# 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:** 6
**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 9, 2019, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-that-are-just-a-surname-of-someone-in-the-band/835106/101 "2019-06-09T18:50:28Z")
\*\*Stock Aitken Waterman \*\* were big in the UK, but were they considered a “band”? ---
**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 9, 2019, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-that-are-just-a-surname-of-someone-in-the-band/835106/102 "2019-06-09T20:40:20Z")
> [@LC\_Strawhouse](#): > > \*\*Stock Aitken Waterman \*\* were big in the UK, but were they considered a “band”? I would say they are _considered_ record producers who specialised in churning out an endless stream of disposable, synthetic, manufactured pop. However a check on Wiki reminds me they did release a few tracks themselves with **Stock Aitken & Waterman** as the credited artist so I say they count. TCMF-2L ---
**Author:** ![russian\_heel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f05b48/32.png) [@russian\_heel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/russian_heel)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2019, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-that-are-just-a-surname-of-someone-in-the-band/835106/103 "2019-06-10T02:48:28Z")
On the flip side Accept lead singer Udo Dirkschneider left to form U.D.O. Dokken was mentioned. Very on topic there was tension in the band because guitarist George Lynch publicly complained that a band should not be named after one member. Robert Plant once derided Coverdale/Page as “Cover-version Page”. Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi put out an album with guest musicians titled “Iommi” but don’t think the project ever toured so this might not count. There is also the sub-category of bands that sound like they are named after someone in it, but are not. There is no one in Sleater-Kinney named Sleater or Kinney; rather its named after a road. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![LLCoolL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/llcooll/32/3596_2.png) [@LLCoolL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LLCoolL)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2019, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-that-are-just-a-surname-of-someone-in-the-band/835106/104 "2019-06-10T06:44:54Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > I don’t think assumed names count. > > [Was (Not Was) - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Was_(Not_Was)) Today I learned that “Don Was” is a stage name. I thought that was his real name… ---
**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 10, 2019, 9:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-that-are-just-a-surname-of-someone-in-the-band/835106/105 "2019-06-10T09:43:47Z")
Personally I don’t think the issue is whether **David** and **Don Was** are their real names. The fact is no one in the band was claining ‘Not’ as a surname so **Was (Not Was)** isn’t a fit for the brief. TCMF-2L ---
**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 10, 2019, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-that-are-just-a-surname-of-someone-in-the-band/835106/106 "2019-06-10T13:49:48Z")
> [@russian\_heel](#): > > Dokken was mentioned. Very on topic there was tension in the band because guitarist George Lynch publicly complained that a band should not be named after one member. > > Robert Plant once derided Coverdale/Page as “Cover-version Page”. Ha, not surprised that these band names could rub people the wrong way - the “surname only” thing is so next-level arrogant that it becomes kind of fascinating. (gotta admire the confidence) ---
**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 10, 2019, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-that-are-just-a-surname-of-someone-in-the-band/835106/107 "2019-06-10T14:12:11Z")
I’m not sure why folks are characterizing this as egotistical. It seems a rather practical and natural way to identify a group, especially a duo. On the other hand, the concept of taking a small group of two-to-five musicians and giving them some kind of conceptual name seems to be no less grandiose. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2019, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-that-are-just-a-surname-of-someone-in-the-band/835106/108 "2019-06-10T14:20:13Z")
DeBarge. ---
**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 10, 2019, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-that-are-just-a-surname-of-someone-in-the-band/835106/109 "2019-06-10T14:43:26Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > I’m not sure why folks are characterizing this as egotistical. It seems a rather practical and natural way to identify a group, especially a duo. On the other hand, the concept of taking a small group of two-to-five musicians and giving them some kind of conceptual name seems to be no less grandiose. In my opinion- one thing is it instantly marginalizes everyone else in the band who doesn’t have that name. And on top of it, they use a name style usually reserved for someone like Bach or Beethoven. Not that it can’t be cool anyway in the right hands. ---
**Author:** ![Dahnlor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dahnlor/32/533_2.png) [@Dahnlor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dahnlor)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2019, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-that-are-just-a-surname-of-someone-in-the-band/835106/110 "2019-06-10T22:06:45Z")
There was **Hagar Schon Aaronson Shrieve** , featuring (future) Van Halen’s Sammy Hagar, Neal Schon of Journey, and a couple of guys whose names are rumored to be Aaronson and Schrieve. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2019, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-that-are-just-a-surname-of-someone-in-the-band/835106/111 "2019-06-10T23:47:24Z")
Gowan ---
**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:** [June 11, 2019, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-that-are-just-a-surname-of-someone-in-the-band/835106/112 "2019-06-11T01:34:40Z")
I haven’t seen Schon and Hammer mentioned. Neal Schon and Jan Hammer (of _Miami Vice_ fame.) ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2019, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-that-are-just-a-surname-of-someone-in-the-band/835106/113 "2019-06-11T01:38:07Z")
Just thought of Bourgeois Tagg ---
**Author:** ![gregorio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/fbc32d/32.png) [@gregorio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gregorio)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2019, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-that-are-just-a-surname-of-someone-in-the-band/835106/114 "2019-06-11T18:00:07Z")
> [@Dale\_Sams](#): > > Gowan Shakes fist! Gowan who would probably be long forgotten but he has gone on to vocal duties with Styx. Come to think of it, I haven’t heard anything by Styx (old or new) in a very, very long time. ---
**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:** [June 11, 2019, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-that-are-just-a-surname-of-someone-in-the-band/835106/115 "2019-06-11T19:54:08Z")
> [@gregorio](#): > > Shakes fist! > > Gowan who would probably be long forgotten but he has gone on to vocal duties with Styx. > > Come to think of it, I haven’t heard anything by Styx (old or new) in a very, very long time. They put out an album in 2017 called _The Mission_. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2019, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-that-are-just-a-surname-of-someone-in-the-band/835106/116 "2019-06-11T20:08:14Z")
Simon and Garfunkel counts and Hall and Oates counts. But Garfunkel and Oates does not. ---
**Author:** ![russian\_heel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f05b48/32.png) [@russian\_heel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/russian_heel)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2019, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-that-are-just-a-surname-of-someone-in-the-band/835106/117 "2019-06-18T02:41:09Z")
> [@LC\_Strawhouse](#): > > Ha, not surprised that these band names could rub people the wrong way - the “surname only” thing is so next-level arrogant that it becomes kind of fascinating. (gotta admire the confidence) Yeah. Except Dokken is such a perfect heavy metal surname! Now if the band was named after him and his name was “Lipschitz”, the guitarist might have an argument! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![Toxylon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f05b48/32.png) [@Toxylon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toxylon)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2019, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-that-are-just-a-surname-of-someone-in-the-band/835106/118 "2019-06-18T08:11:32Z")
Also [Giles, Giles & Fripp](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giles,_Giles_and_Fripp), consisting of Michael Giles, Peter Giles and Robert Fripp. ---
**Author:** ![Kimble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kimble/32/19185_2.png) [@Kimble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimble)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2019, 8:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-that-are-just-a-surname-of-someone-in-the-band/835106/119 "2019-06-18T08:57:54Z")
If you don’t listen to the adult album alternative station in Nashville, there’s only a minute chance you heard the Kopecky Family Band’s “[Heartbeat](https://youtu.be/Wq-8dxYHnyU).” As you might guess by the fact that I’m posting in this thread about them, they later changed their name to just **Kopecky**. (There’s only one Kopecky in the band – frontwoman Kelsey.) One of the bands Kopecky opened for was Gomez. (Remember all those Philips commercials that ended with a weak cover of “Getting Better?” That was them!) Unfortunately, Gomez is just a friend of the band, not a member. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2019, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-that-are-just-a-surname-of-someone-in-the-band/835106/120 "2019-06-18T12:28:13Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Simon and Garfunkel counts and Hall and Oates counts. But Garfunkel and Oates does not. I love this post. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-that-are-just-a-surname-of-someone-in-the-band/835106.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/band-names-that-are-just-a-surname-of-someone-in-the-band/835106.md?page=7)