# Bands with slightly different names depending on where on the planet you are standing **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 2, 2025, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-slightly-different-names-depending-on-where-on-the-planet-you-are-standing/1021635 "2025-08-02T22:56:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Banksiaman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banksiaman/32/3334_2.png) [@Banksiaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banksiaman)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2025, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-slightly-different-names-depending-on-where-on-the-planet-you-are-standing/1021635/21 "2025-08-03T12:07:05Z")
I know it will smack to some of creeping socialism and Donald Trump will make a point of joining just so he can flamboyantly withdraw from it, but the only answer is a UN-sponsored Global Central Band Name Registry Bureau. Vast computer banks personed by guys in lab coats with clipboards and straight-laced looking women in specs, who then do that whole hair thing when they take their glasses off. It can be like they have for racehorses, where you’re not allowed to use the same or similar name of a registered horse for 10 years. Its not like it will make bands run out of creative names [I call ‘Splodgeness Abounds’, ‘The Wet Taxis’, ‘Slugfuckers’ as exhibits, your honor]. More likely it will push them to greater heights of band name creativity. Punitive measures can be issued against those bands who flout and flaunt the law, or some sort of horrific variety show regular spot. It would be like the ICJ in The Hague, but funkier. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2025, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-slightly-different-names-depending-on-where-on-the-planet-you-are-standing/1021635/22 "2025-08-03T12:33:26Z")
Is ZZ Top called Zed Zed Top anywhere? ---
**Author:** ![ZonexandScout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zonexandscout/32/544_2.png) [@ZonexandScout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZonexandScout)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2025, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-slightly-different-names-depending-on-where-on-the-planet-you-are-standing/1021635/23 "2025-08-03T13:05:01Z")
The Carpenters were, of course, officially just “Carpenters.” But I don’t believe I’ve ever heard anyone but myself refer to them as anything but “The Carpenters.” I’d be very interested to learn if there’s any region that refers to them by their proper name. Maybe a non-English speaking country that has no problem losing the article? ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2025, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-slightly-different-names-depending-on-where-on-the-planet-you-are-standing/1021635/24 "2025-08-03T13:53:47Z")
I’m not sure that’s exactly a matter of not referring to them by their proper name - I think it’s a matter of certain band ( or other) names being sort of a plural form, and in those situations, in some constructions the name includes “The” and in others it doesn’t regardless of what the official name might be. If you were talking about Fleetwood Mac, you would say “I like Fleetwood Mac” but if you were talking about a concert , you would add _the_ and refer to “the Fleetwood Mac concert” , the same as you would add _the_ when referring to a concert or album of a solo artist. But that doesn’t work for names that include _the_ - you say you like “The Rolling Stones” but you wouldn’t add a _the_ and say you have tickets to “_the_ The Rolling Stones concert” ---
**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:** [August 3, 2025, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-slightly-different-names-depending-on-where-on-the-planet-you-are-standing/1021635/25 "2025-08-03T13:59:50Z")
There was a UK band called “Gypsy” that changed their name in the US to “English Gypsy” because there was an American Band by that name. Interestingly, the US version played progressive rock (which was primarily a UK genre) while “English Gypsy” played California surf rock. The US version was more successful. When I saw them in concert, Pink Floyd was billed at “The Pink Floyd.” ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2025, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-slightly-different-names-depending-on-where-on-the-planet-you-are-standing/1021635/26 "2025-08-03T14:24:32Z")
> [@ZonexandScout](#): > > The Carpenters were, of course, officially just “Carpenters.” But I don’t believe I’ve ever heard anyone but myself refer to them as anything but “The Carpenters.” Odds had the same problem. Even though I know the official name, “The Odds” is always ready to come out, and I have to make an effort not to say it. ---
**Author:** ![ZonexandScout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zonexandscout/32/544_2.png) [@ZonexandScout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZonexandScout)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2025, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-slightly-different-names-depending-on-where-on-the-planet-you-are-standing/1021635/27 "2025-08-03T14:33:47Z")
The fact that Odds and Carpenters are both plural probably accounts for much. What if Cheap Trick had called themselves “Cheap Tricks?” Might we talk about going to see THE Cheap Tricks? ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2025, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-slightly-different-names-depending-on-where-on-the-planet-you-are-standing/1021635/28 "2025-08-03T15:25:26Z")
The band Sweet is often called The Sweet. ---
**Author:** ![Hoops](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hoops/32/6408_2.png) [@Hoops](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hoops)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2025, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-slightly-different-names-depending-on-where-on-the-planet-you-are-standing/1021635/29 "2025-08-03T16:01:58Z")
I was almost positive I’d seen Yes referred to as The Yes in early media—not officially, but in reviews or articles from the early days. But I have to say, I was unable to come up with a cite. I even—rare for me—enlisted the help of an AI (Duck.ai) and it swore that this was true, but when I followed up on its citations, they did not bear it out. (I think it was confused because one of their early albums was called The Yes Album.) Anybody else ever seen Yes as The Yes? ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2025, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-slightly-different-names-depending-on-where-on-the-planet-you-are-standing/1021635/30 "2025-08-03T16:07:37Z")
> [@xtenkfarpl](#): > > I have never heard of them being called ‘The’ Cream. > > It’s possible they may have occasionally been introduced as such by some ill-informed DJ or radio host? See [post #14](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-slightly-different-names-depending-on-where-on-the-planet-you-are-standing/1021635/14). 🙂 > [@74westy](#): > > The band Sweet is often called The Sweet. Both were official names for the group for some time. They were founded as “The Sweetshop” in 1968, then changed their name to “The Sweet” a few months later, upon learning that there was another band called “Sweetshop.” They went by “The Sweet” for several years, then shortened it to just “Sweet” in late 1973; all of their recordings released after then were credited to the shorter name. ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2025, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-slightly-different-names-depending-on-where-on-the-planet-you-are-standing/1021635/31 "2025-08-03T16:32:57Z")
> [@Horatius](#): > > > [@ZonexandScout](#): > > > > The Carpenters were, of course, officially just “Carpenters.” But I don’t believe I’ve ever heard anyone but myself refer to them as anything but “The Carpenters.” > > Odds had the same problem. Even though I know the official name, “The Odds” is always ready to come out, and I have to make an effort not to say it. I think this is true of The Eagles, too. I recently found out their actual name is “Eagles,” but I’ve almost never heard them referred to as anything but “The Eagles.” ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2025, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-slightly-different-names-depending-on-where-on-the-planet-you-are-standing/1021635/32 "2025-08-03T17:29:01Z")
I’m wondering how much this is band names and how much this is just normal rules of English construction. E.g. What’s the famous older skyscraper in Manhattan? It’s the Empire State Building. The name doesn’t include “the” but is substantially never said or written without it. ---
**Author:** ![Awb78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/258eb7/32.png) [@Awb78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Awb78)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2025, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-slightly-different-names-depending-on-where-on-the-planet-you-are-standing/1021635/33 "2025-08-03T18:08:17Z")
The UK band Wrathchild used the name Wrathchild UK in the US, because there was a band named Wrathchild America (and that was because there was a Wrathchild in the UK) 😁 Jagged Edge known as Jagged Edge UK in the US FM know as FM UK in the US ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2025, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-slightly-different-names-depending-on-where-on-the-planet-you-are-standing/1021635/34 "2025-08-03T18:22:17Z")
> [@doreen](#): > > But that doesn’t work for names that include _the_ - you say you like “The Rolling Stones” but you wouldn’t add a _the_ and say you have tickets to “_the_ The Rolling Stones concert” What if you go to see Matt Johnson’s band? Do you go to the The The concert? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2025, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-slightly-different-names-depending-on-where-on-the-planet-you-are-standing/1021635/35 "2025-08-03T18:32:03Z")
> [@doreen](#): > > But that doesn’t work for names that include _the_ - you say you like “The Rolling Stones” but you wouldn’t add a _the_ and say you have tickets to “_the_ The Rolling Stones concert” Ninja’d! ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2025, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-slightly-different-names-depending-on-where-on-the-planet-you-are-standing/1021635/36 "2025-08-03T18:35:23Z")
> [@xtenkfarpl](#): > > It’s possible they may have occasionally been introduced as such by some ill-informed DJ or radio host? Good info was hard to come by in the early days. I have a vivid memory of the record store I frequented in high school filing the first Cream album under “F”, apparently believing that the name of the band was the same as the album, _Fresh Cream_. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2025, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-slightly-different-names-depending-on-where-on-the-planet-you-are-standing/1021635/37 "2025-08-03T18:39:55Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > I have a vivid memory of the record store I frequented in high school filing the first Cream album under “F”, apparently believing that the name of the band was the same as the album, _Fresh Cream_. There was a record store just across my childhood house that had Led Zeppelin under ‘Z’ and Van Morrison under ‘V’. It also had “The Eagles Greatest Hits” in the “Metal” section, obviously because it had an (eagle’s) skull on the cover. You guessed it, the storekeeper was a moron without any knowledge about music. The store didn’t last long. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2025, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-slightly-different-names-depending-on-where-on-the-planet-you-are-standing/1021635/38 "2025-08-03T18:53:04Z")
I knida get Van Morrison under “V” the same way Jethro Tull is under “J” and “Lynyrd Skynyrd” is under “L”. But who has a first name of “Led”? Is he the guy who asked, “By the way, which one’s Pink?” ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2025, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-slightly-different-names-depending-on-where-on-the-planet-you-are-standing/1021635/39 "2025-08-03T18:56:56Z")
The guy had the small excuse that he was not a native English speaker (I doubt that he could speak any English at all), but as I said, he mostly was a moron. ETA: another episode of his idiocy: I wanted to buy Lou Reed’s album “New York” but he didn’t have it in store, so I went to the counter to give an order for it. He replied enthusiastically “I know that. New York, New York, Frank Sinatra. Great song!” I told him “no, not that one, the _album_ “New York” by Lou Reed”. His reply “Lou what? You have to spell that for me”. A really gifted record salesman. ---
**Author:** ![JWT\_Kottekoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3ec8ea/32.png) [@JWT\_Kottekoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JWT_Kottekoe)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2025, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-slightly-different-names-depending-on-where-on-the-planet-you-are-standing/1021635/40 "2025-08-03T19:05:53Z")
Tina Dickow performs using her real name, Dickow, but perhaps only in Denmark. She performs worldwide as Tina Dico. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-slightly-different-names-depending-on-where-on-the-planet-you-are-standing/1021635.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-slightly-different-names-depending-on-where-on-the-planet-you-are-standing/1021635.md?page=3)