Bands that changed their name after being established

Merrell Fankhauser released records as Merrell and the Exiles >Fapardokly> H.M.S.Bounty>MU

 

I bumped into a guy one day walking around Camden who was trying to tell me he was going to have to get a solicitor to go after the experimental band God because he had the rights to the name. Always makes me chuckle even if it is a bit of a side issue from this thread.

kevin martin of god has appeared under a load of different names though

 

Gong (without Daevid Allen) released two jazz fusion albums (Shamal and Gazeuse) under the name Gong before changing their name to Pierre Moerlen's Gong .The album Espresso II still uses the name Gong but already has the name of the individual members on the cover.In 1980 Daevid Allen's recorded under the name New York Gong, in 1989 Gong became Gongmaison for one album.

 

Indie band Uncle Green released several albums before changing their name to 3 lb. Thrill. Not sure if they ever fit the definition of "established" though.

The Bangs got a lot more success after becoming The Bangles.

Would The Beach Boys recording as Carl and the Passions count?

And has anybody mentioned the Garth Brooks => Chris Gaines fiasco?

 

The single "Thanks For Christmas" by XTC was originally released under the name of The Three Wise Men.

 

On the contrary, probably now more than ever. Back then 'gay' at least had an alternate meaning. I don't see let's say Universal or Sony signing anyone named Gay, but I'd love to be proven wrong.

 

UK indie band Band of Holy Joy shortened their name to Holy Joy for the album Tracksuit vendetta.

 

UK folk rock band Boothill Foot Tappers became The Barely Works and later turned into Big Jig (including founding members Sarah Allen and Chris Thompson)

 

Commander Cody and his Lost Planet Airmen became the Commander Cody Band

 

The Flying Burrito Brothers > The Burrito Brothers >Burrito Deluxe>The Burritos

and I'm sure they have been mentioned before
Quicksilver Messenger Service > Quicksilver
New Riders of the Purple Sage > New Riders

 

Here's another one: XTC became the Dukes of Stratosphere for one amazing psychedellic album and a handful of singles....one of their best.

 

actually they released 2 albums
25 O’Clock 1985 Psonic Psunspot 1987


Ash Ra Tempel > Ashra
Area Code 615 > Barefoot Jerry

 

I thought they became The Nissans
Not sure how long a hiatus we're permitted:
Cap'n Jazz. >Owls

 

Thanks...I have chips from the chocolate fireball I know that's a comp

 

Rather, here's about the 10th time this has been mentioned in this thread.

 

Debbie Harry became Deborah Harry...

Dexys Midnight Runners were just Dexys last time...

What about The Wedding Present becoming Cinerama, then back again...Maybe you can argue that it's 2 different bands, but the lines get a bit blurred with both acts having revolving-door memberships, sharing common members, and performing each others songs... For all practical purposes, it's the same band...

 

That could be its own thread. UK bands that had to add something like "UK" or "London" to their names, when they started releasing in the US.

Charlatans > Charlatans UK, Future Sound > Future Sound of London, etc.

 

Bay City Rollers > Rollers
UK folk rock band Spriguns of Tolgus > Spriguns > Mandy Morton & Spriguns > Mandy Morton Band
Sons of Champlin > The Sons
Ian Matthews > Iain Matthews

 

I remember when Brazil '66" became Brazil '77. Did they ever become Brazil '88 or Brazil '99?

 

Yup. Plus, even though all of the members were involved, it was really more of a side project. XTC didn't change their name to TDOS, they just recorded an EP and an LP under a different name from their main concern. So, in my view it shouldn't count.

 

I think they are all different projects though. He has an awful lot of collaborations.

 

I remember losing track of '80s alternative band, Zeitgeist, after another band with dibs on the name forced them to change theirs. They released their third and fourth records as the Reivers, and I can't help but think they lost any chance they had for a modicum of commercial success. Back then, there was no Internet to tracks such things, record reviews may or may not mention the switch, and I looked in vain in the "Z" bin for that band that got lumped in with R.E.M., Love Tractor and the other early alternative acts.

 

>Sun Ra and his Solar Arkestra
> Sun Ra and the Arkestra

>Sun Ra and his Myth Science Arkestra
>Sun Ra and his Intergalactic Arkestra
> Sun Ra and his Astro- Infinty Arkestra

and probably a few more

 

Tremeloes > Trems
Amazing Blondel > Blondel

 

For a short time they were billing themselves at personal appearances as Yogi Phlegm.