New bands having difficulty choosing names
Rushda:
October 8th, 2007
When one thinks of famous rock bands, the kinds of names that immediately come to mind are classics like Oasis or U2. But in recent years, new bands are having more and more difficulty in picking good names worthy of posters and T-shirts. A name says so much about a band, but unfortunately new bands seem to have very little alternative but to pick hopeless names such as Joe Lean and The Jing Jang Jong, which not only sounds ridiculous but is already being confused with two other tiredly named bands - the Ting Tings and the Jing Jings.
It’s now been over 50 years since the likes of the Beatles and the Clash were household names, and the creativity has certainly worn thin now with most of the witty puns and wordplays already being taken. The following are all recent examples of uninspiring band titles:
- Good Reads (often confused with Good Shoes, a similar band)
- The Rascals (acceptable if it hadn’t already been used a number of times before)
- The Dykeenies (you what now?)
- I Was A Cub Scout (a little juvenile…)
Nick Stewart from the recording industry, who also happened up U2 to Island Records, says that some bands underestimate how important it is to have a great, unique and catchy name. He says:
“It’s a problem because naming a band is as important as naming a brand. Bands like U2, Led Zeppelin and the Rolling Stones realised that choosing a name is part of designing a commercial product. The directness and clarity of their names helped sell millions of albums, tickets and T-shirts.”
The tunes may be great, the lyrics catchy, but ultimately many of these bands have really put any would-be success at risk by choosing obscure names that will not be remembered or appreciated by anyone.