Band names impeding enjoyment of music
 

Do any of you have this problem I have? If a band has a silly band name, or an overly ridiculous image, I find I'm very unable to enjoy their music except under very unusual circumstances. Somehow, if I can't take them seriously on that most basic level as their name, I wonder how serious anything they put out can be on any level, be it music, idealogical, or whatever. I don't think this has actually prevented me from hearing anything good, so far, but who knows. I can't be the only guy like this, right?

Well sometimes band names put me off from checking them out (My Bloody Valentine) but they don't actually put me off the music when I hear it. Same goes for images.

i'd probably listen to clap your hands say yeah more often if they were named something else

like clap.

I can only think of names that help. Swollen Members anyone?

Not really, but bad names often put me off checking them out to begin with which is pretty shallow

A band's name doesn't usually discourage me from initially listening to their music, but sometimes later when I'm trying to tell someone about the band and I say their name outloud, I might realize how stupid it sounds and be discouraged from talking about it or listening to it openly. So I guess in that sense it impedes my enjoyment of their music.

i still think finger eleven should have stuck with their original name - the rainbow butt monkeys.

The good thing in my case was that I would discover a nice song on the radio and then look for it or just listen and not see the videos so that I never was too influenced by this. If a song is good, I like it, I don't care what name does the group have.

Do you judge a book by its cover? I do sometimes I suppose. The same thing goes for bands with ridiculous names or vice versa. I couldn't wait to listen to Butthole Surfers, for example, because I thought their name was bad-ass.

I don't think its been an issue as of late, but it probably was in my youth. I recall refusing to listen to Meatloaf when I was a kid because it reminded me of a food I hated at the time.

Meatloaf has since became one of my favorite foods.

I just thought of a pretty good example. Actually, I thought of it last night, but it was getting late even for unemployed people like myself. The Turkish black metal band ...Aaaarrghh... has what is easily one of the most ridiculous names I've ever heard. I mean, c'mon, it's not even a word, just a sound. You feel stupid even saying it, and it has so much unnecesary punctuation, I hate that. So pretencious. However, they are actually not a bad band. Not amazing stuff, mind you, but not without it's charm. Kindof the 1349 school of blastic straight forward bm, though for quality I'd rank them a bit higher, maybe with swedens fluke super group War (a band with the opposite problem with their name, something so indistinquished you wonder how much creativity actually went into it...). C'mon, ...Aaaarrghh...?! Just say it out loud, with the pauses and everything. Geez...

Incubus probably.

Incubus is a cool name. What's better, though, is that there was a death/thrash band from Georgia called Incubus back in '86 and they were awesome. Much better than the transvestite alternative rock band of today. There was another death metal Incubus too, from Florida, but they weren't. And another NWOBHM Incubus, but that's getting really obscure.

yeah, bad names usually put me off. just like if a board member has a retarded handle, it's hard for me to take the member seriously as well.

Are you trying to tell me something?

Dragonforce. It's hard for me to take them seriously.

I don't think they take themselves all that seriously either.

I'm not a huge fan of bands that use punctuation in random places, or bands that are just punctuation.

Examples:

Godspeed You! Black Emperor
!!!

I find names like "Death Cab for Cutie" and "...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead" to be incredibly cheesy, although I don't base their music off of it.

I know the name sounds like it's straight from Power Rangers or something...

Yeah... maybe Digimon or some sh!tty kids anime show as well.

According to Mike Einziger, Incubus was just some random word they picked out of the dictionary, they didn't choose that name for any other reason than that it sounded cool.

Which is misleading seeing as Incubus sound anything but cool.

A lot of bands use the random word out of a dictionary method such as r.e.m

Oh STFU already. Stop dissing 99% of all the f*cking music I like or I'm going to revert back to my obsessive anti-Indie ranting like I used to.

-To Ethan.

r u talking to me?

Saying they're not cool could imply they sound hot. Which is a compliment.

I hate the cliche metal and hardcore band names. Except Strapping Young Lad I like that.

But bands like Lamb Of God (even though I somewhat enjoy their music), and 3 inches of blood and **** like that that just annoys me

possibly. unless you really are a satanic skinhead. in that case, your handle is commendable but your being is detestable.

Actually, yes I am one. If that means you don't like me, then, oh well I guess...

I actually really loved the name of Incubus. It made me want to listen. So I did...and a few minutes later I desisted.

I've actually checked bands out before just because of their name, like !!!.

Hmm, the name Tool always prevented me from checking them out. I thought that was silly of me, and so I did check them out eventually...and came away wishing I'd stuck to my previous disposition.

I love them, but it took a long time and alot of 'Sounds like a bunch of ***gots' comments from my friends before could get them into the Flaming Lips.

The Flaming Lips doesn't strike me as a particularly out-there name :s

I hate bands who's names make them out to be worse than they are.

A good example of this is The Cardiacs who sound like some shitty Oi / 2nd gen punk act rather than the wonderful psychadelic , avant garde post punk band they actually are.

I guess the name doesn't bother me too much - I still listen to Hoobastank!

Teenage fanclub