# Guess the band by the origin of its name. **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [March 4, 2011, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-the-band-by-the-origin-of-its-name/573502 "2011-03-04T18:17:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2011, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-the-band-by-the-origin-of-its-name/573502/141 "2011-03-09T12:25:28Z")
> [@Johnny\_Q](#): > > 1. Black Sabbath? > > 2. This band supposedly took their name from a friend’s estimation of their chances of success as a band. Led Zeppelin (“This’ll go over like a lead balloon.”) ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2011, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-the-band-by-the-origin-of-its-name/573502/142 "2011-03-09T13:38:40Z")
1. The matriarch of a logical society. 2. This real band took its name from a fictional band mentioned in a movie about an experimental criminal rehabilitation method. ---
**Author:** ![kidchameleon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kidchameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidchameleon)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2011, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-the-band-by-the-origin-of-its-name/573502/143 "2011-03-09T13:41:54Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > 1. This real band took its name from a fictional band mentioned in a movie about an experimental criminal rehabilitation method. Tolchok? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2011, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-the-band-by-the-origin-of-its-name/573502/144 "2011-03-09T13:44:28Z")
1. T’Pau ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2011, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-the-band-by-the-origin-of-its-name/573502/145 "2011-03-09T13:48:43Z")
> [@kidchameleon](#): > > Tolchok? No, that’s not what I was thinking of. I’ve never heard of them and it might fit my description, but it’s not the one I meant. > [@silenus](#): > > 1. T’Pau Correct. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2011, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-the-band-by-the-origin-of-its-name/573502/146 "2011-03-09T14:51:44Z")
1. This band was forced to change their name to follow their label’s marketing ploy, as radio DJs kept announcing their record with the phony “credit.” 2. This band took their name from an album by classical minimalist Terry Riley. ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2011, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-the-band-by-the-origin-of-its-name/573502/147 "2011-03-09T15:03:37Z")
> [@Duke](#): > > 1. This Scottish band was named when their lead singer explained why so many high school boys started bands. At their first concert the promoter refused to announce their name, so the band quickly changed the second word of their name to something that didn’t refer to female genitalia. Without googling (or indeed being very sure whether they are even Scottish!), I’m going to guess at “Simply Red”. If I’m right, it certainly worked out the way they planned :). ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2011, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-the-band-by-the-origin-of-its-name/573502/148 "2011-03-09T15:10:49Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > 1. This band was forced to change their name to follow their label’s marketing ploy, as radio DJs kept announcing their record with the phony “credit.” Alan Parsons ProjecT? ---
**Author:** ![mcgato](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac8455/32.png) [@mcgato](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mcgato)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2011, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-the-band-by-the-origin-of-its-name/573502/149 "2011-03-09T15:14:34Z")
75 is Heaven 17, taken from Clockwork Orange ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2011, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-the-band-by-the-origin-of-its-name/573502/150 "2011-03-09T15:18:35Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > Alan Parsons ProjecT? Nope. ---
**Author:** ![sco3tt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@sco3tt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sco3tt)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2011, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-the-band-by-the-origin-of-its-name/573502/151 "2011-03-09T16:58:04Z")
> [@tumbleddown](#): > > 1. The drummer for this band stole the name from a friend who was starting a rock magazine and was running potential titles by him. The drummer steered him to another name and kept the good one for his band. I seem to remember hearing this story about Lars Ulrich re: Metallica. > [@tumbleddown](#): > > 1. Named after a form of Greek dance. Eurythmics? (just a SWAG) > [@tumbleddown](#): > > 1. This group took its name from a recurring Junior Sample sketch on “Hee Haw.” BR-549 ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2011, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-the-band-by-the-origin-of-its-name/573502/152 "2011-03-09T17:09:14Z")
> [@sco3tt](#): > > BR-549 Yes- on the old “Hee Haw” show, Junior Sample regularly played a used car salesman who did his own cheapo commercials. At the end of each commercial, he’d hold up a cardboard sign with his phone number, which was… BR-549. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-the-band-by-the-origin-of-its-name/573502/153 "2011-03-10T06:15:19Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > 1. This band took their name from an album by classical minimalist Terry Riley. Upon looking at Riley’s discography, i’m going to guess either Rainbow or Anthrax. (Side note: “Baba O’Riley”, by the Who, was named after Terry Riley.) 1. This band was initially named after a major metripolitan transit agency, and was forced to shorten their name when the agency itself sued them. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-the-band-by-the-origin-of-its-name/573502/154 "2011-03-10T07:20:51Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Upon looking at Riley’s discography, i’m going to guess either Rainbow or Anthrax. (Side note: “Baba O’Riley”, by the Who, was named after Terry Riley.) > > 1. This band was initially named after a major metripolitan transit agency, and was forced to shorten their name when the agency itself sued them. 78.Chicago ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-the-band-by-the-origin-of-its-name/573502/155 "2011-03-10T14:27:34Z")
1. This band took its name from a David Byrne/Talking Heads single. ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-the-band-by-the-origin-of-its-name/573502/156 "2011-03-10T14:31:42Z")
> [@Dead\_Cat](#): > > Without googling (or indeed being very sure whether they are even Scottish!), I’m going to guess at “Simply Red”. If I’m right, it certainly worked out the way they planned :). They are Scottish, but it’s not Simply Red. ---
**Author:** ![kidchameleon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kidchameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidchameleon)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-the-band-by-the-origin-of-its-name/573502/157 "2011-03-10T14:46:50Z")
1. This band named itself after a particular dessert product but had to change it’s name when it was sued. ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-the-band-by-the-origin-of-its-name/573502/158 "2011-03-10T14:51:43Z")
> [@Duke](#): > > They are Scottish, but it’s not Simply Red. Damn - it seemed to fit so well! A new (and very easy) one, but I don’t think it has appeared yet for some reason: 1. This band was supposedly named after the band members’ repeated responses to all the suggestions for a good name that were thrown into the discussion. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-the-band-by-the-origin-of-its-name/573502/159 "2011-03-10T14:52:57Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Upon looking at Riley’s discography, i’m going to guess either Rainbow or Anthrax. (Side note: “Baba O’Riley”, by the Who, was named after Terry Riley.) Nope, but oh so close. ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-the-band-by-the-origin-of-its-name/573502/160 "2011-03-10T15:17:15Z")
> [@Dead\_Cat](#): > > Damn - it seemed to fit so well! I should mention that it’s not Big Country either… 😛 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-the-band-by-the-origin-of-its-name/573502.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-the-band-by-the-origin-of-its-name/573502.md?page=9)