin so the next day, it was final.

I guess I'm not really looking for suggestions, but maybe some ideas of where you guys have found band names. We have most of a demo done and we're looking to book some shows in the next week or two. I can't believe a name is all that's holding us back...

We're sort of a danceable indie rock band with singer that's been compared to "Hum, but with better pitch and sense of melody". Lyrics are kind of dark/brooding/discontent...I don't know. There are just so many contradictions right there...

I'm pouring over books, movies, songs, maps, everything...

compasspnt · « **Reply #1 on:** May 30, 2006, 01:37:51 AM »

You have hit upon one of the harder aspects of the music business.

It has never been easy.

If you had never heard of them, and someone in your band suggested The Beatles, would you like it? Probably not.

Whatever name you choose, of course it is best if it's awesome from the start, but you will make it really good or really bad yourselves.

Good luck.

Tidewater · « **Reply #2 on:** May 30, 2006, 06:40:05 AM »

Bivouac wrote on Tue, 30 May 2006 01:27

We're sort of a danceable indie rock band

Real indieans, or American indieans?

G'luck with the pow wow, Chief!

M

Electric Warrior · « **Reply #3 on:** May 30, 2006, 08:05:36 AM »

Nirvana, Jet, the Darkness..... yes, it's impossible to come up with useable new band names. Just nick a name that you think is good Smile

A.J. · « **Reply #4 on:** May 30, 2006, 10:01:21 AM »

http://www.bandnamemaker.com/

Here are just a few of the absolute gems you'll get from this site:

Indie Injection and the Deprived Lincoln
Transaction of the Sailor
Garlic Rhythm

scottoliphant · « **Reply #5 on:** May 30, 2006, 10:13:50 AM »

once you get a great band name, the next challenge, securing a great web site name that isn't taken...

j.hall · « **Reply #6 on:** May 30, 2006, 10:43:18 AM »

on some level, and various levels, all band names are stupid.

every band name i've ever heard can be seen as stupid on some angle.

U2????????????????

REM???????????

PINK FLOYD????????????????

pg666 · « **Reply #7 on:** May 30, 2006, 11:18:11 AM »

yeah, most band names are dumb, i just recommend:

-coming up with something that no one else will have. try combining words and don't get too caught up in literal meaning. sometimes you can get away with nonsense if it sounds cool phonetically.

-not going the next cop-out route and naming yourself after a book/song/pop culture reference.

just keep in mind no matter what you come up with, in about 2 months it will sound like the most natural thing in the world.

oh, and remember the wise words of david st. hubbins (spinal tap), "there's a fine line between stupid and clever".

j.hall · « **Reply #8 on:** May 30, 2006, 11:25:20 AM »

pg666 wrote on Tue, 30 May 2006 10:18

-coming up with something that no one else will have. try combining words and not getting too caught up in literal meaning helps. sometimes you can get away with nonsense if it sounds cool phonetically.

a band i played drums in that had a pretty cool name along these lines.

Haloshifter

doesn't make much sense, it's not really a compound word, but it worked, and it's easy to remember.

mcsnare · « **Reply #9 on:** May 30, 2006, 11:49:59 AM »

Cathode Bias
One I thought up a long time ago. Use it if you like.
Dave

craig boychuk · « **Reply #10 on:** May 30, 2006, 12:27:45 PM »

The safest route is to make up a word. That way all you have to do is make it sound cool. You can give it your own meaning.

Or, if you speak another language you can use a non-english word.

However, I think you should be able to speak the language, otherwise you enter poseur territory.

-craig

Roadster · « **Reply #11 on:** May 30, 2006, 02:25:12 PM »

Quote:

Is it impossible to name a band nowadays?

Upon seeing this name recently, I believe it is:

Awesome Car Funmaker

They seem to be picking up steam around these parts too....

rankus · « **Reply #12 on:** May 30, 2006, 02:35:18 PM »

Whatever you name it, it has to be easy to spell... People will need to be able to use a search engine to find you these days.

Frob · « **Reply #13 on:** May 30, 2006, 04:46:33 PM »

the best advise has already been given. what you need is:
1. memorable without being too cheesy
2. easy to spell

and i would add

3. relatively short. unless your band name is "and you will know us by the trail of the dead"

long names will get miss quoted. i dont know how many times we have been called "phoenix and the turtles."

compasspnt · « **Reply #14 on:** May 30, 2006, 05:39:21 PM »

I have a long list of good names just waiting to be used someday. But I'm not gonna give 'em up here!

The best band name of all was already used long ago.

rankus · « **Reply #15 on:** May 30, 2006, 06:45:35 PM »

compasspnt wrote on Tue, 30 May 2006 14:39

I have a long list of good names just waiting to be used someday. But I'm not gonna give 'em up here!

Me too

(I've got a list of about sixty, that I suggest to bands that I record that have lousy names)

compasspnt wrote on Tue, 30 May 2006 14:39

The best band name of all was already used long ago.

Big Sitar ! (oops - typo - but it was so funny I thought it had better stay... LOL)

jimmyjazz · « **Reply #16 on:** May 30, 2006, 11:39:58 PM »

It's not easy . . . and when you self-impose restrictions that keep you from trying to be "funny" or "socially relevant", it gets that much more difficult.

I hereby donate the following two band names that I came up with on a cruise ship:

The Rising Tides
The Silver Seas

Good luck!

redfro · « **Reply #17 on:** May 31, 2006, 01:19:54 AM »

mcsnare wrote on Tue, 30 May 2006 10:49

Cathode Bias
One I thought up a long time ago. Use it if you like.
Dave

That is GREAT!!!

But it would be the most misquoted and misspelled name in a long time....

TRA · « **Reply #18 on:** June 01, 2006, 04:31:41 PM »

I'm sorry to say this, but pretty much any modern band whose name starts with "The" is bound to suck so stay away from those names.

The Darkness, The White Stripes, The Hives, The Strokes, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Trumpets, The Strumpets....etc.

I'm naming my band The Squirts and we are going to do death metal versions of kids songs. That'll turn my theory around really quick.

scott volthause · « **Reply #19 on:** June 01, 2006, 04:53:51 PM »

jimmyjazz wrote on Tue, 30 May 2006 23:39

The Rising Tides

pretty cool, but awfully close to a sunny day real estate album title... speaking of weird band names.

redfro · « **Reply #20 on:** June 02, 2006, 10:03:34 AM »

Two band names I heard last night...
Band Smand
Camarosmith

Buzz · « **Reply #21 on:** June 02, 2006, 02:11:39 PM »

Wes Camarosmith LMFAO !!

Ok I have to chime in hear

Slut Nazi's
or
Dripping Slit's
Or
THE Torture Monkey's

Later
Buzz

jimmyjazz · « **Reply #22 on:** June 05, 2006, 02:35:15 PM »

therecordingart wrote on Thu, 01 June 2006 16:31

I'm sorry to say this, but pretty much any modern band whose name starts with "The" is bound to suck so stay away from those names.

I disagree. I think the odds of being a good band are virtually nil if you don't have "The" as the first word in the title.

(Attention all you Led Zeppelin & Pink Floyd fans, among others: I said virtually nil, not absolutely nil.)

j.hall · « **Reply #23 on:** June 05, 2006, 03:49:35 PM »

therecordingart wrote on Thu, 01 June 2006 15:31

The Darkness, The White Stripes, The Hives, The Strokes, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Trumpets, The Strumpets....etc.

hey, i like some of those bands...............

TheViking · « **Reply #24 on:** June 05, 2006, 06:59:12 PM »

Alright... I couldn't resist...

Poop Nozzle
The Fast and Crappy's
My Light Saber
U
The Bolder Soldiers

and of coarse...

Captain Geech and the Shrimp Shack Shooters

(I can't believe no one brought that one up yet)

j.hall · « **Reply #25 on:** June 06, 2006, 09:51:05 AM »

i was in a crazy prog band for a brief time that had a horrible time picking a name.

one of the guitar players threw out "pooty tang" as an honest suggestion.

after we all laughed til our faces hurt we looked up and he wasn't laughing.....................

TRA · « **Reply #26 on:** June 06, 2006, 04:21:15 PM »

When I was 13 a friend of mine wanted to name our garage band "Michael W and the lard-assed bitches". His name was Mike...I guess we were the bitches.

garret · « **Reply #27 on:** June 06, 2006, 04:22:29 PM »

j.hall wrote on Tue, 06 June 2006 09:51

i was in a crazy prog band for a brief time

that explains so much.

idiophone · « **Reply #28 on:** July 06, 2006, 10:06:47 PM »

Call yourselves The Nouns and get it over with.

scott volthause · « **Reply #29 on:** July 07, 2006, 04:28:19 PM »

Beef Flu.

I'll wait for my check.

Scratchy Potts · « **Reply #30 on:** July 09, 2006, 09:48:12 AM »

Dead mans Duvet........now thats a name!!... Very Happy

ridgeback · « **Reply #31 on:** July 10, 2006, 07:58:37 AM »

Back when I was young and knew everything I played with a band called Blissful Discharge. That one got ma's attention. One of my all time favorites from MPLS was Dumpster Juice.

Johnny Scab and the Pickers! How's that? Very Happy

Oh! My Sea Captain! · « **Reply #32 on:** July 12, 2006, 02:22:33 PM »

I suggest "Not As Good As HUM", cause that's what everything is anyway. Very Happy

Bivouac · « **Reply #33 on:** July 12, 2006, 03:55:07 PM »

idiophone wrote on Thu, 06 July 2006 20:06

Call yourselves The Nouns and get it over with.

Funny story: the singer actually wanted to call the band The Adjectives.

I essentially nixed that by throwing out suggestion like The Gerunds, The Adverbs, The Appositive Phrases, and The Predicates (I actually kind of liked that).

Here's what ended up happening:
http://www.myspace.com/thesightstheyaffect

soggy · « **Reply #34 on:** July 12, 2006, 08:12:22 PM »

The Genitalmen.

You are welcome.

hmm... · « **Reply #35 on:** July 29, 2006, 11:39:05 AM »

and, in the tradition of Pat McDonald...

U3 !

R/E/P Community

Author Topic: Is it impossible to name a band nowadays? (Read 8229 times)