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"Offensive" band names

#181
TheCrimsonKing said:
But you're in a band called catapult the dead, not specifically aimed at anyone but likely to piss someone off.
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That you think people are as likely to get pissed off by "Catapult the Dead," a reference to medieval siege warfare, as they are by "Black Pussy" or "Cemetery Rapist" illustrates that you don't really understand why people are getting pissed off. Racial discrimination, sexual objectification, and rape are all still serious issues in society.

Castles being besieged by forces using catapults to fling corpses over the walls is not a current political/social issue.
 
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#182
Korladis said:
That you think people are as likely to get pissed off by "Catapult the Dead," a reference to medieval siege warfare, as they are by "Black Pussy" or "Cemetery Rapist" illustrates that you don't really understand why people are getting pissed off. Racial discrimination, sexual objectification, and rape are all still serious issues in society.

Castles being besieged by forces using catapults to fling corpses over the walls is not a current political/social issue.
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I know why the name Black Pussy upsets people, I just don't care that they are, the people who name their bands Black Pussy and Cemetery rapist don't either, I don't see why they should either, It's about the art, and having a laugh over your funny band name, not harming anyone.
 
#183
TheCrimsonKing said:
I know why the name Black Pussy upsets people, I just don't care that they are, the people who name their bands Black Pussy and Cemetery rapist don't either, I don't see why they should either, It's about the art, and having a laugh over your funny band name, not harming anyone.
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You are free to think that.

Personally, I think humor that punches down instead of up is, well, kinda poopy. It's like if a kid goes up to the weird kid at school that everyone already picks on, and makes fun of them even more viciously than everyone else does, and then thinks himself some sort of badass rebel for doing so.

I don't think either name is particularly funny. "Black Pussy" I just think was kinda stupid and a clueless thing to name a band made up of white dudes. "Cemetery Rapist," though... I dunno, I don't really find making fun of rape victims to be particularly clever or amusing. And really, that is what it is doing.

I think we're just not going to come to agreement on this.
 
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#184
Korladis said:
You are free to think that.

Personally, I think humor that punches down instead of up is, well, kinda ******. It's like if a kid goes up to the weird kid at school that everyone already picks on, and makes fun of them even more viciously than everyone else does, and then thinks himself some sort of badass rebel for doing so.

I don't think either name is particularly funny. "Black Pussy" I just think was kinda stupid and a clueless thing to name a band made up of white dudes. "Cemetery Rapist," though... I dunno, I don't really find making fun of rape victims to be particularly clever or amusing. And really, that is what it is doing.

I think we're just not going to come to agreement on this.
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you obviously never listened to some extrem metal stuff ...

Anyway I'm not offended easily, it would take more than a band name or the name of a song to be offended. I would simply question what was the point.
 
#185
DYING FETUS! brutal death metal band. I think its cool to have an offensive name for the shock factor and it could help people remember it. however sometimes it can be detrimental for merch sales .. I personally would rather not walk around with a shirt that says dying fetus despite how much I dig the band.
 
#186
I've been in several bands like with offensive names - most were highschool/early 20's = Cannibliss, WAHBL (We all have bum lips) and the Roach's. It was fun at the time, but would never go back to that (those were the good old days...lets leave it be). I was in a band a few years back, we agreed on Wotan's Apotheosis, until we found out that WOTAN is a white power, metal band in Germany and anything related to the Germanic name for Odin is generally associated with white power. Changed it to Apotheoses (Apotheosis was taken by a euro electronica band). Didn't want to deal with those types of politics and explain our name every show.
 
#190
On Seth Putnam: He wasn't and he is.

On Black Pussy: Honestly, you people are pissy because a band named itself Black Pussy. I've heard calls of racism. Racism? For a lame sex joke at the expense of a black cat. It's lame, and tha'ts fine, it is what it is. A lame band name. Maybe they'll regret it, maybe they won't, but chances are they were never going to break out of an audience that liked it.

Which likely precludes the people here who are aghast at the double entendre.
 
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#191
Rugmaster said:
I believe he was friends with some truly racist bands and record labels, and yeah that's right, he died in 2011. A few years before he went into a coma after overdosing on about 5 different substances, so I kinda saw it coming...
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honestly, I think they were so terrible that it was comical...never seen them live so I can't comment on that, but it doesn't surprise me if some racist knuckleheads took what they did serious...plus they had a butthole and vagina for their logo, I mean common, good for a chuckle though, and if a bands name offends people or limits their audience so be it, its supposed to be a free country in the US...
 
#193
hintz said:
honestly, I think they were so terrible that it was comical...never seen them live so I can't comment on that, but it doesn't surprise me if some racist knuckleheads took what they did serious...plus they had a butthole and vagina for their logo, I mean common, good for a chuckle though, and if a bands name offends people or limits their audience so be it, its supposed to be a free country in the US...
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I agree, but the funnier thing is that they actually got signed to Earache records. Also noteworthy was the feud between Chris Barnes (Cannibal Corpse, Six Feet Under) and Seth. Listen to "Chris Barnes is a P***y" if you don't know about it :P
 
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#194
gfen said:
On Black Pussy: Honestly, you people are pissy because a band named itself Black Pussy. I've heard calls of racism. Racism? For a lame sex joke at the expense of a black cat. It's lame, and th'ts fine, it is what it is. A lame band name.

Which likely precludes the people here who are aghast at the double entendre.
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As the owner of two beautiful black cats, I'm offended for them ... because in the cat world they are often the last to get adopted & have the stigma of bringing bad luck. Not to mention they're expected to love Halloween ... when all they want to do is sleep that day away ( just like all the other days.)
 
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#195
Offended by band names? Don't be such a

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#196
bolophonic said:
1. I'd like you to take note of my complete indifference to the offense you are taking to my obviously hyperbolic statement about said douche-band.

2. I live in an area dominated by truly vicious racists and xenophobic, misogynistic bigots who attempt daily through their actions to undermine the rights and dignity of people who are different from them. To them, nothing is ever offensive unless it is a criticism directed towards them, when it becomes a grave indignity. I will always caucus with the underdogs in the societal interplay, so I have had a lot of practice listening to someone make a statement that was patently designed to provoke and then declare that they cannot understand how it could even qualify as offensive to anyone. I don't mind telling those people to their face that they can shove it with that crud.
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You think I'm offended by your statement? Wrong. I was just pointing out that it's messed up.

Advocating violence as an appropriate response to a band name is messed up. And justifying it on the basis of social injustice is also messed up.

That's how we end up with some of the messed up sh*t that goes on...
 
#197
Here's a new interview with one of the dudes from Black Pussy. If you take the time to read it, it's obvious they aren't racist nor are they hipster douchebags. Good quote at the end: If anybody is unsure of us or unsure of our motivation or hurt by our band name, I encourage them to come to a show and hang out and see what we do.
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I also read in a different article that the person who started the on-line petition against the band had less than 400 signatures. All of that fuss (and free publicity for the band) because of a few hundred people don't like the band name. It reminds me of when Christian wackos in the 80s and 90s would try to ban or burn heavy metal records by such Satanic bands as KISS, Judas Priest, and Iron Maiden and it just made kids want to buy the albums and see the concerts even more.

By the way, I've been listening to the new Black Pussy album online and they have some killer songs.
 
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#198
AaronVonRock said:
Here's a new interview with one of the dudes from Black Pussy. If you take the time to read it, it's obvious they aren't racist nor are they hipster douchebags. Good quote at the end: If anybody is unsure of us or unsure of our motivation or hurt by our band name, I encourage them to come to a show and hang out and see what we do.
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Ryan McIntire in the interview said:
"We’re all free beings, everyone’s allowed to say whatever they want. It is a bummer that people aren’t talking about the music, but it’s drawing attention to the music."
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That interview kinda proves the point. The main focus of the interview is the band name and the associated repercussions, not the music. While I'm not personally offended by any band name (they have to play under the name, not me) I don't see the point of taking a name that can distract from the music, especially one that is not overly clever.

Everyone is indeed allowed to say what they want, but freedom of speech does not guarantee freedom from consequences. Violence, though, is never an appropriate response.
 
#199
If your band is known more for its name than. Its music, that may tell you something. Yeah, there are times where people get stupid crazy over a name for no valid reason (KISS), but I would rather make my statement with my music. A clever pun or inside joke is one thing (Steely Dan), an intent to offend is another. Some degree of class, please.
 
#200
gfen said:
people are pissy because a band named itself Black Pussy.
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It just shows where most peoples minds are at. They immediately think that the name refers to racial or sexual subject matter. It could, sure, but how many peoples first thought was to even consider that the name might just be referencing a black cat. It would appear that very few if any had this thought.

To be fair though would we or anybody be talking about them if the band had called themselves "Black Pussycat"? Gonna go out a limb here a say with a reasonable amount of certainty that we would not. Would anybody even pay attention to them at all.

Whatever the bands reasoning for the name it worked. As has been pointed out several times in this thread just look at all the free publicity. 10 pages so far here alone.

Good, bad or indifferent. They are getting exposure.

They win! (assuming some overzealous prick doesn't do something really stupid)
 

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