How Bands Got Their Names

[lyle_from_minneapolis]

http://www.classicbands.com/names.html

Thought some of you might enjoy this. It covers a lot of ground, and some of it is pretty funny.

[sowhat]

Originally called The Golliwogs, unconfirmed reports say the band took their new name from Norvel Creedence, a friend of band leader John Fogerty.

Not quite. The original band's name was Blue Velvets, and Norvel was a friend of Tom.
Good reading, yeah.

[beatlefreak]

Creedence was also known as the Golliwogs (after the Blue Velvets). They released acouple of singles in the S.F. area with that name.

[sowhat]

Yes, i know they were also called Golliwogs, but their first name was the Blue Velvets anyway.
(yes i'm a bore)

[robbo63]

Not that I was ever in a classic band, but...

In naming my first band, we thought we were being artsy (dada, I guess) by deciding to turn on the TV and name ourselves the first thing we heard.

Well, what we got was an ad for the Ford Escort, and "World's Best Selling Car" didn't really have a good ring to it, so we ditched that idea.

What we finally decided on was Schadenfreude, since the bassist and I had some German language background. At the time, the word wasn't used much in English. It sounded cool to us, but it became annoying to count the number of mangled, sometimes creative, misspellings whenever a club would print us on their billing.

And the rest is history! Or isn't, actually.

[charlyg]

Our Praise band (going on 10 years at least is

"Sound Doctrine"

My idea of "Holy Smoke" was rejected..... {:^)

[firstbassman]

JEFFERSON AIRPLANE - Inspired by the blues player Blind Lemon Jefferson and the name of a friend's dog, jefferson airplane is also slang for a used paper match, split open to hold a marijuana joint that has been smoked too short to hold without burning the hands, an improvised roach clip.

This is an old Internet tale that gets copied over and over.

Jorma had a friend (Steve Talbot) who gave funny names for people. His name for Jorma was "Blind Thomas Jefferson Airplane." When the band was trying to think of funny names (think Strawberry Alarm Clock) for the band, Jorma volunteered his moniker.

[johnhall]

The roach clip was probably named after the band, not the other way 'round!

[lyle_from_minneapolis]

If you read the entry carefully, it bears out what you both posted.

[lyle_from_minneapolis]

Sort of.

[lyle_from_minneapolis]

Okay, time for my nap.

[jingle_jangle]

My friend Bob Spector's Tom Petty tribute group is called...

(drum roll)

...PETTY THEFT!

http://www.pettytheftrocks.com

Mwahaha!

My first vocal/instrumental band was called "The Surfbards". We were a Beach Boys tribute group, except this was before the tribute group concept had been named.

I painted a bass drum head that was a copy of the cover of the BB's "Surfin' USA" album cover, except that it said "SURFBARDS" in place of "SURFIN' USA", but same color (lemon yellow), same typeface (not sure...a hand face; sort of a modified "Playbill" font).

Confronted with a drumhead that said "Surfbards", most people were inclined to read it as "Surfboards". I heard one guy walk away muttering,"Surfboards, what a dumb name for a band..."

My puns had nowhere near the acceptance that Peter's do.

[jingle_jangle]

Sorry:

http://www.pettytheftrocks.com

Have you ever seen a JG 362/12 and FG '61 360 Capri played live? They're a treat.

[rictified]

Jefferson Airplane were some kind of machinery, so was Buffalo Springfield, forgot what they made though, I think some kind of farm machinery. There was a local band around here who called themselves American Standard band, guess where they got that?

[rictified]

Alright Buffalo Springfield was a steam roller, good old Google.