Bands whose names are a filthy lie

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1) The Thrills. Unless there's something thrilling about a pussy Irish bloke singing pussy songs about America.

― Wooden (Wooden), Saturday, 4 September 2004 13:05 (twenty-one years ago)

2) The Ramones. No wait, actually that's probably alright.

― Forksclovetofu (Forksclovetofu), Saturday, 4 September 2004 13:11 (twenty-one years ago)

3) The Killers. Unless somehow the music press missed a past history of slaughter/criminal records.

― emily kawasaki (emil.y), Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:02 (twenty-one years ago)

4) New Order. I am still waiting for them to announce their plans of world domination. In fact, I'm beginning to think that they don't actually have any.

― Barry Bruner (Barry Bruner), Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:04 (twenty-one years ago)

Although following the same logic almost all band names are defunct... which is pretty much true, being merely a random selection of words tied together bearing no relation to the sounds they make.

xpost

― emil.y (emil.y), Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:05 (twenty-one years ago)

Ah, I guess 5) Joy Division.

If you ignore the reference behind it - totally and utterly wrong.

― emil.y (emil.y), Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:06 (twenty-one years ago)

6) Oasis. A lie -- they do, in fact, exist.

― Barry Bruner (Barry Bruner), Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:07 (twenty-one years ago)

(ah, now I see Emily's point)

― Barry Bruner (Barry Bruner), Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:08 (twenty-one years ago)

Does the word "oasis" have anything to do with existence?

7) The New Radicals, who I adore, but are not 'new' or 'radical' in any sense.

― djdee2005, Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:09 (twenty-one years ago)

I think Barry's confusing 'Oasis' with 'mirage'.

― Wooden (Wooden), Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:10 (twenty-one years ago)

(shit, somehow I confused "oasis" with "mirage". I really shouldn't post so soon after waking up)

(xpost, Wooden, yes)

― Barry Bruner (Barry Bruner), Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:11 (twenty-one years ago)

8) Nirvana

the very opposite in fact

― Bumfluff, Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:12 (twenty-one years ago)

Dumbass no more :

9) The Beach Boys. (self-explanatory, yes?)

― Barry Bruner (Barry Bruner), Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:13 (twenty-one years ago)

10)Outkast - the common thread of American music taste could hardly be considered outcasts.

― djdee2005, Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:15 (twenty-one years ago)

11) Ben Folds Five

― My name is Kenny (My name is Kenny), Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:17 (twenty-one years ago)

12) The Thompson Twins

― My name is Kenny (My name is Kenny), Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:17 (twenty-one years ago)

13.) dEUS (although they do come close)
14.) Evil Superstars
15.) Beatles

― jesus nathalie (nathalie), Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:20 (twenty-one years ago)

16) The pet shop boys

― Bumfluff, Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:23 (twenty-one years ago)

17) Dire Straits. Mark Knopfler's millionaire status gives the lie to their name. Although they are dire, to be fair.

― noodle vague (noodle vague), Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:26 (twenty-one years ago)

18) Captain Beefheart. Unless Don was the recipient of highly illegal transplant surgery.

― noodle vague (noodle vague), Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:27 (twenty-one years ago)

19) Bruce Springstein

― Huck, Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:29 (twenty-one years ago)

20) Big Star

Points for ambition though

― Bumfluff, Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:29 (twenty-one years ago)

21) The Mighty Mighty Bosstones. 2 "Mighty"s too many.

― noodle vague (noodle vague), Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:31 (twenty-one years ago)

22.) The Marshall Tucker Band

― Pleasant Plains (Pleasant Plains), Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:31 (twenty-one years ago)

23) Keane. No, I most certainly am not.

― Wooden (Wooden), Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:32 (twenty-one years ago)

24) The Mahavishnu Orchestra

― Bumfluff, Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:35 (twenty-one years ago)

25) Grand "Funk" Railroad.

― noodle vague (noodle vague), Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:38 (twenty-one years ago)

24) The Mahavishnu Orchestra

Well, John McLaughlin called himself "Mahavishnu" at the time, and the band was led by him, so I think is the one example where the band name *doesn't* lie.

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:40 (twenty-one years ago)

Are they an orchestra? Are they? You just called them a band!

― Bumfluff, Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:42 (twenty-one years ago)

What's the definition of an orchestra? In Finnish at least you can use the word to describe any kind of musical combo, not just a full-size classical one, though the word "band" is more common when it comes to rock groups.

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:43 (twenty-one years ago)

Erm well I don't mean to get overserious about this, but they were a quintet (on the first few albums), thus they're a chamber group in classical terms, thus, not an orchestra.

― Bumfluff, Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:47 (twenty-one years ago)

26. blondie (they needed hair product to live up to the name)

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:47 (twenty-one years ago)

It's a great evocative name you know, but for the purposes of this thread it is a filthy lie

x-post

― Bumfluff, Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:48 (twenty-one years ago)

27. Fine Young Cannibals lied on at least 2 counts.

― noodle vague (noodle vague), Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:49 (twenty-one years ago)

The word "orchestra" or "ork" was used in the thirties at least when talking about jazz bands which certainly weren't the size of a classical orchestra.

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:51 (twenty-one years ago)

aren't all band names essentially filthy lies by the standards which we've set up here?

― party p00per (amateurist), Saturday, 4 September 2004 15:56 (twenty-one years ago)

28. Sugarcube -- Not glucose-based at all, as it turned out.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Saturday, 4 September 2004 16:12 (twenty-one years ago)

"25) Grand "Funk" Railroad."
Back in the day, DJ Afrika Bambaataa would extract a break-beat from "Inside Looking Out."
Anyway, it's all relative: GFR were certainly funkier than Ted Nugent or Three Dog Night.

― lovebug starski (lovebug starski), Saturday, 4 September 2004 16:43 (twenty-one years ago)

grand funk are totally funky.

― Fritz Wollner (Fritz), Saturday, 4 September 2004 16:45 (twenty-one years ago)

29. Dr Dre. Neither a doctor of medicine or an academic, however I'm sure he knows a thing or two about pharmaceutical substances.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Saturday, 4 September 2004 16:48 (twenty-one years ago)

30)LIMP BIZKIT. CUZ THEY ROCK HARD! *power chord*

― manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Saturday, 4 September 2004 16:49 (twenty-one years ago)

31. Motorhead. No, the usual flesh, blood and bone variety.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Saturday, 4 September 2004 16:54 (twenty-one years ago)

33. Adam & the Ants - Not actually insects, wouldn't ya know.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Saturday, 4 September 2004 17:01 (twenty-one years ago)

Interpol -- Actually just four dudes with ill-advised hair and not an international police agency.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Saturday, 4 September 2004 17:02 (twenty-one years ago)

Sisters of Mercy -- Not sibllings in the slightest, let alone female. And not ordained either. Naughty boys.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Saturday, 4 September 2004 17:04 (twenty-one years ago)

brilliant - you'd think with bill drummond and youth they could be, but alas, no.

the silicon teens - sadly no silicon enhancements or teens anywhere

― frenchbloke (frenchbloke), Saturday, 4 September 2004 17:07 (twenty-one years ago)

Sonic Youth - Not any more, at least.

― Pleasant Plains (Pleasant Plains), Saturday, 4 September 2004 17:35 (twenty-one years ago)

Carther The Unstoppable Sex Machine

― phil d., Saturday, 4 September 2004 18:29 (twenty-one years ago)

The Band. They were in fact... ok, they WERE just that. Happy?

― Chris Marx, Saturday, 4 September 2004 18:31 (twenty-one years ago)

Barenaked Ladies - more like Bunch of Fat Guys.

― Steve Beans, Saturday, 4 September 2004 19:02 (twenty-one years ago)

"Sonic Youth - Not any more, at least."
Half-right: they're still "sonic" if no longer young.

― lovebug starski (lovebug starski), Saturday, 4 September 2004 19:14 (twenty-one years ago)

Dead Kennedys: neither/nor.

― lovebug starski (lovebug starski), Saturday, 4 September 2004 19:16 (twenty-one years ago)

Butthole Surfers...well, actually, uh, NEXT...

― lovebug starski (lovebug starski), Saturday, 4 September 2004 19:20 (twenty-one years ago)

They Might Be Giants: more like Just A Couple Of Jerks

― lovebug starski (lovebug starski), Saturday, 4 September 2004 19:22 (twenty-one years ago)

Thread was made for:

The Dismemberment Plan
..And You Will Know Us BY THE TRAIL OF DEAD

― The Good Dr. Bill (Andrew Unterberger), Saturday, 4 September 2004 19:28 (twenty-one years ago)

Franz Ferdinand - warning: this is not, in fact, and exhumed archduke

The Strokes - this band does not consist of sudden losses of brain function causes by blockages or ruptures of blood vessels to the brain

Frankie Goes To Hollywood - although I'm sure they went to Hollywood at some point, none of them were named Frankie

― wetmink (wetmink), Saturday, 4 September 2004 20:16 (twenty-one years ago)

Was (Not Was)

They were originally called Weiss (Not Weiss) because one of them had the surname "Weiss". They made the alteration to stop people thinking they were a foreign act!!

― JTS, Saturday, 4 September 2004 20:26 (twenty-one years ago)

Rage Against The Machine - A major label band with MTV videos, Lollapalooza appearances, corporate rock mag interviews - they actually made quite a bit of money for the "machine".

― AaronHz (AaronHz), Saturday, 4 September 2004 20:29 (twenty-one years ago)

The Boredoms

― joseph pot (STINKOR™), Saturday, 4 September 2004 20:44 (twenty-one years ago)

Dead Can Dance - no they can not.

― Jack Battery-Pack (Jack Battery-Pack), Saturday, 4 September 2004 20:45 (twenty-one years ago)

The Pretty Things - they were quite the opposite.

― Jack Battery-Pack (Jack Battery-Pack), Saturday, 4 September 2004 20:46 (twenty-one years ago)

Slaughter - most misleading bandname evah?

― joseph pot (STINKOR™), Saturday, 4 September 2004 20:51 (twenty-one years ago)

Dead Can Dance - no they can not.

HAhahaahahahaha

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Saturday, 4 September 2004 21:38 (twenty-one years ago)

Slayer -- they've never slain anyone.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Saturday, 4 September 2004 21:38 (twenty-one years ago)

except musically...

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Saturday, 4 September 2004 21:56 (twenty-one years ago)

Violent Femmes

― ken taylrr (ken taylrr), Saturday, 4 September 2004 21:59 (twenty-one years ago)

until they're all dead, the Dead Boys seems like a put-on

― ken taylrr (ken taylrr), Saturday, 4 September 2004 22:00 (twenty-one years ago)

The Police - nope, just a band

― ken taylrr (ken taylrr), Saturday, 4 September 2004 22:01 (twenty-one years ago)

Boston

― john allen (john allen), Saturday, 4 September 2004 22:01 (twenty-one years ago)

The Cure - most of their stuff makes me ill.

― daavid (daavid), Saturday, 4 September 2004 22:08 (twenty-one years ago)

I'd like to refute the devine Miss Emily's nomination for The Killers. I happened to see them at a summer festival a month or two ago, and they were so spectacularly awful that I have become suicidial, I think they must do the same thing as that video in "The Ring" and are indeed, life un-afirmingly killing.

Oh and I'd like to nominate, well its more the inclusion on the compilation album "Young Gifted and Black" that is the contradiction, which has 49 fantastic ska and bluebeat tracks, and 'Big Seven' by Judge Dread. Not only is Judge Dread not a legal professional who inspires terror, he isn't a futuristic legal cartoon charater. He isn't young, gifted or black either, he's a bit like what you would get if you hit Anthony Worrel Thompson with an ugly stick. Pointles as that would seem to be. And the track was shite too. For Ska-Smut stick to Max Romeo.

― cateran, Saturday, 4 September 2004 22:31 (twenty-one years ago)

Dwarves... they're all tall, right?

― ken taylrr (ken taylrr), Saturday, 4 September 2004 22:56 (twenty-one years ago)

Young Black Teenagers
Chinese Girls

Barry White
Frank Black

― Pleasant Plains (Pleasant Plains), Sunday, 5 September 2004 00:32 (twenty-one years ago)

Sonic Youth - Not any more, at least.

Nor back in the day when Regan Youth and Beastie Boys really were "youth". SY were 22 somethings from the get go.

― Venus Glow (1411), Sunday, 5 September 2004 00:44 (twenty-one years ago)

mathew good

― dysøn (dyson), Sunday, 5 September 2004 01:21 (twenty-one years ago)

Sophistry is the last refuge of a scoundrel.

― Forksclovetofu (Forksclovetofu), Sunday, 5 September 2004 05:03 (twenty-one years ago)

Sublime

― My name is Kenny (My name is Kenny), Sunday, 5 September 2004 06:38 (twenty-one years ago)

The Tragically Hip
Foreigner (or were any of them?)

― sundar subramanian (sundar), Sunday, 5 September 2004 06:38 (twenty-one years ago)

Too Much Joy......

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Sunday, 5 September 2004 06:40 (twenty-one years ago)

Average White Band

― My name is Kenny (My name is Kenny), Sunday, 5 September 2004 06:43 (twenty-one years ago)

Three Doors Down

― Pleasant Plains (Pleasant Plains), Sunday, 5 September 2004 12:49 (twenty-one years ago)

Extreme (they were anything but)

― Siegbran (eofor), Sunday, 5 September 2004 12:59 (twenty-one years ago)

Obviously Frank Beard from ZZ Top owns this thread...

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 5 September 2004 16:29 (twenty-one years ago)

Teenage Fanclub.

In the six or seven gigs I've been to, I haven't seen anyone under the age of 25 in the audience.

(Not that that meant they weren't totally great, of course.)

― Ranking Rupert (Ranking Rupert), Sunday, 5 September 2004 17:38 (twenty-one years ago)

dyson make a funny.

― Kim (Kim), Sunday, 5 September 2004 17:48 (twenty-one years ago)

Pizzicato 5--neither Italian nor five people

― Allyzay Science Explosion (allyzay), Sunday, 5 September 2004 18:12 (twenty-one years ago)

Cher UK. They're not Cher! They're from Missouri! Outrageous!

Also, Gay Dad.

― Arthur (Arthur), Sunday, 5 September 2004 19:14 (twenty-one years ago)

The Wedding Present. (as far as I know never given as a gift on any occasion, never mind a wedding)

― Jamie Fake (the pirate king), Sunday, 5 September 2004 21:11 (twenty-one years ago)

Abysmal - they're fucking great!

― Siegbran (eofor), Sunday, 5 September 2004 22:24 (twenty-one years ago)

The Normal

― Kim (Kim), Monday, 6 September 2004 16:19 (twenty-one years ago)

Er. Bumfluff doesn't obviously understand The Pet Shop Boys then. (16), with a name like that you'd expect him to be nearer the mark.

- PIXIES. Not. And they exist. Are they a mirage? Are they an oasis? Or are they "Taboo" the other KAK drink from 80s wine bars?
- DINOSAUR JR. Neither.
- Slaughter & The Dogs. ?
- The Dead Milkmen. Well as a career they died.(Sad really - very funny) but Milkmen they never were.
- The Flaming Lips. Wayne Coyne's mouth has to date never actually caught fire........

― polecat syphilis, Tuesday, 7 September 2004 15:54 (twenty-one years ago)

His Name Is Alive

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Tuesday, 7 September 2004 15:55 (twenty-one years ago)

i gave a wedding present cd as a part of a wedding present once.

― peter smith (plsmith), Tuesday, 7 September 2004 15:59 (twenty-one years ago)

Talk Talk - even when they were going Mark Hollis did anything but.

― neil tacus (tacit), Tuesday, 7 September 2004 16:01 (twenty-one years ago)

courtney love (the band, that is, the one featuring lois maffeo)

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Tuesday, 7 September 2004 16:01 (twenty-one years ago)

Mayhem.

Oh, hang on.

― Michael Philip Philip Philip Annoyman (Ferg), Tuesday, 7 September 2004 16:02 (twenty-one years ago)

Teardrops can not explode.

― Michael Philip Philip Philip Annoyman (Ferg), Tuesday, 7 September 2004 16:02 (twenty-one years ago)

i am the world trade center.

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Tuesday, 7 September 2004 16:03 (twenty-one years ago)

The Music haha oh my.

― Michael Philip Philip Philip Annoyman (Ferg), Tuesday, 7 September 2004 16:04 (twenty-one years ago)

"Er. Bumfluff doesn't obviously understand The Pet Shop Boys then. (16), with a name like that you'd expect him to be nearer the mark."

I evidently don't. Care to explain if it's not too embarassing for you? Also what's this - (16) ?

― Bumfluff, Tuesday, 7 September 2004 16:17 (twenty-one years ago)

sonic "youth"

― kephm (kephm), Tuesday, 7 September 2004 16:25 (twenty-one years ago)

Living In A Box.

At least, I hope they weren't.

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Tuesday, 7 September 2004 17:41 (twenty-one years ago)

The Only Ones (no they were not the only recording artists known to history).

― j.lu (j.lu), Tuesday, 7 September 2004 17:46 (twenty-one years ago)

A joke, no matter how cutting, can not actually kill.

― nickn (nickn), Tuesday, 7 September 2004 21:42 (twenty-one years ago)

Ain't too much distance tween Slaughter and Laughter so I don't think they're that far off.

BURNIN BRIDGES FALLING DOWN GOT A NASTY REPUTATION FROM TOWN TO TOWN!!!

― aa, Wednesday, 8 September 2004 00:13 (twenty-one years ago)

The Saints
!!! (Most of their songs are in 4/4, so !!!! would be closer.)

― dave225 (Dave225), Wednesday, 8 September 2004 00:29 (twenty-one years ago)

courtney love (the band, that is, the one featuring lois maffeo)

"Courtney Love" isn't Courtney Love the person's real name either so that works both ways.

― AaronHz (AaronHz), Wednesday, 8 September 2004 00:43 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh, a whole new seam becomes apparent-

Elton John
No, Reg Dwight, actually.

― Wooden (Wooden), Wednesday, 8 September 2004 00:45 (twenty-one years ago)

I don't think The Mothers Of Invention actually gave birth to any.

― jim wentworth (wench), Wednesday, 8 September 2004 01:21 (twenty-one years ago)

"1) The Thrills. Unless there's something thrilling about a pussy Irish bloke singing pussy songs about America."

I like Wooden's post because it's not just talking about whether the band's name works, logistically.

"The Jam" is not a noodling jam band but has some damn tight arranging, por ejemplo.

― Thea (Thea), Wednesday, 8 September 2004 01:24 (twenty-one years ago)

..as s opposed to not deserving their name because they don't consist primarily of fruit and sugar.

― Thea (Thea), Wednesday, 8 September 2004 01:28 (twenty-one years ago)

David Bowie
nope, David JONES

― AaronHz (AaronHz), Wednesday, 8 September 2004 01:50 (twenty-one years ago)

aargh

― Thea (Thea), Wednesday, 8 September 2004 01:51 (twenty-one years ago)

It's a Beautiful Day

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Wednesday, 8 September 2004 13:54 (twenty-one years ago)

Captain Beefhart's heart is most definitely NOT made of beef.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Wednesday, 8 September 2004 14:25 (twenty-one years ago)

Iggy Pop
Cocteau Twins

― t''t, Wednesday, 8 September 2004 14:36 (twenty-one years ago)

Captain Beefhart's heart is most definitely NOT made of beef.
-- nickalicious (nickaliciou...), September 8th, 2004

but conceivably his heart might be beefy?

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Wednesday, 8 September 2004 14:45 (twenty-one years ago)

A joke, no matter how cutting, can not actually kill.

You just haven't heard it yet.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 8 September 2004 15:09 (twenty-one years ago)

Savage Garden. Ooh, they were just so savage!

― briania (briania), Wednesday, 8 September 2004 15:16 (twenty-one years ago)

Flock of Seagulls -- Not a gull in the bunch
Kiss -- Huh?
Def Leppard -- All humans who can hear
Cinderella -- No beautiful princesses there

― cw28 (cw28), Wednesday, 8 September 2004 15:20 (twenty-one years ago)

Sweet -- no they weren't.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 8 September 2004 15:25 (twenty-one years ago)

Sloan. Not only were they NOT POSH, but they came from CANADIA - a million miles away from Sloane Square!

― Super-Masonic Black Hole (kate), Wednesday, 8 September 2004 15:27 (twenty-one years ago)

Quiet Riot. They are neither.
The Pastels - I've only ever seen Stephen wear primary colors.

― mike a, Wednesday, 8 September 2004 15:56 (twenty-one years ago)

The Postal Service -- No they're not.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 8 September 2004 16:21 (twenty-one years ago)

The Mentors. No way did those guys ever serve as "wise and trusted counselors or teachers."

― mike a, Wednesday, 8 September 2004 16:33 (twenty-one years ago)

Hahaha

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 8 September 2004 16:36 (twenty-one years ago)

BUMFLUFF.

(16) because I was referring to point 16 on the board. Pet Shop Boys are members of a certain sexual persuasion who enjoy the entry of small rodents into their back passage (anus). Hence the name of the band. Not embarrassing for me I prefer larger animals. All smiles here.

― polecat syphilis, Thursday, 9 September 2004 14:32 (twenty-one years ago)

TELEVISION
THE SEX PISTOLS - not a working gun among them
The Crash Test Dummies - if only it were true
The Trashcan Sinatras - although I suppose metaphorically and philosophically this could be argued
The Swell Maps - although f**king great but no cartography
The Television Personalities - None of them have ever been on TV EVER
The Smiths

― polecat syphilis, Thursday, 9 September 2004 14:36 (twenty-one years ago)

Ween doesn't wean you off anything!

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Thursday, 9 September 2004 14:39 (twenty-one years ago)

8) Nirvana
the very opposite in fact

-- Bumfluff (yy...), September 4th, 2004.

Then they should have been called Samsara?

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Thursday, 9 September 2004 15:01 (twenty-one years ago)

Any band named after someone who isn't actually in the band. I'm looking at you, Jethro Tull, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Franz Ferdinand.

― mike a, Thursday, 9 September 2004 15:04 (twenty-one years ago)

The United States of America. That would have been, what, 225 million people in the late '60s? Yet I only count five people on the album cover.

― mike a, Thursday, 9 September 2004 15:06 (twenty-one years ago)

In that case, the Presidents of the United States of America. Clearly not politicians.

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Thursday, 9 September 2004 15:08 (twenty-one years ago)

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