# "That'll go over like a Led Zeppelin" And other Origins of Band names. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 5, 2003, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thatll-go-over-like-a-led-zeppelin-and-other-origins-of-band-names/159230 "2003-03-05T13:33:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Lisa-go-Blind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Lisa-go-Blind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lisa-go-Blind)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thatll-go-over-like-a-led-zeppelin-and-other-origins-of-band-names/159230/81 "2003-03-10T03:16:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by hajario \* > \*\*Yes, but just prior to be called The Grateful Dead, they were known as The Warlocks. How early 60’s is that? > > Haj \*\* As was the Velvet Underground. Thank God they changed the name. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thatll-go-over-like-a-led-zeppelin-and-other-origins-of-band-names/159230/82 "2003-03-10T04:33:41Z")
The Canadian power-pop band Sloan got its name from a friend’s nickname, “the slow one,” as said by his Quebecois boss. Murderecords labelmates Thrush Hermit took their name from a local bird, the hermit thrush. And Neuseiland are named after a Dutch children’s book whose title translates as “nose island.” ---
**Author:** ![Kyomara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8edcca/32.png) [@Kyomara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyomara)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thatll-go-over-like-a-led-zeppelin-and-other-origins-of-band-names/159230/83 "2003-03-10T05:16:04Z")
Re: KMFDM From the [Allmusic Guide](http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll): > [@](#): > > The band’s name has been the subject of countless debates amongst fans over the years as to what it stands for (their record company even went as far as holding a contest in 1994 for fans to submit possible meanings, resulting in more than a thousand entries), but the confirmed meaning is Kein Mehrheit FE Die Mitleid, when translated in English means No Pity for the Majority. ---
**Author:** ![MissBungle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@MissBungle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissBungle)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thatll-go-over-like-a-led-zeppelin-and-other-origins-of-band-names/159230/84 "2003-03-10T18:51:23Z")
Jane’s Addiction - Jane was a hooker the band knew. guess she had herself an addiction. ---
**Author:** ![BrookeJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@BrookeJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrookeJ)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thatll-go-over-like-a-led-zeppelin-and-other-origins-of-band-names/159230/85 "2003-03-10T19:50:49Z")
764-HERO – It seems like bands have to get local to get unusual names anymore. Anyone from Seattle knows the origin of local indie rock band 764-HERO’s name. The phone number is posted on highway signs encouraging drivers to tattle on people illegally using carpool lanes. Sleater-Kinney – Sleater-Kinney is the name of a road outside of Olympia WA from where the band hails. This Mortal Coil – from Hamlet, Act III, Scene i “For in that sleep of death what dreams may come/When we have shuffled off this mortal coil” ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2003, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thatll-go-over-like-a-led-zeppelin-and-other-origins-of-band-names/159230/86 "2003-03-11T12:02:21Z")
I don’t know why I care, since I was never a fan, but here’s what [The Master](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a4_074.html) has to say about the Grateful Dead. I’d heard that the Bangles were originally called the Supersonic Bang. Not a band name, but in 1959, a fellow by the name of Ernest Evans was introduced to Dick Clark by Fabian. Clark let Evans record a demo and brought his wife to the session, after which the Mrs. said, “You do a good Fats Domino—kind of like a chubby checker!” Bread got their name due to the fact that the lead singer was stuck in traffic behind a bread truck. (No, I’m not a fan of them either; I heard it from a DJ.) Strawberry Alarm Clock (of Incense and Peppermints fame) were originally known as Thee Sixpence, but their manager chose the new name as an homage to the Chocolate Watchband. (I got that from the book that accompanied my Nuggets collection. I wonder where a lot of these bands got their names. SLA is one of the few they bothered to give an explanation for. The Electric Prunes? The Strangeloves? The Swingin’ Medallions? You’d think Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem were a real band! **aha** , are you reading this?) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thatll-go-over-like-a-led-zeppelin-and-other-origins-of-band-names/159230.md?page=4)