# Band names: how far is too far? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 18, 2015, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-how-far-is-too-far/734966 "2015-10-18T01:27:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![installLSC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/54ee81/32.png) [@installLSC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/installLSC)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2015, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-how-far-is-too-far/734966/1 "2015-10-18T01:27:23Z")
There’s been some fuss in the indie rock community [about the recent name change of the band Viet Cong.](http://pitchfork.com/news/61277-viet-cong-are-changing-their-name/) Apparently the band was getting a lot of blowback from the Vietnamese community, ending up in shows being cancelled. So who do you think is right in this controversy? What makes a band name objectionable to you, and can intent justify an otherwise bad band name? And have you ever refused to buy an album or attend a show due to a band name? ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2015, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-how-far-is-too-far/734966/2 "2015-10-18T01:32:13Z")
I recall a punk band in the 1070s called The Very Idea of Fucking Hitler, but I don’t recall any outrage from Jews. Then there were (are?) The Dead Kennedys. Hard to believe a name like Viet Cong would be more controversial than those, but then Vietnamese communities tend to be tight-knit. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Scrappy\_Hero\_Pup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ea5d25/32.png) [@Happy\_Scrappy\_Hero\_Pup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Scrappy_Hero_Pup)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2015, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-how-far-is-too-far/734966/3 "2015-10-18T01:35:45Z")
The members of Anal Cunt, the Ass Ponys, and the Butthole Surfers think this is all a tempest in a teapot. And so do I. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2015, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-how-far-is-too-far/734966/4 "2015-10-18T01:53:33Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > I recall a punk band in the **1070s** called The Very Idea of Fucking Hitler, but I don’t recall any outrage from Jews. Then there were (are?) The Dead Kennedys. Hard to believe a name like Viet Cong would be more controversial than those, but then Vietnamese communities tend to be tight-knit. That was actually in the 1970s. Punk’s not _that_ old. :o ---
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2015, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-how-far-is-too-far/734966/5 "2015-10-18T01:58:20Z")
My Lai was the offensive name of a 90s punk band. Butthole Surfers is just silly and the DKs never bothered me. ---
**Author:** ![DinoR](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dinor/32/2821_2.png) [@DinoR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DinoR)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2015, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-how-far-is-too-far/734966/6 "2015-10-18T01:58:21Z")
> [@Happy\_Scrappy\_Hero\_Pup](#): > > The members of Anal Cunt, the Ass Ponys, and the Butthole Surfers think this is all a tempest in a teapot. And so do I. The members of The Circle Jerks, Bloody Vaginal Discharge, Joy Division, and Rapeman agree with you. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2015, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-how-far-is-too-far/734966/7 "2015-10-18T02:00:39Z")
Don’t forget the lads in Anal Smegma. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2015, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-how-far-is-too-far/734966/8 "2015-10-18T02:59:00Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > Don’t forget the lads in Anal Smegma. There’s also Rectal Smegma. :o R.E.M., that most innocuous of band names, has also performed as Bingo Hand Job, Negro Eyes, and Cans of Piss. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2015, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-how-far-is-too-far/734966/9 "2015-10-18T03:01:10Z")
How quickly The Slits have been forgotten… ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2015, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-how-far-is-too-far/734966/10 "2015-10-18T03:38:17Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > How quickly The Slits have been forgotten… One of my ex-boyfriend’s favorite band names was The Wallets. I didn’t “get” that until surprisingly recently. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2015, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-how-far-is-too-far/734966/11 "2015-10-18T04:40:23Z")
Before I read the OP, I was going to say that too far is when the name is costing you money. From the article, it sounds like I was right. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2015, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-how-far-is-too-far/734966/12 "2015-10-18T04:45:14Z")
I find names that can’t be Googled, like “The The” or “News” to be offensive, 'cause I can’t find their shit to download for free! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![DinoR](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dinor/32/2821_2.png) [@DinoR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DinoR)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2015, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-how-far-is-too-far/734966/13 "2015-10-18T06:48:10Z")
> [@SpoilerVirgin](#): > > Before I read the OP, I was going to say that too far is when the name is costing you money. From the article, it sounds like I was right. On the other hand it just got them a ton of free publicity. It may well end up that losing one gig over it was good for them as a group. ---
**Author:** ![dirty\_hippie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@dirty\_hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dirty_hippie)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2015, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-how-far-is-too-far/734966/14 "2015-10-18T08:11:33Z")
You ought to check out some black metal bands and their band logos. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2015, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-how-far-is-too-far/734966/15 "2015-10-18T08:30:43Z")
Two of my favorite band names: **Fat and Fucked Up** and **Useless Pieces of Shit**. I always thought it would be interesting if they combined. ---
**Author:** ![Accidental\_Martyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2015, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-how-far-is-too-far/734966/16 "2015-10-18T13:39:50Z")
> [@Happy\_Scrappy\_Hero\_Pup](#): > > The members of Anal Cunt, the Ass Ponys, and the Butthole Surfers think this is all a tempest in a teapot. And so do I. When Butthole Surfers played in Birmingham, AL in the 90’s the radio ads called them the “B-hole Surfers.” An ex-GF was in an all-female band called Gash. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2015, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-how-far-is-too-far/734966/17 "2015-10-18T15:08:50Z")
One of the “extras” from the “Dawn of the Dead” (2004) DVD has music by “The Fucking Champs.” Oh, look, Mommy, it has two meanings, how clever. ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2015, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-how-far-is-too-far/734966/18 "2015-10-18T15:15:35Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > One of my ex-boyfriend’s favorite band names was The Wallets. > > I didn’t “get” that until surprisingly recently. :smack: I’m feeling incredibly dumb here. Can I get a little help? ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2015, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-how-far-is-too-far/734966/19 "2015-10-18T15:56:52Z")
Bands choose names ultimately to help sell product. Simple thing: if a name that is offensive to some appeals to your target audience, often precisely because it is offensive and thus edgy or something, then you might use it. Free speech allows for it. If OTOH those who vote with their wallets and their free speech make it such that using the name is a bad business decision you either stand by your artistic choice (yeah, right … but you are allowed to) or you, of your own free will, choose to change your name. And if you really don’t feel the name adds anything to your product and you had no real reason to choose it and no understanding when you chose it that it would be hurtful to some that you had no desire to hurt or offend, then may decide that the not jerk thing to do is to change it. If the band members are to believed the latter was the case. ---
**Author:** ![bmoak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9dc877/32.png) [@bmoak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bmoak)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2015, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-how-far-is-too-far/734966/20 "2015-10-18T16:06:15Z")
Is Barney Rubble & The Cunt Stubble still around? I think they billed themselves as “The Stubbles” for some shows. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-how-far-is-too-far/734966.md?page=2)