Just like the inevitable spring thaw or adolescent hair growth, there comes a time in every collaborative musical endeavor when a decision must be made. This phenomena seems to be a seminal part of the true Rock and Roll experience. Yes, I’m talking about the band naming process. There’s a fine line between clever and stupid…
I can’t tell you the levels of both mirth and frustration I have felt during this rite of passage. There is a definite pattern and it happens almost every time. From my own experience, it’s as follows…
1. It is agreed that it is time for a name to be chosen. Band mates will suggest names. Generally, these have accumulated over time. Each member has a handy list they’ve been collecting over the years.
2. Phase one is squashed. No one can agree. You hate my favorite as I do yours. I start to doubt your taste and creative prowess.
3. Rapid fire suggestions, stream of consciousness creativity. Session quickly degenerates into the ridiculous, obscene and stupid. This third stage can last anywhere from an hour up to many months.
4. The dangerous forth stage is entered usually unknowingly. Worn and down and exhausted, judgment becomes impaired. This is where 90% of names happen, out complete fatigue.
5. The band is named. Everyone is lukewarm if not completely turned off. You will begin to hate the name roughly three weeks after your website is finished.
If none of the above sounds appetizing, you can go a different route. Let’s explore some of the recent trends that have been used in the naming process.
The Combo – combine two or three random and/or opposite names into one. Adds a bit of irony and is just esoteric enough to be considered “arty.” Example: the Brian Jonestown Massacre. My old friend Brent (of Wholphin fame) was a master at this technique. Some classic examples of his work include: Scott Beowulf, JFKFC and the John Cougar Concentration Camp (wait, that one might be real) He kept a running list but that’s all I can remember.
Another technique that has been steadily gaining popularity is the Complete Sentence. Don’t worry if it’s grammatically correct, just make sure its long. Examples: And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead, The Plot to Blow Up the Eiffel Tower and This Bike is a Pipe Bomb.
If you’re still having trouble finding that perfect name, try this. Sent my way by Roland of Rol’s Rants, it will quickly give you thousands of terrible band names. It could take years to think up so many.
1 comment:
I loooove step 3. But then somehow there must be a way to eliminate the fatigue of step 4. My solution has been to generate a huge list in stage 3, but then just let it sit for a while before revisiting it. Often the right name jumps out. Or the brainstorming process starts again.
I think stage 3 is most valuable not as a way to generate awesome or even good band names, but as a way for the band to learn its identity and have a larf.
Because really at some point during the process, if your band is meant to be a band, the name will just arrive on the doorstep of your mind like the morning newspaper, and the minute you open and read it, you know it's the one, and everyone in the band knows and agrees that it's the one.
Anywhoo thanks for the link, brahmin!
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