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How Rock Bands Got Their Names
By:
Published: October 5, 2006
Chumbawamba, Eurythmics, Gin Blossoms, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Aerosmith, Styx.
Have you ever heard a song by a rock band and wondered "How did they decide upon this name for their band?"
Some rock band names are logical and come from personal experiences among band members. Others are taken from literature, their homeland or popular culture.
Chumbawamba, who had the hit song "Tubthumping, got its name from one band member's dream. While sleeping, he dreamt of not knowing which bathroom to use at a public toilet because the signs on the doors were labeled "Chumba" and "Wamba."
The Eurythmics, a European rock band popular in the 1980s, got their name from "a method of music instruction from the 1890s that emphasizes physical response to the music."
The 1990s pop-rock sensations, the Gin Blossoms pulled their name from science; gin blossoms are bursts of capillaries on the face caused by drinking too much alcohol.
Christopher Lowe and Neil Tennant of the Pet Shop Boys met in an electronics store. They had a common interest in dance music and decided to collaborate. Their name was created because some of their common friends worked in a pet shop.
The Doors, Aerosmith and Styx each derived their rock bands' names from literature.
"(I)f the doors of perception are cleansed, everything would appear to man as it truly is, infinite" wrote poet William Blake. Author Aldous Huxley, who quoted Blake's poem in his book The Doors of Perception, went on to write "There are things known and things unknown and in between are the doors." Both of these works heavily influenced The Doors' lead singer, Jim Morrison.
Styx is the name of Hell's river of death in Dante's Inferno.
In 1925, Nobel Prize recipient Sinclair Lewis published a book called Arrowsmith, which influenced infamous rocker Steven Tyler, prompting him to name his band after this social commentary novel.
Popular 1990s folk rock band, Toad the Wet Sprocket, got their name from a Monty Python skit. The 1960s British comedy group used the phrase "toad the wet sprocket" in a skit about a weird rock band off their 1980 Contractual Obligation Album.
Porno For Pyros is another rock band receiving inspiration from television. Lead singer Perry Farrell reportedly was watching television coverage of the Los Angeles riots. He commented he could not stop watching the riot broadcasts because it was like "pornography for pyromaniacs," or Porno For Pyros.
Popular recording artists Prince and Madonna both were given their names at birth. They were born Prince Rogers Nelson and Madonna Ciccone, respectively. Other performers have altered their names, either slightly or drastically. For example, Jon Bon Jovi's real last name is Bongiovi. Iconic singer David Bowie changed his name from David Jones to avoid confusion with the singer of the same name from the 1960s TV band The Monkees. Legendary folk sensation Bob Dylan was born Robert Zimmerman. He changed his last name to Dylan after becoming acquainted with the poetry of Dylan Thomas. Rapper Eminem's real name is Marshall Mathers. He used his initials "MM" and spelled it phonetically.
Whether lifted from personal experience, literature or popular culture, rock bands get their names from a variety of inspirational sources. After a little research and a lot of thought, the rational for some of their names, which may initially seem bizarre, is perfectly clear.
Sources:
Classic Bands. "How They Got Their Name." ClassicBands.com. Since November 2000. October 4, 2006. http://www.classicbands.com/names.html
"Rock Bands-Name Origin." Library.Thinkquest.org. October 4, 2006. http://library.thinkquest.org/4626/rock.htm
Pet Shop Boys Online (Pet Shop Boys Fan site). Chris Dahl. October 4, 2006. Chris Dahl. October 4, 2006.
http://www.petshopboys-online.com/index.php?menu =timeline⊂=&keywords=&from=psb&tim
Have you ever heard a song by a rock band and wondered "How did they decide upon this name for their band?"
Some rock band names are logical and come from personal experiences among band members. Others are taken from literature, their homeland or popular culture.
Chumbawamba, who had the hit song "Tubthumping, got its name from one band member's dream. While sleeping, he dreamt of not knowing which bathroom to use at a public toilet because the signs on the doors were labeled "Chumba" and "Wamba."
The Eurythmics, a European rock band popular in the 1980s, got their name from "a method of music instruction from the 1890s that emphasizes physical response to the music."
The 1990s pop-rock sensations, the Gin Blossoms pulled their name from science; gin blossoms are bursts of capillaries on the face caused by drinking too much alcohol.
Christopher Lowe and Neil Tennant of the Pet Shop Boys met in an electronics store. They had a common interest in dance music and decided to collaborate. Their name was created because some of their common friends worked in a pet shop.
The Doors, Aerosmith and Styx each derived their rock bands' names from literature.
"(I)f the doors of perception are cleansed, everything would appear to man as it truly is, infinite" wrote poet William Blake. Author Aldous Huxley, who quoted Blake's poem in his book The Doors of Perception, went on to write "There are things known and things unknown and in between are the doors." Both of these works heavily influenced The Doors' lead singer, Jim Morrison.
Styx is the name of Hell's river of death in Dante's Inferno.
In 1925, Nobel Prize recipient Sinclair Lewis published a book called Arrowsmith, which influenced infamous rocker Steven Tyler, prompting him to name his band after this social commentary novel.
Popular 1990s folk rock band, Toad the Wet Sprocket, got their name from a Monty Python skit. The 1960s British comedy group used the phrase "toad the wet sprocket" in a skit about a weird rock band off their 1980 Contractual Obligation Album.
Porno For Pyros is another rock band receiving inspiration from television. Lead singer Perry Farrell reportedly was watching television coverage of the Los Angeles riots. He commented he could not stop watching the riot broadcasts because it was like "pornography for pyromaniacs," or Porno For Pyros.
Popular recording artists Prince and Madonna both were given their names at birth. They were born Prince Rogers Nelson and Madonna Ciccone, respectively. Other performers have altered their names, either slightly or drastically. For example, Jon Bon Jovi's real last name is Bongiovi. Iconic singer David Bowie changed his name from David Jones to avoid confusion with the singer of the same name from the 1960s TV band The Monkees. Legendary folk sensation Bob Dylan was born Robert Zimmerman. He changed his last name to Dylan after becoming acquainted with the poetry of Dylan Thomas. Rapper Eminem's real name is Marshall Mathers. He used his initials "MM" and spelled it phonetically.
Whether lifted from personal experience, literature or popular culture, rock bands get their names from a variety of inspirational sources. After a little research and a lot of thought, the rational for some of their names, which may initially seem bizarre, is perfectly clear.
Sources:
Classic Bands. "How They Got Their Name." ClassicBands.com. Since November 2000. October 4, 2006. http://www.classicbands.com/names.html
"Rock Bands-Name Origin." Library.Thinkquest.org. October 4, 2006. http://library.thinkquest.org/4626/rock.htm
Pet Shop Boys Online (Pet Shop Boys Fan site). Chris Dahl. October 4, 2006. Chris Dahl. October 4, 2006.
http://www.petshopboys-online.com/index.php?menu =timeline⊂=&keywords=&from=psb&tim
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