Friday, September 27, 2024

Weekend Listomania: Special "And Everybody Knows That an Acuff-Rose is a Rose is a Rose is a Rose" Edition

Well, it's Friday, and you know what that means.

And if you do, you're better off than me because, once again, current events have got me so flummoxed I can't for the life of me come up with a new version of the obligatory jokes about my Oriental manual catharsis supervisor Fah Lo Suee I used to do as intros to Weekend Listomania.

Oh well, I guess we'll have to move directly to business. To wit:

BEST OR WORST POST-ELVIS GROUP OR SOLO ARTISTS' NAME!!!

By which we mean, of course, made up names, although if you care to nominate somebody's cool real-life handle -- like, say, Ersel Hickey -- I'll cut you some slack, rule-wise. But let's be honest -- most bands and/or solo acts spend more time coming up with a smart-ass moniker than they do honing their initial songwriting and performance skills.

And my Totally Top of My Head Top Six is:

6. Teenage Jesus and the Jerks

The only band name I ever laughed out loud at the first time I read it. Don't care for their music, but I must admit to a sneaking affection for their splendidly-yclept lead screamer Lydia Lunch.

5. The Angry Samoans

Those guys were a rock critic's band, if memory serves (guitarist "Metal Mike" Saunders was a fanzine notable, right?). In any case, the name itself derives from Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, which makes it cool kind of by definition.

4. The Dead Kennedys

I always liked these guys, including their politics, and thought they were really funny, but that said I always found the name offensive.

3. The Butthole Surfers

See above, except I always found the name amusing.

2. The Floor Models

Oh come on -- you had to know I was gonna sneak those guys in there somewhere.

And the all-time coolest nom de rock of all time, it's not even a contest is...

1. The Rolling Stones

Seriously -- it's perfect. And I gotta say, had those guys named themselves after a different Chicago blues song -- as The Pretty Things, say -- I don't think they would have had remotely the same career they've actually had.

Alrighty then -- what would YOUR choices be?

And have a great weekend, everybody!!!

[h/t Marshall Chapman for the title joke]

38 comments:

Anonymous said...

The Weasels. Describes them perfectly. Really perfectly. I mean really really really perfectly.

Captain Al

mistah charley, sb, ma, phd, jsps said...

1/I always thought that Elvis Costello and the Imposters was a cool moniker - not only is his real name not Elvis, it is not Costello either - and those guys are not really imposters, they are the actual band

2/Utopia's "Deface the Music" had a cool title and concept, and I really like the back cover photo of them titled "outstanding in their field"

https://tinyurl.com/intheirfield

Tim Walters said...

Great bands, terrible names:
The Swimming Pool Q’s
Art Bears
The Beatles

steve simels said...

Heh.

Anonymous said...

Pansy Division

Sal Nunziato said...

3 Teens Kill 4 No Motive. You couldn't walk five feet in the East Village in the early 80's without seeing their posters or stencils on lamp posts.

steve simels said...

Oh god, I remember them. Hilarious.

Gummo said...

Back in the staunch anti-commie days, Gang of Four was a bold name choice for a band.

Anonymous said...

When I was in Teaneck High School (Steve’s Alma mater too) in 1964 and everyone was forming their bands, there was a friend of mine there named Dan Drapp. I BEGGED him to start a band called “Dan Drapp and the Drips”. He said he would only if I agreed to be the head drip. I declined.
We started the Weasels instead.
Jai Guru Dave

Anonymous said...

…where I indeed became the head drip.

steve simels said...

You wear it well, my friend.

Gummo said...

In the late 1970s, there was a great bar covers band working the LA suburban area called Snotty Scotty and the Hankies. They did a great unhinged version of White Punks on Dope.

steve simels said...

Love it!!!!

Allan Rosenberg said...

Weird Names:

$27 Snap on Face
Rubber Chicken Rebellion (From Peekskill, NY in the late 1960's)
Cody Jarrett
Ephemeral

You can tell I like the goofy names!

And Names I loved!

Jefferson Airplane
Quicksilver Messenger Service
Grateful Dead
(They were great at naming bands in San Francisco)
X
Buffalo Springfield (or as I nicknamed them to myself)
"Buffalo Beanbag"

Steve:

What was the name of the viking band that The Hounds played with: Cyd Arthur?
What was their name if I'm incorrect?

I may keep this up all day!

Captain Al










Anonymous said...

mojo nixon and the toad liquors
smegma
humphrey and the dumptrucks
10CC and Steely Dan ( sex references)
rs

Anonymous said...

Pigbag
British Punk-Funk-Brass band of the 80's
One of their hits: "Papa's Gotta Brand New Pigbag"

Anonymous said...

It's A Beautiful Day?

BG said...

The Raspberries. That's a girl group.

pete said...

The Band

Best of all? The Beatles. Who else? It's a triple pun.

Anonymous said...

Not only did the Dead Kennedys have a classic name (in a genre full of them, with Dayglo Abortions being probably my favorite), but they surely win for best 'best of' comp name in 'Give Me Convenience Or Give Me Death'. And, given punk's aptitude for offensive/funny naming, the Angry Samoans' 'They Saved Hitler's Cock' is right up there in the funny song titles sweepstakes.
C in California

Alzo said...

My band shared practice space with a group called Dog at Large. They were looking to rename. I had just watched King Kong and suggested they call themselves Faye Wraygun. A week later, they were Naked Raygun. Underground legends who famously inspired the young Dave Grohl.

edward said...

My favorite DC band of the New Wave era - Tru Fax and the Insaniacs.

Robert B Mullen said...

Let's see ...
United States of America
Chumbawamba (WTF ?)
Circle Jerks
Eire Apparent
The Ruttl
Hooibishaes

cthulhu said...

The Fugs was a pretty good name. And Tonio K. is probably a reference that many would have to look up, so it’s hip enough for me.

Then there were the psychedelic-era bands like Chocolate Watchband, Strawberry Alarm Clock, Moby Grape, that name-wise I thought were trying too hard regardless of how good their music might be.

But in the end, the name that still seems cooler than hell to me, is…the Who. Or “the ‘Ooh” as it might get pronounced on the other side of the pond.

Anonymous said...

I saw Naked Raygun between All Rise and Jettison, and on approach to the club, my bud & I thought we were hearing a recording, only to find out they were doing a soundcheck. Jeezus they were tight. Most powerful punk show I ever saw.
C in California

danny1959 said...

The Kinks, of course.

getawaygoober said...

Root Boy Slim and the Sex Change Band
local garage band Stool Sample

MJConroy said...

Toad the Wet Sprocket
The Battered Wives (punk band from Toronto)

Guypinot said...

Swedish all-women surf band...The Surfragettes

steve simels said...

Okay, now I wanna hear their music.

mistah charley, sb, ma, phd, jsps said...

maybe a different band with the same name - they are said to be from Toronto - but doing "paint it black/pipeline" instrumental mashup

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38L7AvbZEWk

Anonymous said...

1910 Fruit Gum Company

Anonymous said...

Worst - The Satisfied Sponge (L.A. club band circa 1967-1968)

VR

Anonymous said...

One of the weirdest, Danish surf band: The Tremolo Beer Gut
https://thetremolobeergut.bandcamp.com/

- Paul in DK

steve simels said...

Heh,

Anonymous said...

Kinky Friedman and the Texas Jewboys

Anonymous said...

Worst: The Hydraulic Raisins (Inland Empire club band - short-lived)

VR

JD Goldberg said...

These are both names of long ago bands of mine:
Revenge of the Lau Lau
Douglas James and His Jugless Dames