Right here’s How 40 Iconic Bands Received Their Names

Dave Grohl Went Full Conspiracy Theorist With The Foo Fighters

Nerds and conspiracy theorists love the Foo Fighters as a result of they’re named after UFOs. Allied pilots used the time period “foo fighters” to explain mysterious plane that they could not make sure was the enemy.

Former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl started the band as a solo undertaking in 1994 after Kurt Cobain’s premature loss of life. Grohl has mentioned he was actually into studying about UFOs and that the books had a “treasure trove” of band names. He selected Foo Fighters as a result of he thought the plural would possibly make individuals assume it was extra than simply him within the band.

The Intercourse Pistols Had been Named After Their Sponsor

Like many different bands, The Intercourse Pistols identify advanced slowly over a number of years. The unique core of the band was fashioned in 1972 and named The Strand. In between reveals, the group spent numerous time at an “anti-fashion” S&M clothes retailer owned by Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood referred to as Intercourse.

In 1974, McLaren turned the band’s supervisor. McLaren renamed the group after the store’s identify and added Pistols to the top as a result of he mentioned he simply preferred the sound of it. The identify caught and the band embodied the alt-rock punk vibes that it lends itself to.

30 Seconds To Mars Received Philosophical

Different rock band 30 Seconds To Mars are smarter than they give the impression of being. The identify got here after the band members seen an fascinating phrase in a thesis paper the place the creator mentioned that humanity was transferring so quick that they have been principally “thirty seconds to Mars.”

Effectively, the band preferred the phrase and used it to characterize a bunch of concepts. Over time the band members have associated the identify to Mars because the god of warfare and mentioned in an interview that the identify is “lyrical, suggestive, cinematic, and full of immediacy” similar to their songs.

Frankie (Blue Eyes) Goes To Hollywood

British new wave group, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, started because the Hollycausts however determined they wanted to tone down among the controversies. The band mentioned they practiced in a room the place there was a slicing from the entrance web page of The New Yorker hanging up. The headline on it mentioned “Frankie Goes To Hollywood” in reference to Frank Sinatra, and the remaining is historical past.

Effectively, form of. The band caught with that identify and that story for a few years till just lately when a couple of band members mentioned that “Frankie” was impressed by British singer Frankie Vaughan.

Jane’s Dependancy Was Truly About Jane’s Dependancy

In probably the worst tribute ever, rock band Jane’s Dependancy was truly named after an actual particular person named Jane with an actual drug dependancy. The band’s founder Perry Farrell had a roommate named Jane Bainter. In response to Farrell, when one thing went flawed in the home, the operating joke was accountable it on Jane’s dependancy.

The band additionally used her in for a tune, “Jane Says.” The tune describes Jane’s real-life issues, her heroin dependancy, and abusive drug-dealing boyfriend. Jane even lent her handwriting to the band’s album art work. For all that inspiration, the actual Jane by no means even noticed a dime.

Daft Punk Loves Their Critics

It is a bit stunning to listen to that one in every of electronic-pop duo Daft Punk’s most important influences is The Seashore Boys. The pair liked them a lot that they started their profession below the identify Darlin’, which was a Seashore Boys single in 1967.

They started releasing their groundbreaking music within the early Nineteen Nineties, and never everybody preferred it. One assessment in journal Melody Maker trashed the duo and dubbed their music to be “daft punky thrash.” They thought the commentary was hilarious and selected to run with it and win a bunch of Grammys. Let the haters hate.

Alice Cooper Needed To Throw Off The Followers

“Godfather of Shock Rock” Alice Cooper selected his stage identify correctly. Born Vincent Damon Furnier, the singer initially selected the identify to entrance the band. Tales have claimed that the spooky group was named after a ghostly spirit that they “met” throughout an Ouija board session.

Cooper himself says that is an city legend that folks solely believed due to the band’s picture. Cooper mentioned that they wished a reputation that did not match with how they sounded. To them, a reputation like Alice Cooper appeared like a grandmother greater than a shock rock band.

Blink-182 Simply Wanted To Keep away from A Lawsuit

Blink-182 received their identify the best way a stunning quantity of bands do: to keep away from a lawsuit. The band recorded their first album below simply the identify Blink, however sadly for them, an Irish band had the identical identify and had launched an album simply months earlier than them.

Blink was pressured to vary and added the “182” to the top. An city legend says that the 182 stands for the variety of occasions Al Pachino drops the f-bomb in Scarface but it surely has by no means been confirmed. By all accounts, the “182” is fairly meaningless.

The Velvet Underground Had been The Authentic 50 Shades Of Gray

The Velvet Underground wasn’t very well-known throughout their unique run between 1964 and 1973 as a result of, in all actually, they have been approach forward of their time. The band combined rock with the Avante-Garde, which wasn’t stunning since Andy Warhol managed them for a couple of years.

Their identify is as surprising and Avante-Garde for the time too. The band was impressed by a novel referred to as The Velvet Underground, which explored many grownup themes. In 1967, that was not going to endear the general public, however within the Nineteen Nineties, they’d develop into worshipped as pioneers in different music.

Jethro Tull Modified Their Title Every Week

One-of-a-kind blues-rock band, Jethro Tull, received their identify as a result of they could not ebook a repeat present. The group was struggling to get invitations again to a venue and commenced to assume up a brand new identify every week in order that bookers would not realize it was the band who performed the weekend earlier than.

They ended up hiring an agent to ebook their reveals till sooner or later that agent booked the band below the identify Jethro Tull, after the 18th-century British farmer who invented the horse-drawn seed drill. Tull may not precisely be the face of rock music, however below that identify the band booked their first repeat gig and noticed it as an indication to maintain the identify.

KISS Is not An Acronym

Anybody that grew up with KISS has a unique thought of what it may stand for. The preferred idea is that it is an acronym for “Knight’s In Devil’s Service.” Others assume it may stand for “Preserve It Easy, Silly.”

The band members have denied all guesses that the phrase is an acronym. The extra possible model is that they named the band KISS after assembly a member of a band named Lips. Nobody is certain why they selected to capitalize the phrase, however all it has accomplished was open up the band to hundreds of hypotheses.

Queens Of The Stone Age Need To Rock With The Ladies Of The World

The choice rock group, Queens of the Stone Age, are notable for interesting to numerous completely different populations. From the midwest bluegrass to ’70s energy rockers, all of the band was lacking was the feminine demographic. In response to the band’s lead singer Josh Homme, their identify was a acutely aware alternative as a result of “Kings could be too macho.”

The band wished a reputation that will be “heavy sufficient for the boys and candy sufficient for the women.” Not precisely essentially the most inclusive, however we won’t blame them for making an attempt. It will need to have labored although as a result of they have been even praised by Rolling Stone for his or her capability to enchantment to the lots.

The Weeknd Left House Endlessly On A Weekend

Chart-topping R&B singer, Abel Makkonen Tesfaye modified his identify to The Weeknd for a fairly sentimental motive. The singer advised a Reddit Ask Me Something that he adopted the identify when he was 17 and dropped out of college then left house for good on a weekend.

What in regards to the lacking E although? As normal with singers, it was dropped due to a copyright situation. A Canadian band already existed referred to as The Weekend, so as a substitute of getting to brainstorm a brand new identify he simply dropped the E. With out the E the identify seems to be approach cooler, so it labored out in his favor.

Individuals Thought Pleasure Division Had been Nazi Sympathizers

It is a shock to many once they hear that Pleasure Division named themselves after part of Nazi focus camps. In WW2, the “pleasure division” of a camp was what Nazi’s referred to as the realm of focus camps the place all of the youthful ladies have been held in. It’s because lots of the officers would go to the realm to assault the younger ladies.

The band mentioned they wished a reputation that associated to WW2 as a result of numerous their dad and mom fought throughout it, they usually wished to pay homage to the battle, however selecting Pleasure Division actually would not look like it was the most suitable choice.

Bob Dylan Simply Knew His Actual Title Would By no means Take Off

Solely the die-hard Dylan followers will know that his final identify is not truly Dylan. Born Robert Zimmerman, the singer-songwriter started performing in his late teenagers below his unique identify. His biographer wrote that the singer was a giant fan actor Matt Dillon and selected to undertake his final identify. The identify was modified from Dillon to Dylan after the singer learn the works of poet Dylan Thomas.

Dylan has at all times been sincere that he knew the identify given to him was not fitted to him. And, let’s be sincere, Robert Zimmerman would not have the identical ring to it so it was a very good name to undertake the identify change.

The Barenaked Girls Can Thank Bob Dylan For Their Title

Even when you do not know in regards to the treasure of Canadian alt-rock, everybody seems to be twice once they learn this band’s unusual identify. Steven Web page and Ed Robertson, the 2 founders of the Barenaked Girls, have been attending a Bob Dylan live performance in Toronto in 1988. The 2 received bored and commenced brainstorming some band names to cross the time.

Quick-forward a couple of months later, Robertson entered right into a battle of the bands and needed to provide you with a reputation for his makeshift identify on the fly, and “Barenaked Girls” stood out in his reminiscence from the Dylan live performance. Web page could not imagine Robertson truly used that identify, but it surely has served them effectively. I imply, what different bands usually characteristic an electrical double bass and might pull it off?

Stone Temple Pilots Reverse-Engineered An Acronym

Generally it isn’t the identify that comes first, however an acronym. The grunge-rock band signed to their first document deal below the identify Mighty Joe Younger however the document label wished them to vary it. In response to the band members, they have been impressed by STP Motor Oil and liked the initials, however wanted to connect some phrases to it.

They performed round with a bunch of choices together with “Shirley Temple’s [expletive]” and “Stereo Temple Pirates” and Smelly Bathroom Paper” till they lastly landed on Stone Temple Pilots. So as to add some extra enjoyable, STP can also be a slang time period for a psychedelic drug.

Weapons N’ Roses Had been Simply Plain Lazy

The legendary rockers could have had some fairly artistic and masterful songs, however their band identify was fairly uncreative. Lead singer Axl Rose and guitarist Izzy Stradlin have been within the band Hollywood Rose. Stradlin had a roommate in a band referred to as L.A. Weapons who wanted a brand new lead singer.

The 2 bands joined forces and mixed the names in Weapons and Roses. They ultimately determined the “and” was too wordy and adjusted it to Weapons N’ Roses. Combining the 2 names may appear lazy however their different concepts weren’t superb. Some rejected names have been “AIDS” and “Heads of Amazon.”

Duran Duran Was Named After A Horny Sci-Fi Movie

Duran Duran fashioned in 1978 and commenced performing small gigs round England. One membership that they performed at typically was referred to as Barbarella’s, which was named after a 1968 sci-fi movie. Within the movie, Jane Fonda (sure, Jane Fonda) performs Barbarella, a horny house adventurer who’s tasked with discovering the mad scientist who invented a superweapon laser.

That scientist was Mr. Durand Durand. He wasn’t the nicest man and at one level even tried to kill Barbarella by putting her in a machine that kills the particular person with “deadly sexual pleasure.” Possibly Duran Duran was simply making an attempt to provide the world extreme pleasure of their music.

Linkin Park’s Title Was A Matter Of Practicality

Linkin Park’s iconic identify truly finds its origins in California. The platinum-selling artists named their band after Lincoln Park in Santa Monica. The identify was created by Chester Bennington, the beloved lead singer who sadly handed away in July 2017.

Chester would drive previous Lincoln Park on his approach to the studio however came upon that the net area for Lincoln Park was already taken. As an alternative, they altered the spelling. It was merely a matter of practicality.

Arcade Fireplace Received Their Title From A Literal Arcade Fireplace…Possibly

Arcade Fireplace’s identify is sort of as impossibly hip because the band’s stay reveals. Bear in mind once they wished to set a gown code for a rock efficiency? Why not? Frontman Win Butler admitted that he named his stadium indie rock undertaking after a literal fireplace in an arcade. Butler isn’t positive whether or not or not the story is a real one, however in his thoughts, this arcade undoubtedly lit up.

“It’s based mostly on a narrative that somebody advised me. It’s not an precise occasion, however one which I took to be actual. I might say that it’s in all probability one thing that the child made up, however on the time I believed him,” he advised Pitchfork.

What The Heck Does Chumbawamba Imply?

Chumbawamba dominated airwaves with their 1997 hit “Tubthumping.” It was sufficient to boost a band constructed on punk beliefs to mainstream success – if just for a second. Tubthumper hit quantity three on the Billboard 200 and offered over 3.2 million information, however the band left many ’90s youngsters questioning, “what the heck does that identify imply?”

Chumbawamba’s identify could also be one of many largest mysteries of the ’90s, but it surely’s truly fairly easy. It’s pure nonsense that was used to label bogs in a membership. The ladies’s room was “wamba” and the boys’s was “chumba.” Chumbawamba featured vocals from women and men, so it is smart.

Vampire Weekend Was Initially The Title Of A Movie Mission

The indie rock band that principally outlined Pitchfork’s sound desire for the higher a part of the early 2000s fashioned at Columbia College. It additionally took that Ivy League sense of willpower to provide you with a reputation. Whereas in faculty, frontman Ezra Koenig was engaged on a movie undertaking titled Vampire Weekend (this was again when Twilight was tremendous stylish and vampires have been the “it” monster).

The movie adopted a person named Walcot who needed to save Cape Cod from a vampire invasion. Koenig by no means completed his movie, however he did borrow the identify for his model new band. Walcot even received his personal tune.

Daft Punk Impressed Phoenix

For those who like Phoenix, try to be kissing the bottom Daft Punk walks on. Although the bands sound nothing alike, Phoenix couldn’t have existed with out the French digital duo – not less than not the identify. Earlier than Phoenix launched their first album, guitarist Lauren Brancowitz was in a band with Daft Punkers Thomas Bangalter and Man-Manuel de Homem-Christo referred to as Darlin’.

Darlin’ ultimately broke up and lead Bangalter and Man-Manuel to idiot round with digital music. Brancowitz went on to kind an unnamed indie rock undertaking. When Daft Punk launched Homework, the tune “Phoenix” impressed Brancowitz and he adopted the identify. Pheonix started releasing singles in 1999 and dropped their debut album United in 2000.

Eddie Vedder’s Grandma’s Jam Impressed The Title Pearl Jam

Nineteen Nineties rock legends Pearl Jam haven’t been utterly upfront over the best way they landed on their iconic identify. Generally it’s reported that the band was named after the peyote jam Eddie Vedder’s great-grandmother used to make. It’s additionally reported that they’re named after NBA star Mookie Blaylock’s nickname. It’s additionally slang for male ejaculation, however Vedder completely denies that one. Vedder claimed they named themselves Pearl Jam merely due to how pearls are made.

“The identify is in reference to the pearl itself … and the pure course of from which a pearl comes from. Mainly, taking excrement or waste and turning it into one thing lovely,” he mentioned. This isn’t actually correct contemplating pure pearls are fashioned when an irritant (like a parasite) finds its approach inside an oyster, however who’s going to inform him? He’s a musician, not a marine biologist!

Aerosmith’s Title Was Rejected By Bandmates

Joey Kramer truly got here up with the identify Aerosmith earlier than he ever performed with Stephen Tyler or Joe Perry. He was listening to Harry Nilsson’s “Aerial Ballet” along with his girlfriend when the couple determined to ring off cool, fictional band names that had the phrase “aero” in them.

He stumbled upon Aerosmith however the band he was in on the time rejected his thought. As quickly as Kramer joined up with the poisonous twins, he satisfied them to make use of the band identify, however he first needed to guarantee them that it didn’t have something to do with Arrowsmith, the Sinclair Lewis novel they learn in highschool.

The Title Def Leppard Occurred Earlier than The Band Even Shaped

Def Leppard rose to fame with their 1981 album Excessive n’ Dry and rapidly turned one of many bands to outline Eighties hair metallic. Hysteria, the band’s fourth album, has been licensed platinum 12 occasions and offered over 25 million copies worldwide. Like Aerosmith, the identify Def Leppard occurred earlier than the band Def Leppard occurred.

Throughout English class, singer Joe Elliot wrote evaluations of imaginary bands. Considered one of these imaginary bands was referred to as “Deaf Leopard.” The identify sounds fairly darn heavy, so Tony Kenning, the percussionist within the band’s unique lineup, advised altering the spelling to make it sound much less punk.

Chvrches Was Drained Of Competing With Jesus In Web Searches

Scottish indie pop band Chvrches is a reputation born within the Web age the place search energy is virtually foreign money. The band picked the identify “Church buildings” for the very unglamorous motive many bands select their names – it simply sounds cool. Lauren Mayberry, the undertaking’s high-energy frontwoman, mentioned their identify “has no non secular connotation, [they] simply thought it sounded cool.” So the place did the “V” come about?

The band was “drained” of competing with Jesus on Web searches, and in Amy Burrows’ single art work for the band, the U already regarded like a V. One swap they usually have been immediately searchable on Google. Downside solved.

The Rolling Stones Had been Impressed By Muddy Waters

Mick Jagger and Keith Richards first met at major faculty in Dartford, England. Collectively, the pair went on to revolutionize rock music, however they didn’t begin out that approach. Earlier than the Rolling Stones ever existed, the band was referred to as Blues, Inc. They lower a demo that was mercilessly rejected by EMI and drummer Tony Chapman left to go to artwork faculty.

It was round this time that the band determined to vary their identify. Muddy Waters was a huge affect on the band’s blues-tinged rock ‘n’ roll. They determined to call their band after his tune “Rollin’ Stone” — and the remaining is historical past.

P!ATD Took Their Title From A Band Referred to as Title Taken

Panic! At The Disco had a kind of names that epitomized Myspace-era emo – the random punctuation and the truth that it was virtually a whole sentence by itself. Some individuals imagine the identify was taken from “Panic” by the ’80s British pop band The Smiths. This isn’t the case.

In response to singer Brendon Urie (who now stars in Kinky Boots on Broadway), the identify comes from “Panic,” a tune by the U.S. indie band Title Taken. The lyrics go “Panic on the disco/Sat again and took it gradual/Are you nervous?/Are you shaking?” Relaxation assured, there’s no approach an artist as well-versed as Urie doesn’t see the irony in the truth that he took his band identify from a band referred to as Title Taken.

Fall Out Boy Received Their Title From The Simpsons

Earlier than Fall Out Boy ever thanked you for the mmrs, the band have been younger musicians and not using a identify. They’d the drive, they’d the songs, they usually even performed the reveals, however the identify was an afterthought. It wasn’t till they performed their second gig {that a} fan would rechristen them “Fall Out Boy” after a personality in The Simpsons.

The incident occurred when singer Pete Wentz had modified their identify to one thing extra mental for his or her second gig. As quickly as the brand new identify rolled off his tongue, a fan screamed, “[expletive] that! No, you’re Fall Out Boy!” It was what it was. Some issues are supposed to be.

Rivers Cuomo Has Bronchial asthma, Begins Weezer

Weezer’s identify got here out swinging from the trenches of an elementary faculty playground. It was a kind of endearing insults youngsters so carelessly throw round earlier than they study that you just shouldn’t make enjoyable of individuals (not less than to their faces!).

Rising up, singer Rivers Cuomo suffered from bronchial asthma, and because of this, his buddies (and sure a couple of playground bullies) would name him “Weezer.” It was a nickname he was unable to shake and the right identify for a band so closely rooted in nerd tradition and faculty radio rock. Weezer proves {that a} bully’s insult may simply rework right into a platinum-selling artist with a decades-long profession so long as you’ve got the fitting spin.

The 1975 Had Almost 10 Different Names

The 1975 went via a number of completely different incarnations since frontman Matty Healy assembled the band in 2002. Their most acknowledged former identify is Drive Like I Do (and a pair music movies of beforehand launched, pre-1975 tracks are nonetheless floating round YouTube). Additionally they glided by Me And You Versus Them, Endlessly Having fun with Intercourse, Talkhouse, The Slowdown, and Bigsleep. As Drive Like I Do, the band usually carried out Fall Out Boy covers and wrote among the 1975’s largest hits (that sounded barely much less like hits with out the label’s recording funds). The 1975 stumbled upon their eventual identify in a ebook of beat poetry Healy received from an artist.

“On the again web page there have been a great deal of suicidal messages and it was dated ‘1st June, The 1975’,” he advised Fame Journal. “The usage of the phrase ‘The’ previous the date actually caught with me.”

Pink Floyd Combines The Names Of Two Blues Musicians

Pink Floyd is one other artist who’s gone via a litany of names. One of the crucial regrettable was “Tea Set” (yup, it may possibly at all times be worse). Again when Pink Floyd was referred to as Tea Set, they discovered themselves on a invoice with a band that had the identical identify – what are the chances?

In a pinch, one of many members got here up with an alternate: The Pink Floyd Sound. The identify got here from two blues musicians – Pink Anderson and Floyd Council. The band flip-flopped between Tea Set and The Pink Floyd Sound till they lastly settled on The Pink Floyd. “The” wasn’t dropped till the ’70s.

System Of A Down Is Poetic

You don’t ever count on actual, real poetry to be flowing from a rap-rock band like System of a Down, however the band’s guitarist Daron Malakian is definitely a poet. He wrote the very poem that led to the band’s iconic identify. The poem was referred to as “Victims of a Down.”

“It comes from a poem our guitarist, Daron [Malakian], had written referred to as ‘Victims Of A Down’. He introduced it to us and ‘System’ was chosen as a greater, stronger phrase as a result of it makes it into the ‘entire’ as a substitute of the individuals specifically. It’s the society,” mentioned singer Serj Tankian in an interview.

Chubby Checker Needed To Rival Fat Domino

Chubby Checker invented the twist, a dance transfer that’s saved alive on the dance flooring of weddings and bar mitzvahs. The Fifties rocker’s dance strikes have been as soon as a authentic craze again within the days when Fat Domino dominated the airwaves.

Ernest Evans considered his identify to rival his up to date Fat Domino, who had eleven prime 10 hits between 1955 and 1960. Evans already had the nickname “Chubby” and determined to provide himself the surname “Checker.” It was a superb transfer which helped launch the artist into large success and pave the best way for contemporary rock ‘n’ roll.

Lana Del Rey Is not Her Actual Title

Earlier than she was Lana Del Rey, she was Elizabeth Grant. However for Grant, she wished her music to evoke particular emotions, and her identify needed to evoke these emotions too. So, the “Summertime Unhappiness” singer envisioned a reputation to form her music round.

“I wished a reputation I may form the music in direction of,” Grant advised Vogue journal. “I used to be going to Miami quite a bit on the time, talking numerous Spanish with my buddies from Cuba – Lana Del Rey reminded us of the glamour of the seaside.”

Coldplay Was Nearly Referred to as Starfish

Coldplay is already an obscure identify, however frontman Chris Martin wished the group to be referred to as Starfish. However when Martin’s fellow good friend and musician who was in a band named Coldplay ditched the identify, Martin requested if his group may use it.

The unique Coldplay too their identify from an anthology of kids’s poem referred to as Baby’s Reflections: Chilly Play. Right this moment, the second Coldplay has offered greater than 72 million albums worldwide.

Film Subtitles Impressed !!! (Chk Chk Chk)

!!! is already one of many weirder band names on the market, prompting practically everybody to marvel how their identify is even pronounced. Unsurprisingly, the origin of the band’s identify is simply as obscure because the identify itself.

The post-punk group received their identify from the ’80s South African film referred to as

The Gods Should Be Loopy. Within the fil, the Khoisan language was subtitled utilizing solely a collection of exclamation factors. The band thought it was fascinating and selected ‘!!!’ because of this. For these questioning, it is pronounced “chk, chk, chk.”