Who inspired the most band names?

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I do not know if this has been done here before, the question is simple. Which bands/artists inspired the names of other bands? By the names of their albums, songs or song lyrics.

Right now I can only think of Leonard Cohen. Sisters of Mercy were named after one of his songs and the Norwegian sadcore band Midnight Choir was named after a line in the lyrics of "Bird on a Wire": "Like a bird on a wire, like a drunk in a midnight choir". Any more examples?

― alex in mainhattan, Sunday, 10 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

It must have been done before, because of my loudly announced theory at the time that ALL SUCH SECOND-HAND GROUPS WERE BY DEFINITION RUBBISH!!

Tho I had forgot Sisters of Mercy, who are OK kinda. I still think it monumentally lame. Erm: Starsailor, Dali's Car, Monster Magnet, Halo of Flies...

― mark s, Sunday, 10 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Thanks Mark, but could you tell me where Starsailor etc. got their names from? Starsailor was after Tim Buckley's album wasn't it? And the others? The question is in the title of the thread. I'd like to know who inspired the most names!

― alex in mainhattan, Sunday, 10 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Tho I had forgot Sisters of Mercy

And the aforementioned Midnight Choir, who are glorious and wonderful. Say it, SAY IT!

― Ned Raggett, Sunday, 10 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Dali's car is a track from "Trout Mask Replica" IIRC... Heaven 17 used to be pretty good (name filched from "A clockwork orange") dunno if boox count tho'

― Norman Phay, Sunday, 10 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

a Muddy Waters song inspired a Dylan Song ("Like a Rolling Stone"), a Band ("The Rolling Stones"); and a magazine ("Alternative Press")

― Lord Custos, Sunday, 10 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Sorry. That last bit was a typo.
It should read "...and a Magazine ('Spin') "

― Lord Custos, Sunday, 10 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

A Certain Ratio got their name from Eno's "The True Wheel" (I think) and other bands maybe got their names from Eno songs--names escaping me right now.

Like Halo Of Flies, ACR weren't rubbish so Mark's theory doesn't always work.

― dan, Sunday, 10 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Blonde Redhead and Eric's Trip both share the same name as Sonic Youth songs...

― Johan, Sunday, 10 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Halo of flies = Alice Cooper; Monster Magnet = Zappa; Dali's Car = Beefheart

Come to think of it I think my theory was that they were rubbish if they were named after an LP, not just a song — and certainly not just a phrase in a song. Which so far = Stairsailor only. And Low.

― mark s, Sunday, 10 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

William S Burroughs probably spawned a bundle of band names, but off the top of my head I can only think of Steely Dan, and the term "heavy metal". There's gotta be more, though. I should call my band The Naked Lunches. Only thing is, I don't have a band.

― Sean Carruthers, Sunday, 10 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Blonde Redhead and Eric's Trip both share the same name as Sonic Youth songs

Blonde Redhead was actually by DNA.

― Vic Funk, Sunday, 10 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Burroughs = (The) Soft Machine also. And the Neon Boys? (Early name for Television...?) But he is not a band. Sorry alex you are quite right and I am completely wrong: we did not do "inspired most bands" before at all.

― mark s, Sunday, 10 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

WS Burroughs: The Soft Machine, Steely Dan, probably some others...

― J Sutcliffe, Sunday, 10 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

oh you didn't specify he had to be a band. blimey, this = thread which mark s read most sketchily before he answered several times in a row

i think i have got the gist now: deep purple is a nat king cole song (i think)

― mark s, Sunday, 10 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Nah, the specification was "bands/artists", which is vague enough that it could include painteres, film-makers, novelists, and more. In fact, if you include film-makers, I'm sure Stanley Kubrick has done his fair share: I'm sure there's more than one band name taken from A Clockwork Orange (inc. Heaven 17), though maybe the credit should go to Anthony Burgess.

― Sean Carruthers, Sunday, 10 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Syd Barrett's "Barrett", I think. Baby Lemonade. The Gigolo Aunts. The Effervescing Elephants.

― Brian MacDonald, Sunday, 10 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Also from Clockwork Orange: Moloko, Korova Milk Bar, Durango 95, the Droogs. I have no clue whatsoever as to what the latter three sounded like.

― Ben Squircle, Sunday, 10 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Kurt Vonnegut has done his share of inspiration, there is even a web page about it, although some listed just refer to individual songs. But you have at least Billy Pilgrim, Deadeye Dick, Gilgongo, Granfaloon Bus, and various Kilgore / Kilgore Trout combinations.

― Dave, Sunday, 10 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Radiohead is a Talking Heads song. Scott 4 is a Scott Walker album. This Mortal Coil is from Hamlet - are there any others from Shakespeare?

― Keith, Sunday, 10 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

The lovely alt-country band the Court and Spark = Joni Mitchell. Shakespeare = the Jaxx's Romeo!

― bnw, Sunday, 10 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Shakespeare: also Romeo Void, Stratford 4, Buckinghams?

Muddy Waters: (Rolling Stones) also Mojo Men, Mannish Boys

Aldous Huxley: Doors, Eyeless in Gaza
or, take your pick
Wm. Blake: Doors, Blake Babies

Iron Maiden and Catherine Wheel were both medieval torture devices.

My Bloody Valentine, Honeymoon Killers and Black Sabbath all come from horror flick titles.

Barbarella: Duran Duran + Um, Barbarella?

The last time I watched Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, I think I caught a few but none come to me now. I'm too doped up on cold medicine. I might be confusing band names with lines lifted by Austin Powers.

This should be a field on All-Music Guide. Pronunciation, too.

― Curt, Sunday, 10 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

There's a Bright Eyes song titled "Neely O'hara" after The Valley of the Dolls.

― bnw, Monday, 11 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

The Wild One inspired the names of both the Beatles and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.

― Justyn Dillingham, Monday, 11 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

"Brave New World" = the Feelies, and some others I've forgotten. The Doors took their name from a Huxley book too, I think, as did Eyeless In Gaza. That's three off the top of my head from one source.

― A Swyth, Monday, 11 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Another Eno one to go with A Certain Ratio - Burning Airlines,who haven't changed their name as yet.Can have inspired a few - Ege Bamyasi,Moonshake,Spoon.

― Damian, Monday, 11 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Soft Boys were combination of the Soft Machine and the Wild Boys, so their goes another mark for Burroughs.

― Alex in SF, Monday, 11 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I just skimmed Epitonic and saw a band called "From Safety To Where"......you should see the album cover....born losers....I don't plan to download their songs...and I LIKE J.D.

― Ramosi, Monday, 11 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Actually I was thinking of musicians (bands and solo artists) albums, songs or song lyrics as inspiration for other band's names. That eliminates Burroughs, Huxley, Shakespeare and the like. Preliminary results:

- Can 3: Ege Bamyasi, Spoon, Moonshake
- Muddy Waters 3: Rolling Stones, Mannish Boys, Mojo Men
- Cohen 2: Sisters of Mery, Midnight Choir
- Eno 2: A Certain Ratio, Burning Airlines

― alex in mainhattan, Monday, 11 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

warm jets - eno

― cw, Monday, 11 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

& maybe a 5th share in ladytron...

― cw, Monday, 11 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Stooges inspired Radio Birdman & I think there wuz a Funhouse too. And in the 80s, an Italian hardcore band called Raw Power (er, I think). And any bands called Dirt? Maybe them.

― AP, Monday, 11 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

There's also a band called 'TV Eye'

But are we counting shitty bar bands & tribute bands? Moonlight Drive, anyone?

I never got that Dalis Car reference... Dali's Car, the band, is about as far away from Beefheart as you can get. I wouldn't think Peter Murphy would even be a casual fan of Beefheart.

― Dave225, Monday, 11 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

The Cocteau Twins took their name from a song by Simple Minds.

And you can't be my friend if you don't like the Cocteau Twins.

Cue entire ILx poster population shouting: "Fine by me!"

― Marcello Carlin, Monday, 11 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Clem Snide is Burroughs, also.

― Brian Gallagher, Monday, 11 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

That eliminates Burroughs, Huxley, Shakespeare and the like.
Well, poop.

― Sean Carruthers, Monday, 11 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

And you can't be my friend if you don't like the Cocteau Twins.

I love 'em, so I can be your friend. Yay!

― Ned Raggett, Monday, 11 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

And you can't be my friend if you don't like the Cocteau Twins.
I love 'em, so I can be your friend. Yay!
Me too. So we can all be friends. Is this flower power or what?

― alex in mainhattan, Monday, 11 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

That eliminates Burroughs, Huxley, Shakespeare and the like.

But Burroughs guested with Material, and Shakespeare wrote those madrigals, and Huxley, uhh.......Huxley took drugs.

― Curt, Monday, 11 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

there is a band called Red Sleeing Beauty named after the McCarthy song

― g, Monday, 11 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

there are at least a couple of bands named after stereolab songs as well i think

― g, Monday, 11 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I thought Cocteau Twins were named after a british tv show, movie, or comic strip or something

― g, Monday, 11 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

G, could you be thinking of Thomson Twins -> Tintin Comics. BTW, Red Sleeping Beauty, the band, surpassed anything McCarthy did.

― Curt, Monday, 11 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

CRICKETS=BEATLES

― ddd, Monday, 11 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Cocteau Twins came from a lyric in a very early Simple Minds song, supposedly.

And Heaven 17 also got their name from "A Clockwork Orange."

― Alex in nYC, Monday, 11 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Re: Can, there's also a band called the Mooney Suzuki (and they aren't very good), and another one called Monster Movie (although the connection isn't obvious - Like 'Low' and Low!).

― Clarke B., Tuesday, 12 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

marcello: I read your weblog (brilliant entry about "Architecture & Morality") and I am a big Cocteau Twins fan, so I can be your friend. But I didn´t know their name was taken from a Simple Minds song. I have never heard it.

Carcass is a Siouxsie title, but this "grindgore" band is far away from the Banshees sound. Just like Dali´s Car and Captain Beefheart. By the way, I am argentine, and the best argentine rock band of all times also had a Beefheart-esque name: Pachuco Cadaver.

― carlos, Tuesday, 12 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

That is a pretty damn good name, I say. And welcome to Carlos. :-)

― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 12 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

eleven months pass...

Monster Movie is a very good slowcore-dreampop band. Named after a Can album (Clarke said it before though)!

Updated ranking:
- Can 5: Ege Bamyasi, Spoon, Moonshake, Monster Movie, Mooney Suzuki
- Eno 4: A Certain Ratio, Burning Airlines, Warm Jets, Ladytron
- Stooges 3: Radio Birdman, Funhouse, Raw Power
- Muddy Waters 3: Rolling Stones, Mannish Boys, Mojo Men
- Cohen 2: Sisters of Mery, Midnight Choir

According to the AMG Unrest got their name from a Henry Cow record. Weird connection that is. Radiohead are supposed to be named after the song "Radio Head" by the Talking Heads. Radio 4 are named after a PIL song from Metal Box.

― alex in mainhattan (alex63), Monday, 13 January 2003 20:13 (twenty-two years ago)

the boo radleys is from to kill a mockingbird.
rollerskate skinny is from catcher in the rye, holden described a girl by saying, "she was skinny, rollerskate skinny."
steppenwolf is a hermann hesse novel.
velvet underground is a book by micheal leigh.
mott the hopple is a william manus book.
flock of seagulls is a jonathan livingston seagull reference.
joy division is from the novel house of dolls

pink floyd is a reference to pink anderson and floyd council
squeeze was named after the last velvet underground lp.
the cocteau twins is from a simple minds song
deep purple is named after that nino temple and april stevens song.
judas priest is from the bob dylan song, "frankie lee & judas priest"
the lovin spoonful is from a john hurt song.

― mallory bourgeois (painter man), Monday, 13 January 2003 22:57 (twenty-two years ago)

The Poptones label also took its name form a Metal Box song.

― mike a (mike a), Monday, 13 January 2003 23:53 (twenty-two years ago)

As did Death Disco... dammit, is there anything thr McGeezers do not named after a PiL song?

― kate, Tuesday, 14 January 2003 00:19 (twenty-two years ago)

well, the Poptones catalogue numbers are fashioned after the MC5, if that makes any difference?

― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Tuesday, 14 January 2003 00:34 (twenty-two years ago)

Faster Pussycat, Vixen and Mudhoney are named after Russ Meyer films.

Yes I know that doesn't count.

― GPX (GPX), Tuesday, 14 January 2003 00:35 (twenty-two years ago)

There's also a singer-songwriter who goes by the name John Wesley Harding.

― o. nate (onate), Tuesday, 14 January 2003 00:41 (twenty-two years ago)

the terse elimination of literary sources upthread was a shame -
but I'll mention Shelleyan Orphan anyway, ha!
besides, tackling 'the most inspiring writers top' wouldn't be any less fun, methinks

― t\'\'t (t\'\'t), Tuesday, 14 January 2003 00:43 (twenty-two years ago)

one month passes...

Texas is the Reason < Misfits ("Bullet")

― dave q, Monday, 10 March 2003 12:06 (twenty-two years ago)

Whoever invented the word "The" in the English language must have influenced more bands than anybody else. :-)

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Monday, 10 March 2003 12:12 (twenty-two years ago)

There's also a singer-songwriter who goes by the name John Wesley Harding.

Hmmm. He even released an album called "Dynablob". :-)

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Monday, 10 March 2003 12:14 (twenty-two years ago)

one year passes...

Bands inspired by Smith's songs titles: Pretty Girls Make Graves, Shakespear's Sister

― Asthmatic Cajun (Asthmatic Cajun), Tuesday, 26 October 2004 21:27 (twenty-one years ago)

eight years pass...

are there any cases where a band was named after a song by a band which was named after a song etc.? atoms for peace would almost qualify if it was a radiohead song but it is "only" a thom yorke song! additionally thom yorke is in both bands so that is cheating as well.

a later thread on the band named after a song theme:
Bands named after a song by another band

― it's the distortion, stupid! (alex in mainhattan), Monday, 4 March 2013 20:21 (twelve years ago)

btw pretty girls make graves is a line morrissey picked up from jack kerouac's the dharma bums as i learnt from the other thread.

― it's the distortion, stupid! (alex in mainhattan), Monday, 4 March 2013 21:05 (twelve years ago)

Bands named after songs by The Fall?

― everything, Monday, 4 March 2013 21:51 (twelve years ago)

lol as soon as I saw this thread I thought of the Fall

― frogbs, Monday, 4 March 2013 22:07 (twelve years ago)

Satan.

― sarahell, Monday, 4 March 2013 22:08 (twelve years ago)

are there any cases where a band was named after a song by a band which was named after a song

Paint it Black

― man wii u (Whiney G. Weingarten), Monday, 4 March 2013 23:47 (twelve years ago)

monster magnet were named after the toy, not the zappa song

http://www.retroland.com/monster-magnet

― unprepared guitar (Edward III), Tuesday, 5 March 2013 01:43 (twelve years ago)

One band not mentioned upthread:

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PG8kDsEkWAA/TqzyPPlCWyI/AAAAAAAAChA/GtwpP3lheXY/s1600/dead%2B500.gif

― .... the rest look like Dudley Sutton (Tom D.), Tuesday, 5 March 2013 12:03 (twelve years ago)

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