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

I love the band but I've always thought the name Black & Decker might have been more accurate, considering some of the music on the debut ....

 

Agreed ...

 

Under Cedars and Stars off this album rocks my world...

 

Blow Monkeys?

 

…And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead

 

Me, too. What do you think of his other group Shellac?

 

You had a tough time asking for the new Prince single when he changed his name.

 

The Black Dahlia Murder
The Dillinger Escape Plan
Butt Trumpet

 

Their name may be a bit offensive, but it's not incongruous with their music.

 

Death Ray Davies
The Dick Nixons

 

NRBQ

I had two DJs tell me "their name was stupid", when I told them what it stood for, the DJs said it was "dumb and made no sense".
That was when Virgin was trying to push the band to the indi rock crowd.

 

I just can't beleive so many people here haven't even heard of Eagles Of Death Metal. I mean...it's the freakin' Queens Of The Stone Age/Kyuss guy.

 

I dig 'em. "At Action Park" is a fave.....

 

The War On Drugs. They're doing OK, but the name sounds like a punk band rather than an act whose sound has been compared to Don Henley and '80s Rod Stewart, and has probably caused some to blow them off.

 

I thought they were a punk band judging solely by the name and was very pleasantly surprised by their album Lost In The Dream when I finally heard it .

 

Hoobastank. Although the music was pretty bad too.

 

A lot of these names being offered are based on their grossness and/or shock value, thus the predictable reaction.

To me no name better lives up to the OP's criteria in the "purest" sense than 'It's A Beautiful Day'. This was a group that had an incredible amount of talent within the band, the leader of the unit having been classically trained. The only reason they took that name - and this came at the height of "flower power" in the the "summer of love" - was due to their band manager's insistence on it (naturally he came up with the name, like he had for a number of other musical acts in the Bay area back then that he was "managing"). In any case, David LaFlamme, the leader and brains behind the outfit, has long been on record stating he wished they had chosen a less flowery name, but that once I.A.B.D. found its way to a marquee early on in their career, they were pretty much stuck with it.

Not that I mind. It's A Beautiful Day remains one of the lesser known, little discovered treasures of contemporary music. To me they exemplify psychedelia in its most tempered and aesthetic blend (and apex) like none other. Anyone caring to sample their sound can avail themselves to a few of the songs from their seminal, self-titled release circa 1969: "White Bird," "Hot Summer Day" and "Girl With No Eyes" are great starting points.

 

Yeah, bands like that, The Cruci*ucks, Christian Death, Cannibal Corpse, etc. weren't exactly slated for main stream acceptance.

Then there are The Dwarves. They are capable of pop punk hooks, the name, not that offensive, but the album covers.

 

It's hard to pronounce

 

Fine if you disagree with me but you don't have to be a jerk about it. Jeez.

 

The Soundtrack Of Our Lives

 

Great Detroit protopunk band 'Death' could have gone further with a name change....

 

10,000 Maniacs

When I first heard of them in the early 80's, I thought they had to be a hardcore band.

 

Can't believe no mention of **** Buttons.....

 

Yes! And what about the ******* *******??