How Bands Got Their Names: 80s Edition

So I found this book in a clearance bin of the local book store that's called, How Rock Bands Got Their Names by Adam Dolgins. It's 300 pages of stories behind bands and their monikers. I admit that I have a fascination which these trivial matters, but I avoid the subject during interviews because bands must be asked so many times about the subject.

In any event, here are some 80s bands and how they got their name, according to the book.

Galaxie 500: It's a type of 60s Ford car.

Crowded House: The band stayed in a cramped house in Hollywood during their early years. Hence, the name.

Quiet Riot: It was a variation on name suggestion from Rich Parfitt of Status Quo. Parfitt suggested Quite Right. With a thick British accent, it sounds like Quiet Riot.

Happy Mondays: Based on the New Order song, "Blue Monday."

Night Ranger: Remember that scene in Boogie Nights where the drug dealer plays this song? How awesome was that scene? Anyway, Night Ranger was the nickname of a homeless guy the band knew. The guy would take care of other homeless people, even though he was downtrodden himself.

Echo & The Bunnymen: The echo part comes from the echo beat box that the band used early on. McCullough made up Bunnymen so that the band would never be taken too seriously.

The Smiths: The band wanted an anonymous name, like John Smith, which lead into the Smiths.

Milli Vanilli: It's three-tiered. 1) An homage to Scritti Politti. 2) A club in Munich. 3) Turkish term for "positive energy."

Tears for Fears: I just got that sweet special edition of Songs from the Big Chair. Anyway, it's a phrase from the book, Prisoners of Pain by Arthur Janov, which was about primal scream therapy.

Madness: It's a song by ska-pioneer Prince Buster.

My Bloody Valentine: I actually knew this, but the band is named for a horror film. I vaguely remember seeing it as kid, before I even knew of the band

Simple Minds: It's a phrase found in the David Bowie song, "Jean Genie."

The Fixx: Yup, it's a druggie reference.

A-ha: The band turned to an unrecorded song by lead singer Morten Harket called "A-ha."

Comments

That was highly amusing.

[Lili]

Haha, Milli Vanilli definitely does not mean positive energy in Turkish. That was yet one more fake thing they claimed. It was actually the name of some German danceclub.