# 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:** 7
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2007, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-band-names/427888/121 "2007-11-29T08:18:56Z")
The late great BBC radio god John Peel gave me my answer. He once got a tape from a band called _Kick the Pregnant_. Nice. ---
**Author:** ![Tool\_of\_the\_Conspiracy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@Tool\_of\_the\_Conspiracy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tool_of_the_Conspiracy)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2007, 9:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-band-names/427888/122 "2007-11-29T09:33:52Z")
It’s not **Driving and Crying** , it’s **Drivin ‘n’ Cryin**. **The Sea and Cake** annoys me because their name is too easy to confuse with **Cake**. In an interview I read, **Garbage** joked that when they went to the ministry that issues band names, there were only two left, and they declined **Hootie and the Blowfish**. As a rule of thumb, band names should avoid misspellings, umlauts, and punctuation other than apostrophes and ampersands. Some more examples of artists that break these rules: …And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead cry.on.my.console Del Tha Funkee Homosapien Dizzee Rascal Dsico That No-Talent Hack The Go! Team Gorillaz The Mirror, The Target Phish Prozzak Redd Kross Relient K Those Darn Accordions! UNKLE 8½ Souvenirs I think some of these are bad enough to loop back to good, but I won’t say which: Dan Bern & the International Jewish Banking Conspiracy For Squirrels Gravity Kills Half Man Half Biscuit Noothgrush RIAA ---
**Author:** ![42fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/b487fb/32.png) [@42fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/42fish)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2007, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-band-names/427888/123 "2007-11-29T13:18:50Z")
[QUOTE=Argent Towers] You probably wouldn’t like **Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds** either. And yes, that’s Joe Frank, not Joe, Frank - the guy’s name was Joe Frank Carollo. [/QUOTE] The annoying thing for that name is it’s two members’ last names and the third guy’s first & middle names. Did someone miss the memo? It would be like CSN standing for Crosby, Steve and Nash. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2007, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-band-names/427888/124 "2007-11-29T13:44:17Z")
[QUOTE=Tool of the Conspiracy] Dan Bern & the International Jewish Banking [/QUOTE] That reminds me of “Honest Bob and the Factory-to-Dealer Incentives,” which is bad enough to loop back into good IMO, because it doesn’t inspire blind rage but is pretty memorable. But it also sounds like a phrase you might see in the paper and go “that would make a good…wait, no, it wouldn’t.” ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2007, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-band-names/427888/125 "2007-11-29T16:49:58Z")
There is a local band called [Phil Dirt & the Dozers](http://www.phildirt.com/About-Us.html), billing itself as “the nation’s #1 requested vintage rock n’ roll show”. Somehow I doubt this. You can go on a cruise with them. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2007, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-band-names/427888/126 "2007-11-29T16:56:10Z")
[QUOTE=fishbicycle] Yeah, it’s boring, but you know, it was 4/5 of Yes. [/QUOTE] They could have called themselves **Almost Certainly**. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2007, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-band-names/427888/127 "2007-11-29T17:01:36Z")
[QUOTE=Beware of Doug] They could have called themselves **Almost Certainly**. [/QUOTE] Or **Probably**. Or **Maybe**. ---
**Author:** ![Wee\_Bairn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90db22/32.png) [@Wee\_Bairn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wee_Bairn)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2007, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-band-names/427888/128 "2007-11-29T17:53:10Z")
Oddly, I can handle Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds, but don’t much care for Hamilton Joe Frank & Dennison. Sniff ‘N’ The Tears, though, is just repugnant. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2007, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-band-names/427888/129 "2007-11-29T18:22:24Z")
[QUOTE=It’s Not Rocket Surgery!] Boy, this is a looong way into this thread for me to be the first to mention: **Scraping Foetus off the Wheel** That’s the correct spelling, by the way. [/QUOTE] Actually, Foetus Inc. (Jim Thirwell) used different variants of the name for either band/album names. My favourite being “You’ve Got Foetus On Your Breath!” And what’s wrong with the spelling? ---
**Author:** ![ArizonaTeach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/45deac/32.png) [@ArizonaTeach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArizonaTeach)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2007, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-band-names/427888/130 "2007-11-29T18:39:15Z")
[QUOTE=Mark Ryle] Lovin’ Spoonful, 10cc [/QUOTE] Hunh. I had always heard 10cc’s name origin was an urban legend. Checking the Wikipedia thingee all the kids are raving about, I find not only an article the length of which seems staggeringly out of proportion for the band, but that the band members disagree on what it means. So now I am even more confused. Thank you soooo much Straight Dope. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2007, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-band-names/427888/131 "2007-11-29T22:01:23Z")
Yeah, and I never figured out if **Whitesnake** was supposed to be a penis or a spurt of semen. **Buzzcocks** had to be dildos. \*\*Dan Bern \*\* might have done better with \*\*The International \*\* Baking **Conspiracy**. At least we would have had bagels. ---
**Author:** ![gallows\_fodder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2007, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-band-names/427888/132 "2007-11-30T03:48:46Z")
Gruntruck (Is there any band out there with a made up word as a name that’s actually _good_? I defy you to find me one.) Blonde Redhead Magenta Skycode IAMX Frou Frou (_gag_) dEUS Shudder to Think (loved their music, though) Stone Temple Pilots ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2007, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-band-names/427888/133 "2007-11-30T03:52:58Z")
[QUOTE=Mayo Speaks!] The Band The Who The The My band would continue the “The” tradition and be called “The Hell?!” [/QUOTE] Awesome. 🆒 And as far as The Beach Boys being the ambassadors of “surf culture”, the late Dennis Wilson was the only of them who even surfed… ---
**Author:** ![DaveRaver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/daveraver/32/1078_2.png) [@DaveRaver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaveRaver)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2007, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-band-names/427888/134 "2007-11-30T04:08:12Z")
Frankie Goes to Hollywood ---
**Author:** ![Rachael\_Rage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/71c47a/32.png) [@Rachael\_Rage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachael_Rage)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2007, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-band-names/427888/135 "2007-11-30T04:12:56Z")
Another one for Pearl Jam. I was a fan in the early days and saw them live a couple of times, and then one day it hit me that if they were a crummy band I would have noticed a lot earlier how stupid their name was. …but what do I know? I like Hanson. ---
**Author:** ![Mike\_Fun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a9adbd/32.png) [@Mike\_Fun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mike_Fun)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2007, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-band-names/427888/136 "2007-11-30T17:48:40Z")
How about: _The Dayglo Abortions_ and _Rod Torfulson’s Armada featuring Herman Menderchuck_ Ok, the second one is fictional. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2007, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-band-names/427888/137 "2007-11-30T20:36:33Z")
[QUOTE=Rachael Rage] Another one for Pearl Jam. I was a fan in the early days and saw them live a couple of times, and then one day it hit me that if they were a crummy band I would have noticed a lot earlier how stupid their name was. [/QUOTE] Oh, yeah, another semen band name. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2007, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-band-names/427888/138 "2007-11-30T20:46:29Z")
[Pinky Tuscadero’s WhiteKnuckle AssFuck](http://www.pinkytuscadero.com/) ---
**Author:** ![Tragically\_Dip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/aeb1de/32.png) [@Tragically\_Dip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tragically_Dip)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2007, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-band-names/427888/139 "2007-11-30T21:03:03Z")
**Jon Cougar Concentration Camp** , with members who went on to be in the **Queers**. ---
**Author:** ![Mark\_Ryle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8dc957/32.png) [@Mark\_Ryle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mark_Ryle)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2007, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-band-names/427888/140 "2007-11-30T22:01:14Z")
[QUOTE=EJsGirl] And as far as The Beach Boys being the ambassadors of “surf culture”, the late Dennis Wilson was the only of them who even surfed… [/QUOTE] I meant (Post 85) the Beach Boys’ legacy, music-wise, will be _Surfin’ USA_, as opposed to _Pet Sounds_, not that they were themselves representatives of 60’s surf (or car) culture, although I was under the impression they _were_ that. Interesting they were not; except, as you say, Dennis Wilson. Brian Wilson wasn’t a surfer and John Lennon wrote “imagine no possessions.” Same thing. Doesn’t affect the song. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-band-names/427888.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-band-names/427888.md?page=8)