Defend the indefensible: naming your band after a well known song title

So there's this local post-rock band called Glasgow Megasnake and also Interpol wannabes called Heinrich Maneuver. I thought, man, it couldn't be more obvious than that. So, what bands are able to pull that off (if any)?

also Interpol wannabes called Heinrich Maneuver

;_;

I don't think any band has pulled this off. Bands named after Smiths songs are a subgenre unto themselves, all of them rather terrible (Girl In A Coma, Panic At The Disco, and Pretty Girls Make Graves). Shakspear's Sister got there first, but I'm not convinced.

me and my roommate have a cool noise jams project called acid police, but we are definitely on the indefensible side of things

some people like the band pretty girls make graves. i've never heard them though

*reads thread*

I don't think any band has pulled this ohttp://www.smokestacklightnin.com/images/the_rolling_stones.jpg

i would call this song better known than the two you mentioned

http://mauivents.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/bad-brains.jpg

I thought, man, it couldn't be more obviohttp://www.8notes.com/wiki/images/300px-Thief_-_Radiohead.jpg

So there's this localhttp://1.bp.blogspot.com/_T-E0ki1poPw/TE6OU5BVvSI/AAAAAAAAAGM/k1iOrzHqEX0/s1600/boris_smile.jpg

perhaps it's just ignorance on my part but i'm struggling to remember this great well known song called "boris"

i mean it's not as well known as the ubiquitous mega hit "Glasgow Megasnake" so i see clearly how i didn't follow the rules of this important thread

Wilson Phillips, "The-Dream Is Still Alive"

fair xpost

Um, if you're into post rock and shit, I'd say the name of a popular Mogwai song is, in its respective circle, "well known"

Um, if you're into metal and shit, I'd say the name of a popular Melvins song is, in its respective circle, "well known"

http://www.clashmusic.com/files/imagecache/big_node_view/files/images/madness_7.jpg

Um, if you're into ska and shit, I'd say the name of a popular Prince Buster song is, in its respective circle, "well known"

@deej: this is arguable, but i wouldn't classify "bad brain" and "radio head" as well known.

Eric's Trip is poss my favourite band name so

you are a total dipshit if you think that a single Mogwai song exists that's better known than ANYTHING off Road To Ruin

DUDE YOUR ORIGINAL POST HAS "GLASGOW MEGASNAKE" AS A WELL KNOWN SONG TITLE SO STOP FUCKING BITCHING ESP. WHEN PEOPLE MENTION A TALKING HEADS SONG AS PEOPLE ACTUALLY KNOW THAT SHIT.

http://veganica.com/works/a1/p2790_john-elen.jpg

Um, if you're into cult rock and shit, I'd say the lyric to a semi-popular Screamin' Jay Hawkins song is, in its respective circle, "well known"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blonde_Redhead

Clearly this band named themselves after my astoundingly well known and world famous album.

HAH! Oh, Ned <3

think the point is that 'Boris' as a name has several different associations in popular culture, a song by the Melvins by no means the most visible of those

'Glasgow Mega Snake' is a phrase the band Mogwai invented for a song title

There is a Norwegian band named Dum Dum Boys who have done fairly well, actually, as in being considered maybe the biggest Norwegian rock band of the late 80s/early 90s.

dude, they are named after the Melvins song do not care abt other Borii in popular culture xp

DUDE YOUR ORIGINAL POST HAS "GLASGOW MEGASNAKE" AS A WELL KNOWN SONG TITLE SO STOP FUCKING BITCHING ESP. WHEN PEOPLE MENTION A TALKING HEADS SONG AS PEOPLE ACTUALLY KNOW THAT SHIT.

― O holy ruler of ILF (a hoy hoy), Tuesday, 2 November 2010 04:59 (3 hours ago) Bookmark

dude, you gotta put things in the correct time frame. "radio head" was well known (debatable) only after radiohead gained popularity. before, it's just a minor work in talking heads' catalogue. whereas "glasgow" is one of mogwai's major works.

ugh son

"one of mogwai's major works" plus "hundreds of thousands of people were not buying talking heads records until radiohead"

http://charliesgames123.webs.com/photos/Album-1/i%20like%20where%20this%20thread%20is%20going.jpg

kid's so gonna charge that thing

http://www.gnextinc.com/bbo/artist/boyzindahood/boyzndahoodft_small.jpg

dude, they are named after the Melvins song do not care abt other Borii in popular culture xp

― bear, bear, bear, Tuesday, 2 November 2010 08:33 (59 minutes ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

I know what they're named after, I'm saying that when Joe Indierocker sees the name he doesn't immediately think 'oh a band named after a song by another band I guess they probably rip off that band huh', which I would suggest is not the case with a band called GLASGOW MEGA SNAKE ffs

dude, you gotta put things in the correct time frame. "radio head" was well known (debatable) only after radiohead gained popularity. before, it's just a minor work in talking heads' catalogue. whereas "glasgow" is one of mogwai's major works.

oh my god

I know what they're named after, I'm saying that when Joe Indierocker sees the name he doesn't immediately think 'oh a band named after a song by another band I guess they probably rip off that band huh', which I would suggest is not the case with a band called GLASGOW MEGA SNAKE ffs

oh my god

would just like to point out that I have been OTM on this essentially pointless thread

oh my god

Not quite the same but I assume that band Everything Everything are named after the Underworld lyric/album, which does kind of annoy me.

Just want to say that Pretty Girls Make Graves were not awful!

I had assumed Dramarama was the source for Everything, Everything. You're probably right though.

Also, neither the band Mogwai nor the song "Radio Head" are well-known.

Also, do people actually listen to Mogwai? I can't remember if I bought one of their albums once or if I just listened to it at the record store and decided not to.

yeah everything, everything is appalling. there's nothing wrong with liking underworld, far from it, but if the best you can do for your band name is regurgitate an album title from a band who are still going, an album that's what, 10 years old? well that's pitiful...

No. In fact I think it would be defensible to name your band Mogwai after Mogwai.

(xpost)

http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/_/1816706/Slowdive.jpg

finally we're back to topic. some interesting comments there.

Some band names are good, some are bad.

I've never heard any of the supposedly "well known" songs these bands were named after, except for the Underworld one.

one might suggest this was a result of you being part of the 'respective circle' where their album title was 'well known'

The band "Talk Talk" were named after a song by The Reaction.

OK, so they are the same people. Still...

xpost: that's a fair explanation of the debate up there.

How well-known was this song title among Primal Scream fans?

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_M_jjIJQmP64/S8_RDkoDPyI/AAAAAAAACLQ/HD-bDFswLUQ/s320/VELOCITY+GIRL+-+COPACETIC+F.jpg

it's pretty canonical in terms of the whole jangly tweepop thing that Velocity Girl were related to

http://piecemakerdesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/negativland.jpg

http://www.metalhavok.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Deep-Purple-In-Rock.jpg

http://slog.thestranger.com/files/2006/07/Sisters-Of-Mercy-Body-And-Soul-109805.jpg

sisters of mercy indeed..

these bands are always bad, yes including Radiohead. Stones are a little less clear, as that phrase was common parlance and not exclusively a Muddy Waters' song ref

http://www.ge0rgie-web.de/pretty/pt0.jpg
Thank you, Bo, for the name.
I don't think it particularly matters where a name comes from if it's good.

there is a very drab indie band from somewhere around here -- nashville, maybe -- called listen like thieves. they would be a lot more defensible as just an inxs cover band.

Also, what's the result of "Defend the indefensible: Not naming your band after a well known song title"

Gerry and the Pacemakers
Boney M
Scouting for Girls
etc

http://blogs.artvoice.com/exitmusic/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/The+Sea+and+Cake+117fullseaandcake1.jpg

http://thismighthurt.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/right.jpg

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_XVRGqYkQ53Q/SguMvHZofqI/AAAAAAAAAkA/hEP4WI6ujFA/s320/motorhead+old+pic.jpg

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dSc8ubgOesQ/S641oNvAebI/AAAAAAAACGs/-DE02M5a_Aw/s1600/cocteau+twins.jpg

http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/_/276199/Ladytron.jpg

http://reactionarycentury.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/clash.jpg

what song are the Clash named after?

They're not. They're named after a word on an Evening Standard billboard, not the Culture album Two Sevens Clash.

Ah well, that fucks the "this is a stupid thread" theory.

Motorhead are kinda named after their OWN song (I mean come on, Lemmy wrote it)

Read the thread title, man

I think part of the "Indefensibility" of the bands in the OP is the fact that the songs are A) quite niche and B) pretty new-ish. If someone tried to name their band "Glasgow Megasnake" in 2030 it'd be a completely different thing IMO.

these bands are always bad, yes including Radiohead. Stones are a little less clear, as that phrase was common parlance and not exclusively a Muddy Waters' song ref

― klacktoveedesteen (Shakey Mo Collier), Tuesday, November 2, 2010 11:55 AM (23 minutes ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

Yeah, Deep Purple and Motorhead suck. What the hell are you talking about.

eh I've never liked Deep Purple

Motorhead do not suck, Lemmy wrote the song they're named after, and it's hardly "well known" to begin with - it was a Hawkwind B-side!

Can't fetch up the "leave it, it's Chinatown" gif at work, sorry.

i guess in the end it depends in whether the band is good or not. you could name your band "karma police" and people wouldn't care if your music is really good.

is there a good song title turned band name w/ a verb in it? not that that's foolproof, glasgow megasnake would be an awful band name even if it wasn't already an awful song title, but motorhead, right said fred, the sea and cake, bad brains, boris are helped by at least not having the inherent awkwardness of a pretty girls make graves, neverminding cultural baggage the name is gonna bring with it.

Yeah, Death Cab for Cutie stinks whether or not you know it's a Bonzo Dog reference.

Yeah, but who is making that argument

Ho ho ho