R/E/P Community

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  

Pages: [1] 2 3  All   Go Down

Author Topic: Is it impossible to name a band nowadays?  (Read 8153 times)

Bivouac

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 123
Is it impossible to name a band nowadays?
« 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...
Logged

compasspnt

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 16266
Re: Is it impossible to name a band nowadays?
« 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.
Logged

Tidewater

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3816
Re: Is it impossible to name a band nowadays?
« 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
Logged
Time Magazine's 2007 Man of the Year

Electric Warrior

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 514
Re: Is it impossible to name a band nowadays?
« 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
Logged

A.J.

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 161
Re: Is it impossible to name a band nowadays?
« 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

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 721
Re: Is it impossible to name a band nowadays?
« 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

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3787
Re: Is it impossible to name a band nowadays?
« 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????????????????

Logged

pg666

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 332
Re: Is it impossible to name a band nowadays?
« 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".
Logged

j.hall

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3787
Re: Is it impossible to name a band nowadays?
« 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.
Logged

mcsnare

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 958
Re: Is it impossible to name a band nowadays?
« 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

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 409
Re: Is it impossible to name a band nowadays?
« 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
Logged
Capture the pasture rapture.
www.cbaudio.com

Roadster

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 403
Re: Is it impossible to name a band nowadays?
« 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....
Logged
Rich
Road's End Studio
Musician, Songwriter, Research Technician on Creative Muse

rankus

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 5560
Re: Is it impossible to name a band nowadays?
« 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.
Logged
Rick Welin - Clark Drive Studios http://www.myspace.com/clarkdrivestudios

Ive done stuff I'm not proud of.. and the stuff I am proud of is disgusting ~ Moe Sizlack

"There is no crisis in energy, the crisis is in imagination" ~ Buckminster Fuller

Frob

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 285
Re: Is it impossible to name a band nowadays?
« 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

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 16266
Re: Is it impossible to name a band nowadays?
« 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.
Logged
Pages: [1] 2 3  All   Go Up
 

Site Hosted By Ashdown Technologies, Inc.

Page created in 0.054 seconds with 21 queries.