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does anyone like these band names

#43
Kid Barrett's the best because good band names are two barreled with either one word with one syllable at the start and two syllables at the "last name", OR the other way around. It's always easier to pronounce:

DA DADA
or
DADA DA.

I am the only one on earth who thinks Led Zeppelin was a too long name. It's not how it's spelled but pronounced. If it's one syllable in each name it's too short and can be mistaken for "one word". If it's one word, it SHOULD have three syllables in it. But mind you, long and unwieldy names (hello 70s) have never stopped bands from getting famous, but they're always shortened and abbreviated anyway by the public. CCR, ELO, ELP, ABB, GYBE!, QMS, NRBQ. But think of the more "two barelled" names like the ones above, with numerous names:

Deep Purple
Black Sabbath
Sex Pistols
Rolling Stones (think of pronounciation instead).
Fleetwood Mac
Iron Maiden (pronounce it, before you think it violates the rules)
Judas Priest
Jethro Tull
Def Leppard
INXS (pronounce it)
Van Halen
Loud Exit
King Diamond/Crimson/BB..
...
I can go on ad nauseaum. But I do think it should reflect the mood and genre of the band. Mood and Imagery. Preferably a desciptive catchphrase that can be uttered in "DA DADA" or "DADA DA". Remember that Jethro Tull changed their name each gig, and the first gig they got where the ownere wanted them back, was just as fast they were called Jethro Tull. Jethro Tull was actually someones name, but no one mistook them for being one solo artist (he was the inventor of the seed drill). Find a unique one so it's Googlable. Now, naming a band the f-word is a sure tell tale you won't ever reach mainstream (actually there was a band for real, that the record company actually flaunted, that was named that). Or something "Feast of Blood" if you play christian music (not any rock'n'roll), isn't gonna fly.

BTW the absolute worst is something people can't pronounce, or spell, even if it's unique. Regarding the long unwieldy names abbreviated above (Godspeed You Black Emperor, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Quicksilver Messenger Service et al) the absolutely worst band name (or artist) I've ever heard are Norwegian synth/electronica pop band:

Apoptygma Berzerk

It's not even Norwegian, and I did have to look that one up, and re-spell it 3-4 times before Google auto-completed it for me. Do not ask me how it's pronounced. Well, ok then, when Prince went ballistic and called himself that "symbol" or "the artist formerly known as Prince" was more of a publicity stunt than anything else. People still called him "Prince". So that doesn't really count. BTW those "Apop..." aren't that bad really music wise. But who knows, it can mean some really foul word in Nepalese or something?

- - - -

But these accidents happens when you're gonna choose a band name by just opening your dictionary and point to the first word that comes up randomly. And you're all adamant about keeping it whatever it is. Then such things as Apopgtryggvebratteligma Belzebubserk can show up. For good or bad.
 
Last edited:
#45
Ryan Atchison said:
It’s for my garage rock/punk band, if any are taken let me know. Tell me which one you would want to see/ is your favorite.
  • Cool Kid Garage Club
  • Lizard King of Central Virginia
  • Phosgene Dreamer Society
  • Midnight Thundergun
  • Marsha’s Mallows
  • Pet or Meat
  • Beast Man
  • The tall gazers
  • StarBird
  • Thunderbird Duo
  • Reverberation Killer
  • Kid Barrett (that’s my middle name as well as tribute to Syd Barret )
  • Cool Deaths
Click to expand...
The only one that sounds reasonable to me is StarBird.
 
#46
I don't know about the "too many syllables" issue. Three of the best band names I ever heard were:

Mr. Resistor and the incapacitators
Microwave Dave and the Nukes

and one short one-
Buster Highmen

but that last one would be so politically incorrect these days. Doesn't stop me from enjoying it though.
 
#51
Those choices try too hard to be undecipherable, edgy or punky (yeah we get it). For a garage/punk/rock band I would reverse direction (sarcasm here, get ready) and choose a name something like "The Silk Tones". Go 180 degrees out of genre. Easy to remember. Disrespectful in an indirect way. See what you can come up with in that direction.
 
#58
Honch said:
Kid Barrett's the best because good band names are two barreled with either one word with one syllable at the start and two syllables at the "last name", OR the other way around. It's always easier to pronounce:

DA DADA
or
DADA DA.

I am the only one on earth who thinks Led Zeppelin was a too long name. It's not how it's spelled but pronounced. If it's one syllable in each name it's too short and can be mistaken for "one word". If it's one word, it SHOULD have three syllables in it. But mind you, long and unwieldy names (hello 70s) have never stopped bands from getting famous, but they're always shortened and abbreviated anyway by the public. CCR, ELO, ELP, ABB, GYBE!, QMS, NRBQ. But think of the more "two barelled" names like the ones above, with numerous names:

Deep Purple
Black Sabbath
Sex Pistols
Rolling Stones (think of pronounciation instead).
Fleetwood Mac
Iron Maiden (pronounce it, before you think it violates the rules)
Judas Priest
Jethro Tull
Def Leppard
INXS (pronounce it)
Van Halen
Loud Exit
King Diamond/Crimson/BB..
...
I can go on ad nauseaum. But I do think it should reflect the mood and genre of the band. Mood and Imagery. Preferably a desciptive catchphrase that can be uttered in "DA DADA" or "DADA DA". Remember that Jethro Tull changed their name each gig, and the first gig they got where the ownere wanted them back, was just as fast they were called Jethro Tull. Jethro Tull was actually someones name, but no one mistook them for being one solo artist (he was the inventor of the seed drill). Find a unique one so it's Googlable. Now, naming a band the f-word is a sure tell tale you won't ever reach mainstream (actually there was a band for real, that the record company actually flaunted, that was named that). Or something "Feast of Blood" if you play christian music (not any rock'n'roll), isn't gonna fly.

BTW the absolute worst is something people can't pronounce, or spell, even if it's unique. Regarding the long unwieldy names abbreviated above (Godspeed You Black Emperor, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Quicksilver Messenger Service et al) the absolutely worst band name (or artist) I've ever heard are Norwegian synth/electronica pop band:

Apoptygma Berzerk

It's not even Norwegian, and I did have to look that one up, and re-spell it 3-4 times before Google auto-completed it for me. Do not ask me how it's pronounced. Well, ok then, when Prince went ballistic and called himself that "symbol" or "the artist formerly known as Prince" was more of a publicity stunt than anything else. People still called him "Prince". So that doesn't really count. BTW those "Apop..." aren't that bad really music wise. But who knows, it can mean some really foul word in Nepalese or something?

- - - -

But these accidents happens when you're gonna choose a band name by just opening your dictionary and point to the first word that comes up randomly. And you're all adamant about keeping it whatever it is. Then such things as Apopgtryggvebratteligma Belzebubserk can show up. For good or bad.
Click to expand...
And "The Beatles". And "The Police". I think you might be onto something!
 

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