# Real-life bands with punny names **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [November 8, 2023, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-bands-with-punny-names/992818 "2023-11-08T13:08:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**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:** [November 8, 2023, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-bands-with-punny-names/992818/41 "2023-11-08T18:38:03Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > > [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > > > Does Siouxsie and the Banshees count? > > I’m afraid so. But we call the Indian nation “Lakota” now. Nobody says “Sioux” any more. So she can have it. They should change their name to **Lakota Fanning**. ---
**Author:** ![motu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/motu/32/259_2.png) [@motu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/motu)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2023, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-bands-with-punny-names/992818/42 "2023-11-08T18:57:07Z")
The Dead Kenny G’s ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2023, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-bands-with-punny-names/992818/43 "2023-11-08T19:00:37Z")
I can’t think of anything more fitting than **a-ha** with only three letters and all lower-case. (Edit: oh, you’re not actually looking for puny band names.) ---
**Author:** ![John\_Bredin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@John\_Bredin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Bredin)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2023, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-bands-with-punny-names/992818/44 "2023-11-08T19:08:28Z")
Not a punny name, but that sounds like why Ace of Base is named that rather than Ace of Bass, which would cause some to pronounce the last word like the fish despite the rhyming clue of Ace. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2023, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-bands-with-punny-names/992818/45 "2023-11-08T19:29:40Z")
> [@John\_Bredin](#): > > Not a punny name, but that sounds like why Ace of Base is named that rather than Ace of Bass, which would cause some to pronounce the last word like the fish despite the rhyming clue of Ace. They need a tribute band called Ass of Bass. ---
**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:** [November 9, 2023, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-bands-with-punny-names/992818/46 "2023-11-09T00:12:27Z")
After leaving Soft Machine, Robert Wyatt formed Matching Mole, based on the French translation of “Soft Machine”: Machine Molé. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2023, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-bands-with-punny-names/992818/47 "2023-11-09T00:39:22Z")
> [@Pleonast](#): > > (Edit: oh, you’re not actually looking for puny band names.) LOL! A stealth threadwinner, that. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2023, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-bands-with-punny-names/992818/48 "2023-11-09T00:55:30Z")
How about [The Beat Farmers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Beat_Farmers)? ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2023, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-bands-with-punny-names/992818/49 "2023-11-09T04:49:13Z")
Which makes me think of the fictional band in _High Fidelity_: Kathleen Turner Overdrive ---
**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:** [November 9, 2023, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-bands-with-punny-names/992818/50 "2023-11-09T05:20:00Z")
> [@psychonaut](#): > > **Petty Theft** (a Tom Petty tribute band) I once did hear of an indy novelty band called **Petty Cash** – they did Tom Petty and Johnny Cash covers, of course. But, for an actual serious band with a somewhat punny name, I nominate the 1970s rock band **Sniff ‘n’ the Tears**. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2023, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-bands-with-punny-names/992818/51 "2023-11-09T08:17:04Z")
They may have been only regional: Phil ‘n’ The Blanks ---
**Author:** ![the\_art\_of\_rolling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/59ef9b/32.png) [@the\_art\_of\_rolling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_art_of_rolling)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2023, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-bands-with-punny-names/992818/52 "2023-11-09T10:06:19Z")
Definitely local but I saw a band many years ago which consisted of rather elderly gents performing Bob Dylan songs under the name of “The Zimmer Men”. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2023, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-bands-with-punny-names/992818/53 "2023-11-09T13:37:06Z")
Central Coast California has an elderly surf band called The Dentures. ---
**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:** [November 9, 2023, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-bands-with-punny-names/992818/54 "2023-11-09T13:47:43Z")
> [@Pleonast](#): > > I can’t think of anything more fitting than **a-ha** with only three letters and all lower-case. > > (Edit: oh, you’re not actually looking for puny band names.) Ha! In such a thread, I’d offer “The The.” ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2023, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-bands-with-punny-names/992818/55 "2023-11-09T14:05:14Z")
…or X. ---
**Author:** ![Galactus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/galactus/32/3581_2.png) [@Galactus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Galactus)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2023, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-bands-with-punny-names/992818/56 "2023-11-09T15:20:21Z")
Does The Pretty Reckless qualify as punny? The lead singer is Cindy Loo Who from Jim Carey’s The Grinch. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.winston_oboogie/32/2945_2.png) [@Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Winston_OBoogie)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2023, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-bands-with-punny-names/992818/57 "2023-11-09T15:45:46Z")
How about a self-prophetic name [Flash 'n the Pan](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgOMxTxWPuQ) was a one-hit wonder. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2023, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-bands-with-punny-names/992818/58 "2023-11-09T16:07:39Z")
Not a pun, but _Death Cab For Cutie_ was named after a quirky song (an Elvis pastiche) by The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2023, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-bands-with-punny-names/992818/59 "2023-11-09T17:00:25Z")
> [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](#): > > Camper Van Beethoven I have no idea what their music is like, but I saw an album of theirs in a record store decades ago, and it’s been my favorite band name ever since. ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2023, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-bands-with-punny-names/992818/60 "2023-11-09T17:04:16Z")
> [@Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](#): > > Dire Straits There is also Sultans of Ping, a pun on the Dire Straits song. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-bands-with-punny-names/992818.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-bands-with-punny-names/992818.md?page=4)