Unfortunate Band Names that hold a band back from mass appeal.

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by agaraffa, Nov 14, 2015.

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  1. Siegmund

    Siegmund Vinyl Sceptic

    Location:
    Britain, Europe
    Any band that references the Manson Family instantly gets a 'No Pass' from me: Kasabian, Marilyn Manson, 'Mansun', etc. Yuk!
     
    Moshe and johnnybrum like this.
  2. seed_drill

    seed_drill Senior Member

    Location:
    Tryon, NC, USA
    All members of Marilyn Manson had to adopt a pseudonym of the first name of a sex symbol and the last name of a killer. The only one I remember off the top of my head is guitarist Twiggy Ramirez.
     
  3. pocofan

    pocofan Senior Member

    Location:
    Alabama
    Could not agree more. Great music. Silly outfits. I read somewhere that Mark Lindsey wanted to dump the uniforms and they did indeed go by The Raiders for awhile. But that Paul really liked being an oldies act.
     
    seed_drill likes this.
  4. Jimmy B.

    Jimmy B. .

    Location:
    .
    This would have been my choice to list also.
    A really great rock and roll band (absolutely fantastic live), their stupid choice of a name killed them from the start.
     
    lightbulb likes this.
  5. Moshe

    Moshe "Silent in four languages."

    Location:
    U.S.
    Cat Power
    The 6ths
    The Walkmen
    My Morning Jacket
    The National
    Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
    My Favorite
    Tapes and Tapes
    Archers Of Loaf
    Hockey
     
    lightbulb likes this.
  6. El Rich-o

    El Rich-o Forum Resident

    Location:
    Australia
    The ****ing Champs
     
  7. RoryMcBride

    RoryMcBride Forum Resident

    Location:
    London
    "Hey mom! We've finally got a name for our band!"
    "That's great honey...what is it?"
    "The Child Molesters"
    "..."
     
  8. jmpatrick

    jmpatrick Forum Resident

    Location:
    Detroit, MI
    A few of my favorites...

    *** *******
    **** ********
    *** **** *** ***
    *** ***

    :)
     
    Zoot Marimba and jwoverho like this.
  9. lightbulb

    lightbulb Not the Brightest of the Bunch

    Location:
    Smogville CA USA
    I got it...
    Given the way that name reads, I’d prefer not to be a “member” in the band...

    Is Joe’s son a juvenile...?
    I guess the one-shot joke would be good for a chuckle, for the tween crowd.
     
    Peace N. Love likes this.
  10. karmicg

    karmicg Forum Resident

    Location:
    new york
    There was a band out of Detroit called Goober & The Peas. They were fantastic, and could sell out 2000 seat venues in their hometown. They dressed up in cowboy attire, and this was way before "cowpunk" or new depression, frankly they were totally original and had some great songs, and when they wanted to could do an awesome Zepplin cover to boot! Their name, as goofy as it may sound, worked just perfectly in my opinion (and apparently to their legion of fans). Trying to get signed to a major label, every one of them complained about their name. But they just didn't understand or worse yet, they simply lacked any creativity. After their original drummer left, he was replaced by this amazing drummer--his name was Jack White (yes, that's correct, and he was the drummer). He unfortunately had his own path to lead, and the singer went on to form Blanche, and the rest is history. But this is certainly a fine example of the OP's question.
     
  11. And yet they were probably more popular in the UK from '71 to '74 than anywhere else.

    I had the inestimable pleasure of working with these young ladies for a day, doing a temporary roadie gig at the Colston Hall in Bristol, when they were a support act for Jethro Tull, sometime in late '74

    For the very brief time we were working with them, they were hugely charming, very witty, down-to-earth and friendly people with none of the adopted/developed arrogance of many of the so-called stars we sometimes worked with

    It's amazing how small things make such an impression but they were one of the very few acts who acknowledged what we did and said thank you. They didn't make a big deal out of it, it was obvious that this was just how they were - decent people.

    Best Wishes,
    David
     
    eddiel and BeSteVenn like this.
  12. Frawls

    Frawls Forum Resident

    I don't know about mass appeal, but 'Mel & Tim' is a pretty horrible name. Too bad because they released one of my very favorite soul albums in the '70s ('Starting All Over Again'). I think it's probably overlook because of their lame name and album cover.
     
  13. Maranatha5585

    Maranatha5585 BELLA + RIP In Memoriam

    Location:
    Down South
    Dead Kennedys
    The Slits
    Damned
    Sex Pistols
    Alien Sex Fiend
    Southern Death Cult .. Southern Cult .. The Cult

    ... and so many more
     
  14. Danby Delight

    Danby Delight Forum Resident

    Location:
    Boston
    Death Cult, not Southern Cult. Although they sucked in every incarnation.

    Not one of those bands was geared towards mainstream superstardom, though, and the names didn't hold them back from their target demographic.
     
  15. stereoptic

    stereoptic Anaglyphic GORT Staff

    Location:
    NY
    How about:
    • Unfortunate Band Name
    • Mass Appeal

    :)
     
    BluesOvertookMe likes this.
  16. jwb1231970

    jwb1231970 Ordinary Guy

    Location:
    USA
    Hey mom, while you're out, can you pick me up the latest Butthole Surfers' release?
     
    Dondy, dkurtis and melstapler like this.
  17. John B Good

    John B Good Forum Hall Of Fame

    Location:
    NS, Canada
    Sounds right.

    Or they just know how little Room at the Top there is.
     
  18. YardByrd

    YardByrd rock n roll citizen in a hip hop world

    Location:
    Europe
    Said this in another thread but it bears repeating... I loved the 80s Boston band, Treat Her Right, and saw them numerous times in the 80s... always thought their name, an homage to Roy Head's hit, held them back... two members, Mark Sandman and Billy Conway, went onto much more sucess with Morphine, a much cooler name (though I don't like their music)...
     
    John B Good and melstapler like this.
  19. dance_hall_keeper

    dance_hall_keeper Forum Resident

    There is the story of Toronto ON punk rock band, Battered Wives, who made a point of playing as loudly as possible.
    There first album, released in 1978, was self-titled.
    They acquiesced to complaints from the public, shortening their name to simply "The Wives" for there second album, Cigarettes, released in 1979.
    They released Live On Mother's Day in 1980, inserting the "Battered" back into their name. This album was marred with lawsuits from various record companies and did not really see the light of day.
     
  20. Mother

    Mother Forum Resident

    Location:
    Melbourne
    A***c***
     
  21. PaulKTF

    PaulKTF Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    Was (Not Was).
     
    YardByrd likes this.
  22. NapalmBrain

    NapalmBrain Forum Resident

    Location:
    Kansas City, MO
    Just saw a new band called Mom Jeans have to admit I haven't even thought about listening because of how bad the name is
     
    YardByrd likes this.
  23. rjp

    rjp Senior Member

    Location:
    Ohio
    i've often wondered what people would think, and whether it would change their opinion of them, if they knew where steely dan and 10cc got their names from?
     
  24. Danby Delight

    Danby Delight Forum Resident

    Location:
    Boston
    It's weird that you think we don't, and you also don't seem to know that the 10cc story is an urban legend that's been repeatedly debunked.
     
  25. Moshe

    Moshe "Silent in four languages."

    Location:
    U.S.
    Mommy and Daddy
     
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