Bands with Confusing Names
 

As a fan of metal, where band names are often unsubtle to the point of brainlessness (Possessed, Slayer, Metallica, Iron Maiden, Anthrax, Burn the Priest, Mayhem, Death, etc), a lot of the more esoteric band names strike me as silly to the point of absurdity. I realize that there is likely some artistic reason for these names, but my numbskull mind sill rebels, even if such names are still fun.

I invite people to give examples of such weird names that confuse them, amuse them, impress them, etc. You can just list them, you can explain them (either your examples or those of others), you can mock them, you can condemn entire genres for their naming pretensions, or whatever.

Here a few that I can't help but feel are just arbitrary for the sake of being arbitrary (most of them are probably indie bands):

Andrew Jackson Jihad
Animal Collective
Cage the Elephant
Portugal. The Man
Neutral Milk Hotel
Death Cab for Cutie
Yo La Tengo
Gay for Johnny Depp

And it may not be a band name, but Stereolab's Emperor Tomato Ketchup is too stupid not to be stupid.

I Wrote Haikus About Cannibalism In Your Yearbook

Wilco: reminds me of Costco for some reason.

U2: Me too? is that what their name means?

Yo la tengo: Means 'I have it' in spanish, Good band but i always found their name a little weird. it's a good kinda weird though

Taking back Sunday: Who took it??

And you will know us by the trail of the dead: it sounds cool but it's definitely a mouthful.

I always assumed it was a reference to the word used by people communicating by radio meaning "will comply".

It's a reference to a type of American spy plane that was shot down by the Soviets in the 60s, leading to an international incident.

It's apparently a reference to a funny baseball anecdote.

Sounds like something Briks would do.

Half Man Half Biscuit always confused me.

I think they have a fairly literal name actually. Rather than being an actual band, I think they consider themselves more a collective of solo musicians. And a lot of them have stage names involving animals. Hence they're an "animal collective".

Christianity?

Jefferson Airplane is a bit unusual as well.

Here's the Mother lode of bad/weird band names...

Weird Band Names