Bands whose names are a filthy lie

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

1) The Thrills. Unless there's something thrilling about a pussy Irish bloke singing pussy songs about America.

― Wooden (Wooden), Saturday, 4 September 2004 13:05 (twenty years ago)

2) The Ramones. No wait, actually that's probably alright.

― Forksclovetofu (Forksclovetofu), Saturday, 4 September 2004 13:11 (twenty years ago)

3) The Killers. Unless somehow the music press missed a past history of slaughter/criminal records.

― emily kawasaki (emil.y), Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:02 (twenty years ago)

4) New Order. I am still waiting for them to announce their plans of world domination. In fact, I'm beginning to think that they don't actually have any.

― Barry Bruner (Barry Bruner), Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:04 (twenty years ago)

Although following the same logic almost all band names are defunct... which is pretty much true, being merely a random selection of words tied together bearing no relation to the sounds they make.

xpost

― emil.y (emil.y), Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:05 (twenty years ago)

Ah, I guess 5) Joy Division.

If you ignore the reference behind it - totally and utterly wrong.

― emil.y (emil.y), Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:06 (twenty years ago)

6) Oasis. A lie -- they do, in fact, exist.

― Barry Bruner (Barry Bruner), Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:07 (twenty years ago)

(ah, now I see Emily's point)

― Barry Bruner (Barry Bruner), Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:08 (twenty years ago)

Does the word "oasis" have anything to do with existence?

7) The New Radicals, who I adore, but are not 'new' or 'radical' in any sense.

― djdee2005, Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:09 (twenty years ago)

I think Barry's confusing 'Oasis' with 'mirage'.

― Wooden (Wooden), Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:10 (twenty years ago)

(shit, somehow I confused "oasis" with "mirage". I really shouldn't post so soon after waking up)

(xpost, Wooden, yes)

― Barry Bruner (Barry Bruner), Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:11 (twenty years ago)

8) Nirvana

the very opposite in fact

― Bumfluff, Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:12 (twenty years ago)

Dumbass no more :

9) The Beach Boys. (self-explanatory, yes?)

― Barry Bruner (Barry Bruner), Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:13 (twenty years ago)

10)Outkast - the common thread of American music taste could hardly be considered outcasts.

― djdee2005, Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:15 (twenty years ago)

11) Ben Folds Five

― My name is Kenny (My name is Kenny), Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:17 (twenty years ago)

12) The Thompson Twins

― My name is Kenny (My name is Kenny), Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:17 (twenty years ago)

13.) dEUS (although they do come close)
14.) Evil Superstars
15.) Beatles

― jesus nathalie (nathalie), Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:20 (twenty years ago)

16) The pet shop boys

― Bumfluff, Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:23 (twenty years ago)

17) Dire Straits. Mark Knopfler's millionaire status gives the lie to their name. Although they are dire, to be fair.

― noodle vague (noodle vague), Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:26 (twenty years ago)

18) Captain Beefheart. Unless Don was the recipient of highly illegal transplant surgery.

― noodle vague (noodle vague), Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:27 (twenty years ago)

19) Bruce Springstein

― Huck, Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:29 (twenty years ago)

20) Big Star

Points for ambition though

― Bumfluff, Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:29 (twenty years ago)

21) The Mighty Mighty Bosstones. 2 "Mighty"s too many.

― noodle vague (noodle vague), Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:31 (twenty years ago)

22.) The Marshall Tucker Band

― Pleasant Plains (Pleasant Plains), Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:31 (twenty years ago)

23) Keane. No, I most certainly am not.

― Wooden (Wooden), Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:32 (twenty years ago)

24) The Mahavishnu Orchestra

― Bumfluff, Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:35 (twenty years ago)

25) Grand "Funk" Railroad.

― noodle vague (noodle vague), Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:38 (twenty years ago)

24) The Mahavishnu Orchestra

Well, John McLaughlin called himself "Mahavishnu" at the time, and the band was led by him, so I think is the one example where the band name *doesn't* lie.

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:40 (twenty years ago)

Are they an orchestra? Are they? You just called them a band!

― Bumfluff, Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:42 (twenty years ago)

What's the definition of an orchestra? In Finnish at least you can use the word to describe any kind of musical combo, not just a full-size classical one, though the word "band" is more common when it comes to rock groups.

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:43 (twenty years ago)

Erm well I don't mean to get overserious about this, but they were a quintet (on the first few albums), thus they're a chamber group in classical terms, thus, not an orchestra.

― Bumfluff, Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:47 (twenty years ago)

26. blondie (they needed hair product to live up to the name)

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:47 (twenty years ago)

It's a great evocative name you know, but for the purposes of this thread it is a filthy lie

x-post

― Bumfluff, Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:48 (twenty years ago)

27. Fine Young Cannibals lied on at least 2 counts.

― noodle vague (noodle vague), Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:49 (twenty years ago)

The word "orchestra" or "ork" was used in the thirties at least when talking about jazz bands which certainly weren't the size of a classical orchestra.

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:51 (twenty years ago)

aren't all band names essentially filthy lies by the standards which we've set up here?

― party p00per (amateurist), Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:56 (twenty years ago)

28. Sugarcube -- Not glucose-based at all, as it turned out.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Saturday, 4 September 2004 16:12 (twenty years ago)

"25) Grand "Funk" Railroad."
Back in the day, DJ Afrika Bambaataa would extract a break-beat from "Inside Looking Out."
Anyway, it's all relative: GFR were certainly funkier than Ted Nugent or Three Dog Night.

― lovebug starski (lovebug starski), Saturday, 4 September 2004 16:43 (twenty years ago)

grand funk are totally funky.

― Fritz Wollner (Fritz), Saturday, 4 September 2004 16:45 (twenty years ago)

29. Dr Dre. Neither a doctor of medicine or an academic, however I'm sure he knows a thing or two about pharmaceutical substances.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Saturday, 4 September 2004 16:48 (twenty years ago)

30)LIMP BIZKIT. CUZ THEY ROCK HARD! *power chord*

― manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Saturday, 4 September 2004 16:49 (twenty years ago)

31. Motorhead. No, the usual flesh, blood and bone variety.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Saturday, 4 September 2004 16:54 (twenty years ago)

33. Adam & the Ants - Not actually insects, wouldn't ya know.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Saturday, 4 September 2004 17:01 (twenty years ago)

Interpol -- Actually just four dudes with ill-advised hair and not an international police agency.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Saturday, 4 September 2004 17:02 (twenty years ago)

Sisters of Mercy -- Not sibllings in the slightest, let alone female. And not ordained either. Naughty boys.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Saturday, 4 September 2004 17:04 (twenty years ago)

brilliant - you'd think with bill drummond and youth they could be, but alas, no.

the silicon teens - sadly no silicon enhancements or teens anywhere

― frenchbloke (frenchbloke), Saturday, 4 September 2004 17:07 (twenty years ago)

Sonic Youth - Not any more, at least.

― Pleasant Plains (Pleasant Plains), Saturday, 4 September 2004 17:35 (twenty years ago)

Carther The Unstoppable Sex Machine

― phil d., Saturday, 4 September 2004 18:29 (twenty years ago)

The Band. They were in fact... ok, they WERE just that. Happy?

― Chris Marx, Saturday, 4 September 2004 18:31 (twenty years ago)

Barenaked Ladies - more like Bunch of Fat Guys.

― Steve Beans, Saturday, 4 September 2004 19:02 (twenty years ago)

Skipping 33 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

Teenage Fanclub.

In the six or seven gigs I've been to, I haven't seen anyone under the age of 25 in the audience.

(Not that that meant they weren't totally great, of course.)

― Ranking Rupert (Ranking Rupert), Sunday, 5 September 2004 17:38 (twenty years ago)

dyson make a funny.

― Kim (Kim), Sunday, 5 September 2004 17:48 (twenty years ago)

Pizzicato 5--neither Italian nor five people

― Allyzay Science Explosion (allyzay), Sunday, 5 September 2004 18:12 (twenty years ago)

Cher UK. They're not Cher! They're from Missouri! Outrageous!

Also, Gay Dad.

― Arthur (Arthur), Sunday, 5 September 2004 19:14 (twenty years ago)

The Wedding Present. (as far as I know never given as a gift on any occasion, never mind a wedding)

― Jamie Fake (the pirate king), Sunday, 5 September 2004 21:11 (twenty years ago)

Abysmal - they're fucking great!

― Siegbran (eofor), Sunday, 5 September 2004 22:24 (twenty years ago)

The Normal

― Kim (Kim), Monday, 6 September 2004 16:19 (twenty years ago)

Er. Bumfluff doesn't obviously understand The Pet Shop Boys then. (16), with a name like that you'd expect him to be nearer the mark.

- PIXIES. Not. And they exist. Are they a mirage? Are they an oasis? Or are they "Taboo" the other KAK drink from 80s wine bars?
- DINOSAUR JR. Neither.
- Slaughter & The Dogs. ?
- The Dead Milkmen. Well as a career they died.(Sad really - very funny) but Milkmen they never were.
- The Flaming Lips. Wayne Coyne's mouth has to date never actually caught fire........

― polecat syphilis, Tuesday, 7 September 2004 15:54 (twenty years ago)

His Name Is Alive

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Tuesday, 7 September 2004 15:55 (twenty years ago)

i gave a wedding present cd as a part of a wedding present once.

― peter smith (plsmith), Tuesday, 7 September 2004 15:59 (twenty years ago)

Talk Talk - even when they were going Mark Hollis did anything but.

― neil tacus (tacit), Tuesday, 7 September 2004 16:01 (twenty years ago)

courtney love (the band, that is, the one featuring lois maffeo)

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Tuesday, 7 September 2004 16:01 (twenty years ago)

Mayhem.

Oh, hang on.

― Michael Philip Philip Philip Annoyman (Ferg), Tuesday, 7 September 2004 16:02 (twenty years ago)

Teardrops can not explode.

― Michael Philip Philip Philip Annoyman (Ferg), Tuesday, 7 September 2004 16:02 (twenty years ago)

i am the world trade center.

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Tuesday, 7 September 2004 16:03 (twenty years ago)

The Music haha oh my.

― Michael Philip Philip Philip Annoyman (Ferg), Tuesday, 7 September 2004 16:04 (twenty years ago)

"Er. Bumfluff doesn't obviously understand The Pet Shop Boys then. (16), with a name like that you'd expect him to be nearer the mark."

I evidently don't. Care to explain if it's not too embarassing for you? Also what's this - (16) ?

― Bumfluff, Tuesday, 7 September 2004 16:17 (twenty years ago)

sonic "youth"

― kephm (kephm), Tuesday, 7 September 2004 16:25 (twenty years ago)

Living In A Box.

At least, I hope they weren't.

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Tuesday, 7 September 2004 17:41 (twenty years ago)

The Only Ones (no they were not the only recording artists known to history).

― j.lu (j.lu), Tuesday, 7 September 2004 17:46 (twenty years ago)

A joke, no matter how cutting, can not actually kill.

― nickn (nickn), Tuesday, 7 September 2004 21:42 (twenty years ago)

Ain't too much distance tween Slaughter and Laughter so I don't think they're that far off.

BURNIN BRIDGES FALLING DOWN GOT A NASTY REPUTATION FROM TOWN TO TOWN!!!

― aa, Wednesday, 8 September 2004 00:13 (twenty years ago)

The Saints
!!! (Most of their songs are in 4/4, so !!!! would be closer.)

― dave225 (Dave225), Wednesday, 8 September 2004 00:29 (twenty years ago)

courtney love (the band, that is, the one featuring lois maffeo)

"Courtney Love" isn't Courtney Love the person's real name either so that works both ways.

― AaronHz (AaronHz), Wednesday, 8 September 2004 00:43 (twenty years ago)

Oh, a whole new seam becomes apparent-

Elton John
No, Reg Dwight, actually.

― Wooden (Wooden), Wednesday, 8 September 2004 00:45 (twenty years ago)

I don't think The Mothers Of Invention actually gave birth to any.

― jim wentworth (wench), Wednesday, 8 September 2004 01:21 (twenty years ago)

"1) The Thrills. Unless there's something thrilling about a pussy Irish bloke singing pussy songs about America."

I like Wooden's post because it's not just talking about whether the band's name works, logistically.

"The Jam" is not a noodling jam band but has some damn tight arranging, por ejemplo.

― Thea (Thea), Wednesday, 8 September 2004 01:24 (twenty years ago)

..as s opposed to not deserving their name because they don't consist primarily of fruit and sugar.

― Thea (Thea), Wednesday, 8 September 2004 01:28 (twenty years ago)

David Bowie
nope, David JONES

― AaronHz (AaronHz), Wednesday, 8 September 2004 01:50 (twenty years ago)

aargh

― Thea (Thea), Wednesday, 8 September 2004 01:51 (twenty years ago)

It's a Beautiful Day

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Wednesday, 8 September 2004 13:54 (twenty years ago)

Captain Beefhart's heart is most definitely NOT made of beef.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Wednesday, 8 September 2004 14:25 (twenty years ago)

Iggy Pop
Cocteau Twins

― t''t, Wednesday, 8 September 2004 14:36 (twenty years ago)

Captain Beefhart's heart is most definitely NOT made of beef.
-- nickalicious (nickaliciou...), September 8th, 2004

but conceivably his heart might be beefy?

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Wednesday, 8 September 2004 14:45 (twenty years ago)

A joke, no matter how cutting, can not actually kill.

You just haven't heard it yet.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 8 September 2004 15:09 (twenty years ago)

Savage Garden. Ooh, they were just so savage!

― briania (briania), Wednesday, 8 September 2004 15:16 (twenty years ago)

Flock of Seagulls -- Not a gull in the bunch
Kiss -- Huh?
Def Leppard -- All humans who can hear
Cinderella -- No beautiful princesses there

― cw28 (cw28), Wednesday, 8 September 2004 15:20 (twenty years ago)

Sweet -- no they weren't.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 8 September 2004 15:25 (twenty years ago)

Sloan. Not only were they NOT POSH, but they came from CANADIA - a million miles away from Sloane Square!

― Super-Masonic Black Hole (kate), Wednesday, 8 September 2004 15:27 (twenty years ago)

Quiet Riot. They are neither.
The Pastels - I've only ever seen Stephen wear primary colors.

― mike a, Wednesday, 8 September 2004 15:56 (twenty years ago)

The Postal Service -- No they're not.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 8 September 2004 16:21 (twenty years ago)

The Mentors. No way did those guys ever serve as "wise and trusted counselors or teachers."

― mike a, Wednesday, 8 September 2004 16:33 (twenty years ago)

Hahaha

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 8 September 2004 16:36 (twenty years ago)

BUMFLUFF.

(16) because I was referring to point 16 on the board. Pet Shop Boys are members of a certain sexual persuasion who enjoy the entry of small rodents into their back passage (anus). Hence the name of the band. Not embarrassing for me I prefer larger animals. All smiles here.

― polecat syphilis, Thursday, 9 September 2004 14:32 (twenty years ago)

TELEVISION
THE SEX PISTOLS - not a working gun among them
The Crash Test Dummies - if only it were true
The Trashcan Sinatras - although I suppose metaphorically and philosophically this could be argued
The Swell Maps - although f**king great but no cartography
The Television Personalities - None of them have ever been on TV EVER
The Smiths

― polecat syphilis, Thursday, 9 September 2004 14:36 (twenty years ago)

Ween doesn't wean you off anything!

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Thursday, 9 September 2004 14:39 (twenty years ago)

8) Nirvana
the very opposite in fact

-- Bumfluff (yy...), September 4th, 2004.

Then they should have been called Samsara?

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Thursday, 9 September 2004 15:01 (twenty years ago)

Any band named after someone who isn't actually in the band. I'm looking at you, Jethro Tull, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Franz Ferdinand.

― mike a, Thursday, 9 September 2004 15:04 (twenty years ago)

The United States of America. That would have been, what, 225 million people in the late '60s? Yet I only count five people on the album cover.

― mike a, Thursday, 9 September 2004 15:06 (twenty years ago)

In that case, the Presidents of the United States of America. Clearly not politicians.

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Thursday, 9 September 2004 15:08 (twenty years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.