November 28, 2005

Band Names

Today we begin a week-long salute to music by examining band names. I made lists of the best band names ever in several categories.

Please note: this does not mean I like the bands. So don't be writing comments hating on how I skipped your favorite bands. For example: I love The Platters, but it's a terrible name for a band. (Not the least reason if because of all the copycats, like The Coasters and Put a Napkin Under It.) I generally tried to stay away from eponymous band names, unless it was done in a neato way.

Anyway, today we look at Back Up bands, Rap, and the just plain weird:




THE TOP FOUR BACK UP BANDS

#4 The New Power Generation (Prince) - By now Prince was getting weird, and not even pronounceable, but it's still a pretty sweet name for a band. Too bad they couldn't have made a TV show: Mighty Morphin Power Generation!

#3 The Pussycats (Josie) - It just sounds sexual, which is what you want in a teenage girl band, right?

#2 The Pips (Gladys Knight) - I believe Pips are the markings on dice, so I'm not entirely sure how that translates to a back up band. Sounds good, though.

#1 The New Bohemians (Edie Brickell) - Makes you wonder where the old Bohemians went. Are they hiding in a closet? Do they still hand out at the corner of Haight/Ashbury at the Moulin Rouge?



THE TOP FOUR RAP GROUP NAMES

#4 RUN DMC - Granted these were their names, but it still comes out all decked out.

#3 Sugar Hill Gang - How cool is it to sound sweet and menacing at the same time?

#2 Public Enemy - This was the beginning of the time when Rap was taking over from Rock as the official rebellion music, and what says that better than Public Enemy?

#1 N.W.A. - Possibly the best part was how by using an initial, kids could talk about the group without getting in trouble. N.W.A. was one of the first groups to use the N word (the group's name is Niggaz With Attitude) in a way that wasn't racist, or at least not in the conventional sense. This was a whole new world to suburbia. (Incidentally, one of the funniest mockumentaries of all time is the film FEAR OF A BLACK HAT, which follows the group N.W.H. Highly recommended if you like rap.)



THE TOP FOUR WEIRD BAND NAMES
[Note: There are thousands of strange band names, but I tried to stick to ones who'd had at least modest hits]

#4 Chumbawamba - These guys were professing communists, and actually told fans to steal their album. Now that they're all poor and nobodies I bet they wish a few more had actually bought it.

#3 Alien Ant Farm - Do you think this was a metaphor for public school?

#2 Dingoes Ate my Baby - Easily the second-best phrase in Australian history. (Does anyone know the first?)

#1 Betty Doesn't Have a Vitamin - I think the coolest part of this name is that you had to know the story. The Flintstones Vitamins had Fred, Wilma, Pebbles, Barney, Bam-Bam, Dino and even the freaking car. But since they thought people would get confused with Wilma, Betty didn't get a vitamin for like ten years. How does the car get one and not the best thing about the show? Huh??????/

Up next: Pop and Rock band names

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

No joke, even that jump-the-sharker-Great Gazoo has his own vitamin! What's up with that?

And what about George Clinton and the P.Funk All-Stars?

Anonymous said...

If we're going on the food-related bands, what about the Cherry-Poppin' Daddies? (heh heh)

Anonymous said...

Right, time to wade in with Smasing Pumpkins, Strawberry Zots (and Strawberry Switchblade, The Candyskins, Lemon Pipers... I just have to say Kate Bush, because my definition of what is edible is different from Hyperion's definition. the Lime Spiders, Popsicle Twins, Meat Puppets,Pronghorn (well whatever turns your crank!)(but I drank bber with them last summer and they are fabulously deranged...)oh? time's up?

Record Store Geek said...

"Makes you wonder where the old Bohemians went."

Here is the answer. No joke...

http://www.woyaho.com/photos/displayimage.php?album=1&pos=5




RANK EVERYTHING - Copyright 2005 - 2018 by Hyperion All Rights Reserved; Adapted by the staff of Blog and Web