Which band name to choose?

[DrHoondeh]

I'm in a band that is getting pretty succesful. When we started i had an acoustic guitar and had never touched a bass before. Well, now, we are recording an album and giving numerous performances. We are rock but not heavy. Well, when it came time to name our band the guitarist decided to be named after Bush's "Everything Zen." Thus, we are called Zen. However, there have been some considerations over changing the name. I came up with "Far From Likely." Should we change our name? Is Zen cool? Is Far From Likely Cooler?

[john turner]

how bout making your band name "Is Zen Cool?"

i think that would make a great band name.

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john

"Bad Muttluk, No Anuses!!" - our own lil'biski

[beautyandthebass]

Turner's got a good point..."Is Zen Cool?" might work...but pronunciation might be a pain. "Far From Likely" would look cool on a marquee...I think you should go with that one.

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"Make a scene tonight, and read about it in the morning"-Peter Cetera

anarchy sex + love
Genya

[brewer9]

i like the name "Far From Zen"

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I used to be just brewer, but my email went down after I changed my password.

[Biski2Dope]

I like "Is Zen Cool?" too...it's original, and dumb too. My all time favorite band name is "Frank Scares Me". I'm not sure why i like that.

Like i said, at least the IZC thing's original...my band...*ahem* EX-band (so happy i quit...) was named ANTIpop...Debra came up with the idea. It was either that or Freakapatoma or something spelled similar to that...but anyway...Busface later informed me that Antipop was a primus CD, and freakawhatever was like, something to do with the RHCP! Talk about an originality problem...yeah...

Go with "Is Zen Cool?".

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I am rubber, you are glue. Whatever you say i will store in a little box just in case i need to shove it down your throat at any given moment.

[brewer9]

"is zen cool" sounds like a medicine (nyquil),izenquil. and medicine aint cool.

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(WARNING: THIS IS ANOTHER STUPID TIME WASTING POST BY BREWER9. PLEASE DO NOT READ IF YOU ARE TOO SERIOUS!)

[john turner]

izenquil would actually be a pretty cool band name.

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john

"Bad Muttluk, No Anuses!!" - our own lil'biski

[hk2hunterkiler]

your name sounds familiar. i think i have seen that name at a battle of the bands where i live. where you guys from? i swear i have seen your name.

[trompin64]

You could call it Zen's Far From Likely... or mix them up... it sounds cool with all those words mixed up.

[puppet654]

I think "Far from Zen" is the best one out of the bunch. "Is Zen Cool?" is too strange. It doesn't sound like a band name. "Far From Zen" sounds good, it's short, it isn't hard to say, it's very cool.

[Biski2Dope]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by john turner:
izenquil would actually be a pretty cool band name.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I dunno, it sounds like some kind of slang for shooting up heroin to me...where is the kid who started this thread anyway? i wonder what he thinks.


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I am rubber, you are glue. Whatever you say i will store in a little box just in case i need to shove it down your throat at any given moment.

[Blackbird]

I think it would be funny if someone crossed the Beatles and the Eagles and called their band "The Beagles".

Will C.

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"I'm not a Genius; I'm just a hard working guy".
-BW

[brewer9]

yeah, where is drhoondah? he started all this. whatcha think guy, huh?

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(WARNING: THIS IS ANOTHER STUPID TIME WASTING POST BY BREWER9. PLEASE DO NOT READ IF YOU ARE TOO SERIOUS!)

[Biski2Dope]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Big Wheel:
I think it would be funny if someone crossed the Beatles and the Eagles and called their band "The Beagles".

Will C.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Funny that you say that, there's a local band called the beagles. I'm pretty sure they got their name from the terminology you just used.



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I am rubber, you are glue. Whatever you say i will store in a little box just in case i need to shove it down your throat at any given moment.

[Dave Siff]

My favorite band name, which, unfortunately, is taken, is Mary Tyler Whore.

[Blackbird]

!

Will C.

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I'm not a genius. I'm just a hard working guy.
-BW

[tjschuck]

I like the name "Hey! We don't want a damn NAME!"

[vectormane]

Sure fire method of picking a kick-arse band name:
1. All but one band member (usually the vocalist) get really drunk.
2. Brainstorm
3. Have the sober member write down anything cool sounding

[membranophone]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Dave Siff:
My favorite band name, which, unfortunately, is taken, is Mary Tyler Whore.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

hahahaha !!

[Boplicity]

I agree with Brewer...Far From Zen sounds good. A few things I feel are important when choosing a name. A name might sound cool at the time of its inception, but you will have to live with that name. Having been through the difficulties of changing a band name, I can tell you it can be a set back if you have already built some fan following. It can even confuse those who book your gigs or club owners,etc. Second, I think, for the most part, words that are hard to spell, hard to pronounce or hard to remember are counterproductive. Initials and numbers are counterproductive too. They may mean something to you, but they may not reflect anything to your public. Furthermore, a name that is too similar to another band name may cause confusion with the public. Maybe the most important of all is to have a band name NO OTHER band uses. If you start to get popular, they'll find out, sooner or later, and it will be a big legal issue. So somehow you need to get a name that is so unusual that no one else could possibly have it, but at the same time is memorable. A last point is it is nice if the name in some way reflects your style of music. I'd never call a metal band Country Dreaming, for example.

Jason Oldsted