Band Names....

oniman7 · #1 06-10-2011, 11:20 PM

So, as has been the fashion lately, I'm going to add to the list of threads asking about band names. We have been The Magistrate for the last couple of months now (since January or February) and are finally starting to break out of our practice room, so it's time for us to decide what we're going to be named. Me and the drummer like it, the guitarist doesn't, and I don't know the opinion of the new singer. So, some other names have been thrown around. They are

The Magistrate
Forever A Phobia
Everything Unkown
Sea Glass
Bottles in The Ocean

The last two have sort of a story behind them, but nothing really interesting. We're a 5 piece heavy alternative/metal band.

You can hear us here, but we're going to end up being a little heavier than that. Vocals will range from clean to gritty to screaming. No vocals to this tack yet. ReverbNation

Eric Albany · #2 06-10-2011, 11:38 PM

Try blending some of the names together to make them more memorizable. Ex. Every thing sea glass. Sounds kinda cool and I will probably remember it for a while. Cool+memorable+interesting=Good band name, larger group interested in seeing you perform, more people will be able to go into the little music shop on the corner and say "Hey, I wanna buy this bands album(or CD)." with out having to spend a couple of minutes describing the band and such.

ExurKun · #3 06-10-2011, 11:41 PM

imo the last three suck, and even the first two dont seem to jump off the page at me

Eric Albany · #4 06-10-2011, 11:44 PM

Is Euro Slave already taken? Thet seem to grab attention because the name is provocative. It also sounds a lot like the name of a college or Indie rock band.

Stumbo · #5 06-10-2011, 11:45 PM

Ocean Phobia
Unknown Forever
Glass Bottles
Forever Ocean
Bottle Phobia
Ocean Glass
Glass Ocean
Phobia Phorever
Fobia Forever

You can always check out band name websites:
Bandnamemaker.com
1728.com

MysticMichael · #6 06-10-2011, 11:46 PM

IMHO, it doesn't matter whatever the current "fashion" is on TalkBass. Creative people (and I would hope that musicians fall into this category) ought at least to be able to intuit/devise/create a name that communicates the concept and/or sound of their own band.

Nobody knows your sound or your creative point of view as well as you do. Don't try to outsource - or crowdsource - this task. It's simply too personal - and too important - for that.

Double down - and put some real vision into it. Think way outside the box, and all that...

MM

Eric Albany · #7 06-10-2011, 11:49 PM

Unknown Eternity. The unknowns. If the Who never existed I would suggest that, but on the other hand they did the rock world a huge favor(kinda like the Beatles did).

oniman7 · #8 06-11-2011, 12:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MysticMichael

IMHO, it doesn't matter whatever the current "fashion" is on TalkBass. Creative people (and I would hope that musicians fall into this category) ought at least to be able to intuit/devise/create a name that communicates the concept and/or sound of their own band.

Nobody knows your sound or your creative point of view as well as you do. Don't try to outsource - or crowdsource - this task. It's simply too personal - and too important - for that.

Double down - and put some real vision into it. Think way outside the box, and all that...

MM

The fashion bit was a joke because I'd seen other people resort to it. We've been trying since January. The Magistrate was actually the best out of all that we've tried. The last two have a story behind them, but they seem to be the weakest. At this rate, I don't feel I'd be overestimating if I said we'd thrown out over 300.

saustindavis · #9 06-11-2011, 12:16 AM

I voted for The Magistrate. "The" names are really big right now, and I like the sound of The Magistrate. I always though "No Fate" would be cool, from the second Terminator movie, "No fate except what me make..."

Lowbrow · #10 06-11-2011, 12:24 AM

Here's just a suggestion - a strategy adopted over the years:

You know how when you try to speak to someone in a loud situation - say while you're watching a band play - and the person you're speaking to keeps saying "What? WHAT?!?"

Try and come up with a name that someone can understand when spoken in that noisy situation.

Eric Albany · #11 06-21-2011, 09:57 PM

Did any thing help?

aztomr · #12 06-22-2011, 08:56 AM

I like The Magistrate, second would be Glass Ocean

foq1978 · #13 06-22-2011, 09:06 AM

Also voted for The Magistrate.

elgecko · #14 06-22-2011, 09:08 AM

Inspired Pose!

ThoDamned · #15 06-22-2011, 09:17 AM

Forever A Phobia = FAP

Eric Albany · #16 06-22-2011, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lowbrow

Here's just a suggestion - a strategy adopted over the years:

You know how when you try to speak to someone in a loud situation - say while you're watching a band play - and the person you're speaking to keeps saying "What? WHAT?!?"

Try and come up with a name that someone can understand when spoken in that noisy situation.

I totally agree with this.

Richland123 · #17 06-22-2011, 12:25 PM

Why not Sea Of Glass?

marmadaddy · #18 06-22-2011, 01:52 PM

I read "Something Else" and thought "that's a great name."

Rockmusician · #19 06-22-2011, 02:02 PM

Everything Unknown actually has a nice feel to it. Kind of reminds me of Vertical Horizon.

If you're old enough to remember the Clinton administration, you could call yourself "Monica's Dress".

ZubenElGenubi · #20 06-22-2011, 03:08 PM

Two recommendations above that I agree with:
1) Imagine your band name on your first CD. Does it look good? Does it help describe your band's music in any way?
2) Choose a name that is easy to recognize phonetically (ala, loud room example). Can it be spelled out in a person's head if they hear it the first time?

I picked "The Magistrate", but think you can do better. AND, most importantly, all your members need to agree on this. I cringe whenever I hear some other musician tell me the name of their band and then say, "I hate that name."