# Band names that are JUST a surname (of someone in the band) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 6, 2019, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-that-are-just-a-surname-of-someone-in-the-band/835106 "2019-06-06T02:37:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![LC\_Strawhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e19adc/32.png) [@LC\_Strawhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LC_Strawhouse)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-that-are-just-a-surname-of-someone-in-the-band/835106/61 "2019-06-06T17:24:58Z")
Hmm, not sure if obviously adopted last names should count. > [@GESancMan](#): > > Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe > > There was no “and” in their official name. This might be my favorite example - it just drips with arrogance / confidence. ---
**Author:** ![TCMF-2L](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tcmf-2l/32/16553_2.png) [@TCMF-2L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TCMF-2L)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-that-are-just-a-surname-of-someone-in-the-band/835106/62 "2019-06-06T17:50:09Z")
The lead singer and the bass player of **UFO** , **Phil Mogg** and **Pete Way** , released a couple of albums as **Mogg/Way.** TCMF-2L ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-that-are-just-a-surname-of-someone-in-the-band/835106/63 "2019-06-06T18:14:49Z")
Couple lesser known rock bands… **Keel** - named for singer Ron Keel **Impellitteri** - named for guitarist Chris Impellitteri ---
**Author:** ![TCMF-2L](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tcmf-2l/32/16553_2.png) [@TCMF-2L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TCMF-2L)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-that-are-just-a-surname-of-someone-in-the-band/835106/64 "2019-06-06T19:25:23Z")
Obviously **Bachman Turner Overdrive** doesn’t count but I believe after they broke up two of the band recreated as **Bachman & Turner** which does. TCMF-2L ---
**Author:** ![TCMF-2L](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tcmf-2l/32/16553_2.png) [@TCMF-2L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TCMF-2L)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-that-are-just-a-surname-of-someone-in-the-band/835106/65 "2019-06-06T20:00:20Z")
Brothers and drummers **Vinnie** and **Carmen** **Appice** released an album together as **Appice**. However while **Carmen** has released albums under his own name he also has used band names: \*\*Beck, Bogert and Appice Char, Bogert and Appice\*\* \*\*Derringer, Bogert and Appice Travers and Appice Vargas, Bogert and Appice \*\* TCMF-2L ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-that-are-just-a-surname-of-someone-in-the-band/835106/66 "2019-06-06T20:02:20Z")
Based on OP and subsequent judicial rulings, it appears that the sole permissible word other than surname(s) is “and”? ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-that-are-just-a-surname-of-someone-in-the-band/835106/67 "2019-06-06T20:19:09Z")
The five Tavares brothers perform and record as [Tavares](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tavares_(group)). Tragically, Sleater-Kinney is named for a road sign. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-that-are-just-a-surname-of-someone-in-the-band/835106/68 "2019-06-06T20:26:21Z")
Perhaps not exactly what the OP is looking for, since it also involves the first and middle names of one band member (but not his last name), but back in the 1970s, there was Hamilton, Joe Frank and Reynolds. The band was made up of Dan **Hamilton** , **Joe Frank** Carollo, and Tommy **Reynolds**. ---
**Author:** ![Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/marvin_the_martian/32/2898_2.png) [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marvin_the_Martian)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-that-are-just-a-surname-of-someone-in-the-band/835106/69 "2019-06-06T20:26:53Z")
Mouth and MacNeil. Assuming stage surnames count. ---
**Author:** ![TCMF-2L](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tcmf-2l/32/16553_2.png) [@TCMF-2L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TCMF-2L)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-that-are-just-a-surname-of-someone-in-the-band/835106/70 "2019-06-06T21:27:17Z")
If we have arrived at ‘near misses’ I had thought of the band name and album by some of the members of **Free** called **Kossoff, Kirke, Tetsu and Rabbit**. Although **Tetsu** is the bass player’s first name he is Japanese so I assume it is his family name / surname. Academic though since ‘ **Rabbit** ’ is the keyboard player’s nickname. TCMF-2L ---
**Author:** ![TCMF-2L](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tcmf-2l/32/16553_2.png) [@TCMF-2L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TCMF-2L)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-that-are-just-a-surname-of-someone-in-the-band/835106/71 "2019-06-06T21:33:28Z")
**McFadden & Whitehead** of ‘ **Ain’t No Stopping Us Now** ’ fame. TCMF-2L ---
**Author:** ![TCMF-2L](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tcmf-2l/32/16553_2.png) [@TCMF-2L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TCMF-2L)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-that-are-just-a-surname-of-someone-in-the-band/835106/72 "2019-06-06T21:43:12Z")
> [@LC\_Strawhouse](#): > > Another one occurring to me is Coverdale/Page. > > This thread also provides some pretty hilarious examples of short lived vanity projects. Forget about **Coverdale\*Page** - which should be a solid black circle not an \* but sadly I don’t know how to do it. You forgot the (even more prestigious?) **Page and Plant** which **Jimmy** and **Robert** used for a while after their **Led Zeppelin** days. TCMF-2L ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-that-are-just-a-surname-of-someone-in-the-band/835106/73 "2019-06-06T22:21:17Z")
> [@TCMF-2L](#): > > Although **Tetsu** is the bass player’s first name he is Japanese so I assume it is his family name / surname. Unlikely. I will not say definitively that Tetsu is _never_ a family name, but it’s mostly a given name. (Checking, his family name is Yamauchi, and his full given name is Tetsuo. Interestingly, he writes the short version in katakana, which is unusual for a totally ordinary Japanese name…) ---
**Author:** ![LC\_Strawhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e19adc/32.png) [@LC\_Strawhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LC_Strawhouse)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-that-are-just-a-surname-of-someone-in-the-band/835106/74 "2019-06-06T22:32:31Z")
Thanks for all the interesting references - and **TCMF-2L** , that is some really impressive expertise! So this definitely sounds like a convention that peaked in the 70s-80s and mostly limited to certain genres of music. > [@Riemann](#): > > Based on OP and subsequent judicial rulings, it appears that the sole permissible word other than surname(s) is “and”? Yup, I guess that about sizes it up. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-that-are-just-a-surname-of-someone-in-the-band/835106/75 "2019-06-06T22:58:10Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Yes had many members over the years and at one point they split into two factions, one of which used the name Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe. Another Yes reshuffle resulted in Anderson, Rabin, and Wakeman. ---
**Author:** ![Grestarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grestarian/32/3227_2.png) [@Grestarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grestarian)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2019, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-that-are-just-a-surname-of-someone-in-the-band/835106/76 "2019-06-07T00:42:55Z")
> [@Kamino\_Neko](#): > > Unlikely. I will not say definitively that Tetsu is _never_ a family name, but it’s mostly a given name. (Checking, his family name is Yamauchi, and his full given name is Tetsuo. Interestingly, he writes the short version in katakana, which is unusual for a totally ordinary Japanese name…) I was going to suggest his name in the band is likely merely part of a longer given name, therefore a nickname, that is something like a counting prefix. The roots of Japanese counting go way back to a different set of words than were adopted from the Chinese. Roughly translated they would be… 1 = Hi 2 = Fu 3 = Mi 4 = Yo 5 = Itsu 6 = Mu 7 = ?? 8 = Ya … [[Japanese/Vocabulary/Numbers - Wikibooks, open books for an open world](https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Japanese/Vocabulary/Numbers)]\* And one of my English students in Japan said his name, Tetsuhiro, translated into Seventh Son and, when I noted how lucky it’s supposed to be to be a seventh son, he shook his head and said no, his parents were joking around with naming him and the characters are actually Seven Sun (or Seventh Sun, or Seven Suns, or – well, whatever it meant was tougher to figure out than the translation). Typically, “son” is the character _chi_ {first son} or _ji_ {second son} or… Anyway, the point is that, while I don’t know what character Mr. Cave (Yamauchi-san) uses for the O, his name would seem to be shortened to “Tetsu” for his bandmates convenience and it would therefore make sense to be written in katakana, which is used for terms that come from outside of the Japanese language. Bon Jovi, by the way, is the fan-friendly version of Jon’s family name, Bongiovi. –G! \*I found it curious that the list above skips number seven and nine. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2019, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-that-are-just-a-surname-of-someone-in-the-band/835106/77 "2019-06-07T00:58:37Z")
Medeski Martin & Wood ---
**Author:** ![TCMF-2L](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tcmf-2l/32/16553_2.png) [@TCMF-2L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TCMF-2L)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2019, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-that-are-just-a-surname-of-someone-in-the-band/835106/78 "2019-06-07T07:34:43Z")
> [@Kamino\_Neko](#): > > Unlikely. I will not say definitively that Tetsu is _never_ a family name, but it’s mostly a given name. (Checking, his family name is Yamauchi, and his full given name is Tetsuo. Interestingly, he writes the short version in katakana, which is unusual for a totally ordinary Japanese name…) I have clearly humiliated myself with **Kossoff, Kirke, Tetsu and Rabbit**. To redeem myself I offer **Arthur Buck**. A collaboration between **Joseph Arthur** and \*\*R.E.M. \*\*guitarist **Peter Buck** which produced one self titled album. TCMF-2L ---
**Author:** ![TCMF-2L](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tcmf-2l/32/16553_2.png) [@TCMF-2L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TCMF-2L)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2019, 8:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-that-are-just-a-surname-of-someone-in-the-band/835106/79 "2019-06-07T08:57:05Z")
Fairly successful 1970s duo **Seals and Crofts** comprising **James Seals** and **Darrell Crofts**. TCMF-2L ---
**Author:** ![TCMF-2L](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tcmf-2l/32/16553_2.png) [@TCMF-2L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TCMF-2L)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2019, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-that-are-just-a-surname-of-someone-in-the-band/835106/80 "2019-06-07T09:13:50Z")
> [@TCMF-2L](#): > > Fairly successful 1970s duo **Seals and Crofts** comprising **James Seals** and **Darrell Crofts**. > > TCMF-2L Too late to delete this post but they were mentioned up thread. TCMF-2L [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-that-are-just-a-surname-of-someone-in-the-band/835106.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-that-are-just-a-surname-of-someone-in-the-band/835106.md?page=5)