# Bands that are or became numerically inconsistent **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 14, 2017, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-are-or-became-numerically-inconsistent/804494 "2017-12-14T14:04:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Sparky812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2017, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-are-or-became-numerically-inconsistent/804494/41 "2017-12-15T12:21:27Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > Named after _Adam-12_’s call sign. Nope, anyone who grew up in the 70s would remember that they were named after Officer Jon Baker’s call sign from CHiPs. FTR, 1-Adam-12 was Adam 12’s call sign. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2017, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-are-or-became-numerically-inconsistent/804494/42 "2017-12-15T12:55:26Z")
Obviously, not all groups with a number in their name are saying that’s the number of musicians in the band. “10,000 Maniacs” was an allusion to an old horror movie. And 3 Dog Night was an allusion to Australian ranchers who huddled with their dogs to keep warm (if it’s REALLY frigid, that’s a three dog night). ---
**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:** [December 15, 2017, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-are-or-became-numerically-inconsistent/804494/43 "2017-12-15T13:13:08Z")
Charli XCX is a single person, not … let’s see ten from a hundred and then add ten … Wait, what? Somebody didn’t think this thru. ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2017, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-are-or-became-numerically-inconsistent/804494/44 "2017-12-15T13:23:36Z")
There was an act in my AFM local in West Virginia called the Country Five who inexplicably had six members. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2017, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-are-or-became-numerically-inconsistent/804494/45 "2017-12-15T13:37:49Z")
10,000 Maniacs wouldn’t even fit in the studio. ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Mapp](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miss_mapp/32/369_2.png) [@Miss\_Mapp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Mapp)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2017, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-are-or-became-numerically-inconsistent/804494/46 "2017-12-15T13:38:28Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > Obviously, not all groups with a number in their name are saying that’s the number of musicians in the band. “10,000 Maniacs” was an allusion to an old horror movie. And 3 Dog Night was an allusion to Australian ranchers who huddled with their dogs to keep warm (if it’s REALLY frigid, that’s a three dog night). Along those lines, I had assumed that the Thompson Twins were named after the T(h)ompson twins in Tintin. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2017, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-are-or-became-numerically-inconsistent/804494/47 "2017-12-15T14:05:14Z")
The Chad Mitchell Trio recorded as the Mitchell Trio after Chad left (and was replaced by John Denver). ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2017, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-are-or-became-numerically-inconsistent/804494/48 "2017-12-15T14:08:18Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > **Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble**. Double Trouble started out as drummer Chris Layton and bassist Tommy Shannon. They later added a keyboard player as a third member. > > **Ben Folds Five** , as far as I know, only ever had three members. > > . The Wikipedia page lists five members, and has two pictures with five guys. > **[The Dave Clark Five](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dave_Clark_Five)** > > The Dave Clark Five, also known as the DC5, were an English rock and roll band formed in 1958 in Tottenham, London. Drummer Dave Clark served as the group's leader, producer and co-songwriter. In January 1964, they had their first UK top-ten single, "Glad All Over", which knocked the Beatles' "I Want to Hold Your Hand" off the top of the UK Singles Chart. It peaked at No. 6 in the United States in April 1964. Although this was their only UK No. 1, they topped the US chart in December 1965, wit... ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2017, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-are-or-became-numerically-inconsistent/804494/49 "2017-12-15T14:20:42Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > The Wikipedia page lists five members, and has two pictures with five guys. > > [The Dave Clark Five - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dave_Clark_Five) Take a real good look at what you wrote again. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2017, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-are-or-became-numerically-inconsistent/804494/50 "2017-12-15T14:28:38Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > Obviously, not all groups with a number in their name are saying that’s the number of musicians in the band. “10,000 Maniacs” was an allusion to an old horror movie. And 3 Dog Night was an allusion to Australian ranchers who huddled with their dogs to keep warm (if it’s REALLY frigid, that’s a three dog night). LOL yeah, I had to go back and double check my OP to make sure I didn’t say “Name any band with a number in its name.” 😛 ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2017, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-are-or-became-numerically-inconsistent/804494/51 "2017-12-15T14:56:33Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > Take a real good look at what you wrote again. 😛 Ya lost me. There are five guys in the Dave Clark Five. It doesn’t matter if Dave Clark is one of the five. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2017, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-are-or-became-numerically-inconsistent/804494/52 "2017-12-15T15:02:51Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Ya lost me. There are five guys in the Dave Clark Five. > > It doesn’t matter if Dave Clark is one of the five. Look at what you quoted, then look at your response. Look very carefully. ---
**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:** [December 15, 2017, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-are-or-became-numerically-inconsistent/804494/53 "2017-12-15T15:09:25Z")
Are we including bands that have a name suitable for a solo artist or duo? **Jethro Tull, Uriah Heep, Pink Floyd and Fleetwood Mac** immediately spring to mind. TCMF-2L ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2017, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-are-or-became-numerically-inconsistent/804494/54 "2017-12-15T15:12:43Z")
> [@TCMF-2L](#): > > Are we including bands that have a name suitable for a solo artist or duo? > > **Jethro Tull, Uriah Heep, Pink Floyd and Fleetwood Mac** immediately spring to mind. > > TCMF-2L Or Alice Cooper, which started as the whole band, then morphed into just its lead singer. ---
**Author:** ![Shakester](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shakester/32/437_2.png) [@Shakester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shakester)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2017, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-are-or-became-numerically-inconsistent/804494/55 "2017-12-15T15:16:44Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Ya lost me. There are five guys in the Dave Clark Five. > > It doesn’t matter if Dave Clark is one of the five. Does it matter that Dave Clark isn’t Ben Folds? ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2017, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-are-or-became-numerically-inconsistent/804494/56 "2017-12-15T15:30:01Z")
> [@Shakester](#): > > Does it matter that Dave Clark isn’t Ben Folds? Ah. Mind fills in things in odd ways. At least some of them are consistent. ---
**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:** [December 15, 2017, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-are-or-became-numerically-inconsistent/804494/57 "2017-12-15T19:49:16Z")
> [@Sparky812](#): > > Nope, anyone who grew up in the 70s would remember that they were named after Officer Jon Baker’s call sign from CHiPs. > > FTR, 1-Adam-12 was Adam 12’s call sign. :smack: That’s right. Sorry. I was drinking. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2017, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-are-or-became-numerically-inconsistent/804494/58 "2017-12-15T19:59:16Z")
7 Mary 3 was the call sign for Jon Baker on _CHiPs_. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2017, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-are-or-became-numerically-inconsistent/804494/59 "2017-12-15T20:06:56Z")
> [@TCMF-2L](#): > > Are we including bands that have a name suitable for a solo artist or duo? > > **Jethro Tull, Uriah Heep, Pink Floyd and Fleetwood Mac** immediately spring to mind. > > TCMF-2L No. No we are not. I also wasn’t looking for just any band name with a number in it. But that seems to be the direction we’re going now… ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2017, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-are-or-became-numerically-inconsistent/804494/60 "2017-12-16T14:32:28Z")
I can think of two things wrong with the Band Name “Barenaked Ladies.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-are-or-became-numerically-inconsistent/804494.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-are-or-became-numerically-inconsistent/804494.md?page=4)