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Whimsical names of pop/rock bands
- Thread starter DaleCooper
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Busaholic
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I only ever organised one gig, and that was for a new band called Ashtrays Provided, two of whose members were twin younger brothers of Jools Holland (whatever happened to him?)
Speaking of whimsical names, how could a band with the naff name of the Beatles ever become famous?
The Electric Prunes were mentioned in a thread above - my favourite track of theirs was 'I Had Too Much to Dream Last Night', an all-time favourite title too: must be thirty years since I heard it, but I can still run it through my head.
Speaking of whimsical names, how could a band with the naff name of the Beatles ever become famous?
The Electric Prunes were mentioned in a thread above - my favourite track of theirs was 'I Had Too Much to Dream Last Night', an all-time favourite title too: must be thirty years since I heard it, but I can still run it through my head.
t_star2001uk
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King kurt
Spear of destiny
Spear of destiny
martinsh
Established Member
Strawberry Switchblade
This Mortal Coil
Kajagoogoo
The The
Aztec Camera
Men They Couldn't Hang
Jesus & Mary Chain
Camper Van Beethoven
This Mortal Coil
Kajagoogoo
The The
Aztec Camera
Men They Couldn't Hang
Jesus & Mary Chain
Camper Van Beethoven
Same here - absolutely cracking song!
61653 HTAFC
Veteran Member
Not all from the era originally cited, but still quite quirky names (one of them is made up, can you guess which?
):
A
Pulled Apart By Horses
Go-Kart Mozart
The Screaming Valentas
The Moldy Peaches
!!!
Gorky's Zygotic Mynci
The Yummy Fur
Bongwater
):A
Pulled Apart By Horses
Go-Kart Mozart
The Screaming Valentas
The Moldy Peaches
!!!
Gorky's Zygotic Mynci
The Yummy Fur
Bongwater
Bevan Price
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If your computer has speakers, you can hear it again here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-kVFfKezVo
(Just search Youtube for band / song name - I use it not to get free music, but to help decide whether or not to locate / buy a few CDs.)
DaleCooper
Established Member
Thanks for that wonderful bit of psychedelia, I feel sorry for those of you who missed the 1960s.
70014IronDuke
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Python Lee Jackson
Sounds a bit like two Class 47 names that got rolled into one by some clerical error, doesn't it?
Their most famous (only?) hit came from using a plastic Scotsman session vocalist who they hired in because their own man was somehow incapacitated. As they didn't have any money, they gave him something ridiculous for the job, but I forget what it was. It was of the order of a second-hand pair of jeans.
Despite being a fantastic single (one of my all time favourites) the record got nowhere first time around, but made it in 72 after the plastic Scot had hit the bigtime in the late summer of 71.
Sounds a bit like two Class 47 names that got rolled into one by some clerical error, doesn't it?
Their most famous (only?) hit came from using a plastic Scotsman session vocalist who they hired in because their own man was somehow incapacitated. As they didn't have any money, they gave him something ridiculous for the job, but I forget what it was. It was of the order of a second-hand pair of jeans.
Despite being a fantastic single (one of my all time favourites) the record got nowhere first time around, but made it in 72 after the plastic Scot had hit the bigtime in the late summer of 71.
DaleCooper
Established Member
In A Broken Dream - absolutely fantastic.
Who are This Mortal Coil? That is the name of a song by a mates band.
70014IronDuke
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VK1OSN8QZ5Q
I distinctly remember hearing it for the first time in Pear Tree Rd, Derby,
We were testing the original HST power cars at the time on the Old Dalby track.
When they announced the name of the band, I thought: Come on, this has to be some kind of joke. The voice was unmistakable.
The Scotsman got two floor mats for his car. He wasn't bad before he got famous. The I ain't got nothin left type blues with a strong lead guitarist and some bluesy pianist suited him fine.
gg1
Established Member
Surprised no-one's mentioned Neds Atomic Dustbin yet 
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Puffing Devil
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Flock of Seagulls
and the appallingly named "Scraping Foetus off the Wheel" (Google if you think I'm making it up!)
and the appallingly named "Scraping Foetus off the Wheel" (Google if you think I'm making it up!)
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scott118
Member
another incarnation of the Cocteau Twins.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/This_Mortal_Coil
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mUmdR69nbM&index=81&list=PLSlKlIJXX46mPeB92l7yhoZX8ensvvn0k
Elizabeth Fraser also duetted with Jeff Buckley
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnPvnIKCJYA&index=82&list=PLSlKlIJXX46mPeB92l7yhoZX8ensvvn0k
Massive attack
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7K72X4eo_s
Not to be confused with this different, Liz Fraser - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liz_Fraser
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DaveNewcastle
Established Member
You could call them the 'house band' of Ivo Watts Russel. whose label was 4AD and whose principal artists were the Cocteau Twins. Darker, moodier, slower and more minimalist than the Cocteaus.
As you probably already know, the phrase 'this mortal coil' is a crucial element in Hamlet's suicidal thoughts in his 'to be or not to be' speech in Shakespeare's Hamlet.
Bevan Price
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i thought they were just Jefferson
Not what you meant - but there was a singer called Jefferson who had a few small pop hits in the late 1960s or early 1970s.
(Real name Geoff Turton, who had also been in - and later rejoined the group Rockin' Berries.)
Ah right, cheers mate. Slightly different style of music to my mates band who are Death Metal but really interesting to see the connection. Carcass have crossed a few metal genres over the years.
61653 HTAFC
Veteran Member
Surprised no-one's mentioned Neds Atomic Dustbin yet
Can't believe I forgot them! There's also their contemporaries, Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine; and Sultans Of Ping F.C.
Liz Fraser did more than "duet" with Jeff Buckley... thankfully there's no YouTube link for that!
scott118
Member
have you looked on redtube? All i know is, i won't be going swimming with him, sadly..
BlythPower
Member
From the Stranglers' song Toiler on the Sea
Jim Thirlwell used a number of similarly tasteful foetus-themed names.
Has no-one mentioned A Popular History of Signs yet?
DaleCooper
Established Member
I don't think Toad the Wet Sprocket has been mentioned.
martinsh
Established Member
How could we have forgotten Orchestral Manouvres In The Dark ?!
Seacook
Member
Blodwyn Pig
Chicken Shack
Death Cab For Cutie
Curved Air
Fine Young Cannibals
Led Zeppelin
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
Electric Light Orchestra
Mott The Hoople
The New Vaudeville Band
The Who
Stealers Wheel
The Traveling Wilburys
British Sea Power
Chicken Shack
Death Cab For Cutie
Curved Air
Fine Young Cannibals
Led Zeppelin
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
Electric Light Orchestra
Mott The Hoople
The New Vaudeville Band
The Who
Stealers Wheel
The Traveling Wilburys
British Sea Power
DaleCooper
Established Member
Of course Mott The Hoople took their name from a novel and Death Cab For Cutie were named after a Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band song.
It's a bit hard to think of bands that don't qualify in some way!
But anyway,
Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Melt Banana
Melt the Aged
Meanwhile, Back In Communist Russia
Bring Me The Horizon
But anyway,
Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Melt Banana
Melt the Aged
Meanwhile, Back In Communist Russia
Bring Me The Horizon
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61653 HTAFC
Veteran Member
There are some band names that become weirder over time:
Sonic Youth was a pretty unremarkable name in 1981, but by 2011 with the band all in their 50s it seemed decidedly odd!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Let that be a lesson, kids: smoking marijuana can make you think that heavy leather boots are suitable attire for swimming in the Mississippi!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Later shortened to simply Fuzzbox, sadly.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Wasn't it Gaye Bikers on Acid?
Sonic Youth was a pretty unremarkable name in 1981, but by 2011 with the band all in their 50s it seemed decidedly odd!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Let that be a lesson, kids: smoking marijuana can make you think that heavy leather boots are suitable attire for swimming in the Mississippi!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Later shortened to simply Fuzzbox, sadly.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Wasn't it Gaye Bikers on Acid?
EM2
Established Member
And Fine Young Cannibals were named after a film.
Have we had Voice Of The Beehive yet?
Ah. Didn't realise that
I have seen Neds Atomic Dustbin, The Ozrics and Carter USM at Glastonbury though. Also Shakespeare's Sister (a bit whimsical).
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