# Why the obssesion with band names? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 21, 2004, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-obssesion-with-band-names/256095 "2004-07-21T00:16:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2004, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-obssesion-with-band-names/256095/21 "2004-07-23T07:47:59Z")
Because they’re there. And it’s fun, well sometimes 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Meurglys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@Meurglys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meurglys)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2004, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-obssesion-with-band-names/256095/22 "2004-07-23T13:06:15Z")
A few years ago I used to play pub quizzes a fair bit - mainly at one particular pub. Every team would pick a new name for itself every week, and we got into the habit of saying ‘team name’ whenever ‘band-name’ type phrases came up… We usually didn’t remember them long enough to actually use them, though. Any pub quiz I know of has teams with similar stupid names - it’s part of the fun! ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2004, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-obssesion-with-band-names/256095/23 "2004-07-23T13:07:18Z")
> [@elmwood](#): > > random band name generator Band name! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Trigonal\_Planar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/0ea827/32.png) [@Trigonal\_Planar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trigonal_Planar)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2004, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-obssesion-with-band-names/256095/24 "2004-07-23T19:32:02Z")
I’m not sure I agree that Dave Barry started this. I’ve heard peers say “heh, now there’s a band name!” (or some variety thereof) for years. I think its a pretty natural “joke” to come up with. ---
**Author:** ![Rufus\_Xavier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@Rufus\_Xavier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rufus_Xavier)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2004, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-obssesion-with-band-names/256095/25 "2004-07-23T20:11:21Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > stupid thing **Band name** > the everliving shit **Band name** > the first hundred times **Band name** > every third thread **Band name** > jackass chiming in **Band Name** > incongruous and unusual **Band Name** > it’s not funny **Band name** You’re right. It’s not funny. I should stop. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2004, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-obssesion-with-band-names/256095/26 "2004-07-23T20:45:03Z")
We do it because it helps fill the void in our empty, meaningless lives. Or something. ---
**Author:** ![Ninja\_Pizza\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f04885/32.png) [@Ninja\_Pizza\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ninja_Pizza_Guy)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2004, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-obssesion-with-band-names/256095/27 "2004-07-23T20:56:40Z")
> [@Lord Ashtar](#): > > We do it because it helps fill the void in our empty, meaningless lives. Or something. _Fill the Void_ - **band name!** _empty meaningful lives_ - **band name!** _Or Something_ - **band name!** You knew it was going to happen - this thread is going to morph into a band name extravaganza! 😃 'cus it’s cool. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2004, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-obssesion-with-band-names/256095/28 "2004-07-24T01:05:36Z")
> [@Ninja Pizza Guy](#): > > You knew it **~ band name!** > > going to happen **~ band name!** > > going to morph \*\* ~ band name!\*\* > > extravaganza! **~ band name!** > > 'cus it’s cool \*\* ~ band name!\*\* Naw, **Pizza Guy** , I can’t see sensible souls, like what we gots around here, getting caught up in such mundane, pointless frivolity. You need a truly warped perspective, a studied disregard for linear logic, to take some spontaneous glurge and turn it into a band name. ---
**Author:** ![FaerieBeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e95f7d/32.png) [@FaerieBeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FaerieBeth)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2004, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-obssesion-with-band-names/256095/29 "2004-07-24T03:14:21Z")
> [@EddyTeddyFreddy](#): > > Naw, **Pizza Guy** , I can’t see sensible souls, like what we gots around here, getting caught up in such mundane, pointless frivolity. You need a truly warped perspective, a studied disregard for linear logic, to take some spontaneous glurge and turn it into a band name. Damn, **EddyTeddyFreddy** , you make this too eay! sensible souls pointless frivolity warped perspective studied disregard linear logic spontaneous glurge Woot! I love in jokes, especially when it makes me look like I almost fit in with the crowd…Almost, in a totally inane manner, anyway. FB ---
**Author:** ![The\_Asbestos\_Mango](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/edb3f5/32.png) [@The\_Asbestos\_Mango](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Asbestos_Mango)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2004, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-obssesion-with-band-names/256095/30 "2004-07-25T06:44:18Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > It’s a stupid thing. It annoys the everliving shit out of me. Perhaps it was funny the first hundred times, but now I swear every third thread on the SDMB has some jackass chiming in with “BAND NAME!!!” everytime an incongruous and unusual grouping of words occurs. Dammit, it’s not funny, clever, or original. Speaking for myself, when I do this, I’m not trying to be funny, clever, or original. I do it because I see an incongruous and unusual grouping of words, and I think it would be a great name for a band, and cannot suppress the urge to say so. My user name actually came from a “band name” moment I had in my business practices class when I was in the massage therapist program in community college. The instructor, who was a really cool guy, was talking about how we could boost our income earning potential if we “know how to do an asbestos mango wrap.” Asbestos mango? Band name! [sub]The Asbestos Mango, who was once in a band called The North American Giant Salamander[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2004, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-obssesion-with-band-names/256095/31 "2004-07-25T07:20:04Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#): > > Dare I say it? This thread reminds me of that **CITE** pit , sooner or later some one just had to say , cite ? lol Declan ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2004, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-obssesion-with-band-names/256095/32 "2004-07-25T23:51:31Z")
Those in this thread who are calling a band name for every other freaking word, you probably know this, but for others, the point of calling ‘band name!’ is to show two or three words that are funny when put together, words that would (hopefully) not be used for an actual band, not just a few words that are vaguely amusing, if you squint. Usually it’s done well, but right now it’s just getting annoying. ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2004, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-obssesion-with-band-names/256095/33 "2004-07-26T00:28:30Z")
> [@Trigonal Planar](#): > > I’m not sure I agree that Dave Barry started this. I’ve heard peers say “heh, now there’s a band name!” (or some variety thereof) for years. I think its a pretty natural “joke” to come up with. Well, Dave Barry’s been writing his column for 20 years… ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2004, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-obssesion-with-band-names/256095/34 "2004-07-26T00:40:10Z")
We can’t deny the possibility that it arose spontaneously from both Dave Berry and other creative people, even if he had already stated the idea in print. Meme theory ain’t all that. Go ahead, have at my post. (Proposed Ludovic’s Law: when you _don’t_ care if people use your posts for in jokes, they will _never_ occur! ---
**Author:** ![Rufus\_Xavier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@Rufus\_Xavier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rufus_Xavier)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2004, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-obssesion-with-band-names/256095/35 "2004-07-26T03:58:45Z")
Band Names: Meme Theory Ludovic’s Law ---
**Author:** ![SuperDuperMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecb155/32.png) [@SuperDuperMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuperDuperMan)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2004, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-obssesion-with-band-names/256095/36 "2004-07-26T04:21:23Z")
A quote from Reno 911 comes to mind. Officer Garcia:… He’d be like a sort of death leprachaun. Officer T. Junior: Dude, that’d be a wicked ass band name. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-obssesion-with-band-names/256095.md?page=1)