• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

CRAAAAP, another taken band name

#67
Several months ago, a friend asked for help in choosing a band name. I saw pretty quickly by googling that literally everything they wanted was already taken. That's just the way it usually is now--as it has already been pointed out. Finally, I got a Latin dictionary and came up with some suggestions. Even then they changed the spelling on the final choice to make the name truly unique.
 
#69
OP, given that it is 2016 and people will be googling your band name if you're doing things right, consider using a name that guarantees your being on that first page when people google it. "Noise" may be like throwing a needle in a haystack. Just my two cents.
 
  • Like
Reactions: John B jr
#70
Changing the spelling typically fixes this problem. I play in a band called Nephilym. Heard of "Fields of the Nephilim" and a young thrash metal band out of Charlotte used "Nephilim" which kinda pissed us off because they evidentially acted like a bunch of jerks at a nice venue in Raleigh and the venue won't book us thinking we're those kid who's band has long since broken up. Anyways cool think about Nephilym is there's actually several known spellings for it. So it's not like anyone is spelling it wrong.

Believe it or not "Stained" was taken. Which is why the band who plays songs like mudshovel and it's been a while is called "Staind" Funny story about that band name. The 90s band Lit was originally called "Stained" and they changed their name before "Staind" blew up because "Stained" was taken
 
#71
-Asdfgh- said:
They can be registered nationally and internationally too. AFAIK it mostly it comes down to whether you are operating in markets where confusion could occur, so having the same name as a band in a different country when you rarely do business in each other's countries is not much of an issue, but you get instances where crossover exists, hence The Beat in the UK became The English Beat in the USA to distinguish from a USA band.
Click to expand...

I suspected something like that. There were considerations such as whether or not you were using the name currently, and other such things that this lawyer mentioned. The example he used was the Black Angus restaurants that are in many states in the United States. There was already a Black Angus restaurant in Oregon when they started the chain, so in Oregon they had to call them Cattle Company restaurants, but they could use the Black Angus name outside of Oregon. This is information I got in 1979, so everything could be different now.

:cigar: I've heard that laws can be changed. :cautious:
 
#72
Back in the early 90's my guitarist roommate and I would often sit around and brainstorm on ridiculous band names, song titles and song lyrics. We had at least two spiral bound notebooks fully loaded with that stuff. One of our strokes of utter brilliance in that regard was the band name or song title Rectal Projectile. But I sadly see that it's now somehow made it into the index of the urban dictionary. :cool:

We were far too late on the copyright/trademark front! :laugh:

Urban Dictionary: Rectal projectile
 
Last edited:
#73
punchdrunk said:
If the term "noise" describes your sound (as you say), then simply seek out a suitable synonym. There are a myriad of ways to convey the sentiment.
Main Entry: noise
Part of Speech: noun
Definition: sound that is loud or not harmonious
Synonyms: babble, babel, bang, bedlam, bellow, bewailing, blare, blast, boisterousness, boom, buzz, cacophony, caterwauling, clamor, clang, clatter, commotion, crash, cry, detonation, din, discord, disquiet, disquietude, drumming, eruption, explosion, fanfare, fireworks, fracas*, fuss*, hoo-ha, hubbub, hullabaloo*, jangle, lamentation, outcry, pandemonium, peal, racket, ring, roar, row, shot, shouting, sonance, squawk, stridency, talk, thud, tumult, turbulence, uproar, uproariousness, yelling, yelp... etc...

Sonance is kinda different.
Click to expand...

Peal Session?
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: HaphAsSard
#75
Noice was a Swedish punkband during the eighties. See Spotify

search
 
#79
Audible Vibes said:
This is spot on if you are trying to be known on a national level. When people google your band name, you need to be the first or second result to pop up. We have short attention spans, and might get distracted by whatever shows up before your band.:smug:
Click to expand...

There are dictionaries of obscure words available, so you can pick a relatively uncommon word from that which sounds good and also doesn't mean something unfortunate. For example, I might pick Narthex for a goth band (it's an obscure part of a church). Or you could add a letter in to make it slightly meaningless, Narthrex. (I actually fancy using that one myself, but I'll let a goth band steal that first now I've put it out there.). Or you could add some additional word to Narthex - e.g. Nathex Prime or something like that.

Or in this case you could adapt a Slade song title from Cum on Feel the Noiz to "Feal the Noiz" which has a pretty unique spelling.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Audible Vibes
#80
RichSnyder said:
It's all about first use in commerce. They win. I'd find another name.
Click to expand...

It also comes down to resources. A drummer I was in a band with also played in a - California based - band called One Direction which clearly had prior use to the British pop boy band. While they were entirely in the right, as I understand it, they didn't have bottomless expense accounts and legal departments required to prevail.

One Direction Settles Legal Dispute Over Band Name

The most interesting part was the vitriol of the British band's teen fans in their emails, PMs, etc.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back