# Worst band names **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 27, 2007, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-band-names/427888 "2007-11-27T05:54:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Staggerlee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/staggerlee/32/3134_2.png) [@Staggerlee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Staggerlee)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2007, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-band-names/427888/21 "2007-11-27T14:55:55Z")
[QUOTE=Ludovic] My second vote’s for Incubus. Now, it’s not a _bad_ name. In fact, it’s a pretty freakin good name. But I hate the fact that they have it and they suck. [/QUOTE] So they should be called Succubus, then? ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2007, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-band-names/427888/22 "2007-11-27T15:04:14Z")
The String Cheese Incident ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2007, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-band-names/427888/23 "2007-11-27T15:25:37Z")
[QUOTE=MrDibble] Any band that uses the Heavy Metal umlaut that _isn’t_ Blue Öyster Cult. [/QUOTE] Hey, **Mr. Dibble** , I have **Mötörhead** holding for you on Line 1. They want to kill you. 😉 My picks: Revolting Cocks Anal Cunt Metallica (sorry guys) ---
**Author:** ![I\_m\_No\_Saint](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/977dab/32.png) [@I\_m\_No\_Saint](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_m_No_Saint)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2007, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-band-names/427888/24 "2007-11-27T15:27:22Z")
Queens of the Stone Age. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2007, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-band-names/427888/25 "2007-11-27T15:35:00Z")
There was that Columbus band called The Dead Schembechlers, but they did show some class and disband immediately after Bo died. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2007, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-band-names/427888/26 "2007-11-27T15:39:54Z")
Pretty much any one or even two-word band name makes me roll my eyes. I’m pretty sure you aren’t the first band to call yourself “Defenestration” or “Fuzzbox.” ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2007, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-band-names/427888/27 "2007-11-27T16:13:54Z")
Hoobastank always gets my vote. And for some reason, The Sea and Cake pisses me off - maybe because when I heard the name, I thought it was supposed to be meaningful and symbolic. Apparently just a misprint or mis-hearing or something. ---
**Author:** ![NailBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecae2f/32.png) [@NailBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NailBunny)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2007, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-band-names/427888/28 "2007-11-27T16:21:17Z")
I really like a lot of the band names listed here. However, **Hoobastank** makes me a little nauseous everytime I hear it. What in god’s name do you have to be thinking to decide that’s a good choice? I mean, their music sucks, but I’d be ambivalent toward them if it weren’t for their suckass name. As it is, I despise them. And…I love their music, but **Butthole Surfers** is pretty bad. ---
**Author:** ![ShadowFacts](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shadowfacts/32/2934_2.png) [@ShadowFacts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadowFacts)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2007, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-band-names/427888/29 "2007-11-27T17:21:12Z")
[QUOTE=Mayo Speaks!] The Who [/QUOTE] Mind your tongue, heathen! 😉 I nominate Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. ::hurl:: Looks like Hoobastank is running away with it, though… ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2007, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-band-names/427888/30 "2007-11-27T17:31:03Z")
[QUOTE=ShadowFacts] I nominate Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. ::hurl:: [/QUOTE] I always thought it was a great name. Is it that you don’t recognize the [film reference](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047677/), or that you recognize it and still think it’s lame? ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2007, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-band-names/427888/31 "2007-11-27T17:37:18Z")
[QUOTE=williamweigand] [QUOTE=Mosier] Purposeful wrong spelling bothers me. Limp Bizkit and Linkin Park are the worst offenders, but there’s a nearly endless list of band names that substitute Z for S or do some other stupid creative spelling bullshit. [/QUOTE] I hope you’re not including The Beatles in this. [/QUOTE] I was gonna say: This is hardly a new phenomenon (The Beatles, The Monkees, Led Zeppelin, etc.) ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2007, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-band-names/427888/32 "2007-11-27T17:48:43Z")
[QUOTE=Mosier] Purposeful wrong spelling bothers me. Limp Bizkit and Linkin Park are the worst offenders, but there’s a nearly endless list of band names that substitute Z for S or do some other stupid creative spelling bullshit. [/QUOTE] [QUOTE=williamweigand] I hope you’re not including The Beatles in this. [/QUOTE] Two points: - To my knowledge, the Beatles are the ones who popularized purposeful wrong spelling, only to see it perpetuated. If the band is good, the familiar-yet-different appeal of a purposely misspelled name is a strong “brand.” - However, I would nominate The Beatles and Led Zeppelin to this list. Most of the other nominees - e.g., Hoobastank, etc. - do, in fact suck. The Beatles are my favorite band of all time and Zep is up there, too - but take away the brilliant songs and personalities, the layers of legend and the imprint that each name has on our collective consciousness and both are pretty stupid. Of all the various insect names - The Crickets, The Yellowjackets, Adam and the Ants, etc. - “the beetles” doesn’t have nearly the same pop - at least Crickets are musical insects and Jiminy Cricket was a popular character. “Beetles” as a word just sounds like…well, bugs. And Led Zeppelin was an inside joke and has a big, Germanic, heavy sound to it (okay Zeppelins were airships, but the Led part was heavy) - but in basic type and sound, is not much different than Linkin Park or Limp Biskit. It’s just that Zep is one of the greatest bands of all time and so they’re able to rock their silly name just fine - the other two are just stupid names. I agree with another earlier poster who pointed out Metallica - another case of a band transcending their stupid name with great music… ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2007, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-band-names/427888/33 "2007-11-27T17:56:40Z")
Gay Bikers On Acid. The name of this Canadian group upset both homosexuals and motorcyclists to the extent that they had to change the spelling of their name and have their album artwork changed to read “Gaye Bykers On Acid.” ---
**Author:** ![HoboStew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f17d59/32.png) [@HoboStew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoboStew)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2007, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-band-names/427888/34 "2007-11-27T17:57:10Z")
Funny thing is a lot of bands with bad names I like. I agree with: Neutral Milk Hotel Queens of the Stone Age !!! Death Cab For Cutie Death From Above 1979 I’ll add **Yo La Tengo** to the list. Totally stupid name, totally misleading. I refused to listen to them at first because of their name, which is a shame because they are one of the best bands out there. (& yes I know the story behind it and its still stupid) ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2007, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-band-names/427888/35 "2007-11-27T18:01:43Z")
Stereolab ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2007, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-band-names/427888/36 "2007-11-27T18:07:36Z")
[QUOTE=HoboStew] I’ll add **Yo La Tengo** to the list. Totally stupid name, totally misleading. [/QUOTE] Misleading how? Because it’s Spanish? ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2007, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-band-names/427888/37 "2007-11-27T18:08:19Z")
[QUOTE=thelurkinghorror] Pretty much any one or even two-word band name makes me roll my eyes. I’m pretty sure you aren’t the first band to call yourself “Defenestration” or “Fuzzbox.” [/QUOTE] Yes, but perhaps “Fuzzbox\_47,” “Myfuzzbox,” or “Fuzzboxonline” are still available. ---
**Author:** ![Mahna\_Mahna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47c2d/32.png) [@Mahna\_Mahna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahna_Mahna)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2007, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-band-names/427888/38 "2007-11-27T18:15:29Z")
Ditto also on Hoobastank. The name is probably the only thing that sounds worse than their music. Also, band names that I can’t figure out how to pronounce at first glance: !!! (chk chk chk… good band, crappy name) MSTRKRFT (I pronounce this one as “pretentious wanks”, actually) CKY Oh, and IDM musicians seem to have a tradition for picking awful names: Venetian Snares Prefuse 73 Boards of Canada Plaid ---
**Author:** ![ArizonaTeach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/45deac/32.png) [@ArizonaTeach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArizonaTeach)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2007, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-band-names/427888/39 "2007-11-27T18:18:44Z")
[QUOTE=MrDibble] Any band that uses the Heavy Metal umlaut that _isn’t_ Blue Öyster Cult. [/QUOTE] [Wrong.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/This_Is_Sp%C4%B1n%CC%88al_Tap) ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Dave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/46a35a/32.png) [@Great\_Dave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Dave)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2007, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-band-names/427888/40 "2007-11-27T18:25:09Z")
[QUOTE=fishbicycle] Gay Bikers On Acid. The name of this Canadian group upset both homosexuals and motorcyclists to the extent that they had to change the spelling of their name and have their album artwork changed to read “Gaye Bykers On Acid.” [/QUOTE] The president of a college around here might take offense… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-band-names/427888.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-band-names/427888.md?page=3)