:: what's in a name?
It's something we've all queried from time to time. You're listening to a long player by - for instance - Crispy Ambulance and you can't help but wonder: 'Where did they get their name?'. Well, here at the Vicarage we'd like to help. It would be smashing to compile a definitive list, but parishioners may need to assist (particularly with Crispy Ambulance). In the meantime ...
FOREIGNER
Brit Mick Jones started the band in New York. He was a foreigner. Oh.
FOUR SEASONS
They auditioned for a local bowling alley, but failed. Nevertheless they adopted the name of the place: The Four Seasons. Generous.
GRAND FUNK RAILROAD
After a Michigan landmark, The Grand Trunk Railroad. Punny.
THE HOLLIES
Nothing to do with Buddy, they chose the name from some Christmas decs in Graham Nash's house. Seasonal.
IRON MAIDEN
Named after a medieval torture device. Of course.
JETHRO TULL
Their manager suggested the name of a British barrister and farmer who invented a device called the seed drill. Rural.
JUDAS PRIEST
From the Dylan song "The ballad of Frankie Lee and Judas Priest". Folky, surprisingly.
KISS
Paul Stanley says it was a name that sounded dangerous and sexy, denying the rumor that it stands for 'Knights In Satan's Service'. Sexy?
LOVIN' SPOONFUL
From the lyrics of John Hurt's "Coffee Blues". It's also slang for sperm. Sticky.
ABBA
From the initials of the first names of the band members: Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Anderson and Anni-Frid (Frida) Lyngstad. Snappy.
AEROSMITH
Borrowed from the book, 'Arrowsmith' by Sinclair Lewis. Tweaked for copyright reasons. Literary.
BEATLES
Stuart Sutcliffe named them the Beetles in tribute to Buddy Holly's Crickets. John Lennon tweaked it to The Silver Beatles, then The Beatles. Witty?
BAD COMPANY
From a 1972 Jeff Bridges movie. Cinematic.
CHEAP TRICK
They say a Ouija board told them what to call their band. Spooky.
CHICAGO
Originally known as 'Chicago Transit Authority', but after the city threatened legal action, the name was lopped. Local.
DEEP PURPLE
Ritchie Blackmore's nan said she liked the Bing Crosby song "Deep Purple". Elderly.
THE DOORS
From William Blake: 'If the doors of perception were to be cleansed, every thing would appear to man as it is, infinite'. Heavy.
ELTON JOHN
Reginald Dwight took his stage name from Elton Dean and Long John Baldry. Improvement.
From time to time The Vicar's likes to communicate with the parish via email. If you'd like to be added to his address book, just click below.
Intelligent life on planet rock.
New edition out now:
The magazine contains five (FIVE!) glorious, exclusive, brand-new interviews with the members of Radiohead by THE WORD's Andrew Harrison.
It's accompanied by particularly fine set of documentary pictures by new-to-WORD photographer Shamil Tanna. The shoot provides a peek into the band's private world as they rehearse at the Hospital Studios, London, where they recorded much of In Rainbows.
more >
welcome | pew tube | ask the parish | archive | letterbox | links | myspace site by mks:creative (c) The Rocking Vicar 2008
Navigation
