Bands you refuse to listen to because their name is awful

[BristolEcho]

Not to sure on "I hate models" the bits of music I've heard aren't really that interesting either.

 

[Smokeandsteam]

To be fair, I haven't listened to Working Men's Club yet.

You should. It’s excellent. Obvious influences, but still much better than their name (which put me off listening to them for a while)

 

[Knotted]

OK I get where Working Mens Club are coming from. They're retro 80's gothy synth pop band and their name evokes the some of the awkward and/or professionally northern bands of that time (I'm thinking Curiosity Killed the Cat or the Flying Pickets) while referencing a John Cooper Clarke poem. That's retro boomer cool you daft boomers. I'm not especially enamoured by the music but I'd buy the t-shirt. Sometimes urban just gets everything wrong.

 

[Idris2002]

Har Mar Superstar

 

[Favelado]

OK I get where Working Mens Club are coming from. They're retro 80's gothy synth pop band and their name evokes the some of the awkward and/or professionally northern bands of that time (I'm thinking Curiosity Killed the Cat or the Flying Pickets) while referencing a John Cooper Clarke poem. That's retro boomer cool you daft boomers. I'm not especially enamoured by the music but I'd buy the t-shirt. Sometimes urban just gets everything wrong.

It's too on the nose. It's the same as calling yourself 'The Chippy' or 'Spinning Jenny Accident'. Do they go on stage with a kestrel?

 

[Brainaddict]

I wanted to refuse to listen to Post Punk Podge and the Technohippies. But I did listen and, well, I did listen again:

 

[Knotted]

It's too on the nose. It's the same as calling yourself 'The Chippy' or 'Spinning Jenny Accident'. Do they go on stage with a kestrel?

It's retro, there's at least a dab of irony in there. Obvious if you listen to the music.

 

[killer b]

I understand Working Mens Club started out as more of the pale white indie rock band their name suggests before a line-up change and change in sound a couple of years ago.

 

[cloudyday]

Fuck Buttons

 

[Favelado]

It's retro, there's at least a dab of irony in there. Obvious if you listen to the music.

But even the irony of the name is a bit too transparent. Irony can be badly done too.

Fur-Q "The killings were clearly ironic".

 

[Favelado]

Despite the connotations and controversy around the name New Order, I am glad they didn't go for 'The Witch Doctors of Zimbabwe', which was mooted.

 

[Knotted]

But even the irony of the name is a bit too transparent. Irony can be badly done too.

Fur-Q "The killings were clearly ironic".

I think it still works because it's retro. I don't see it as trying to be clever just a certain 80's anti-cloth caps northern chic.

Anyway I've changed my tagline to bask in some of the reflected cool of the band.

 

[Knotted]

I've listened to two songs by them now. And I'm not listening to any more. It's music we've all heard before. Nice and novel for the zoomers but why bother the rest of us with it?

 

[fishfinger]

Crispy Ambulance

 

[Smokeandsteam]

I've listened to two songs by them now. And I'm not listening to any more. It's music we've all heard before. Nice and novel for the zoomers but why bother the rest of us with it?

You are trying too hard. It is what it is. I’m never going to embed them in my soul but the album is excellent: icy 80’s synth washes, heavy NO theft - in fact Factory plunder all round, NRG, MES impersonations and definite Lawrence influence.

Music can be fun....

 

[Knotted]

You are trying too hard. It is what it is. I’m never going to embed them in my soul but the album is excellent: icy 80’s synth washes, heavy NO theft - in fact Factory plunder all round, NRG, MES impersonations and definite Lawrence influence.

Music can be fun....

Oh I'd gladly go see them if they're playing locally, they're perfectly good and what's wrong with reliving the 80's? But it's all old hat isn't it, they're not filling a burning New Order shaped hole in my life because New Order fills that already. They're the modern equivalent of Kula Shaker (another "badly named" but consciously retro and frankly redundant band).

 

[Knotted]

Talking about badly named redundant retro bands. Greta Van Fleet. Except they're genuinely badly named and completely redundant. I've still listened to one or two of their songs.

 

[Brainaddict]

btw I do think some urbanites will like Post Punk Podge despite the truly terrible name

 

[Favelado]

Swing Out Sister isn't a good name.

 

[cloudyday]

You are trying too hard. It is what it is. I’m never going to embed them in my soul but the album is excellent: icy 80’s synth washes, heavy NO theft - in fact Factory plunder all round, NRG, MES impersonations and definite Lawrence influence.

Music can be fun....

the working men’s club in the village I grew up in used to have punk gigs on late 70s early 80s and was often used by Crawling Chaos (Factory Records) as a practice space.

 

[Favelado]

Sixpence None The Richer is a terrible band name.

 

[Cloo]

Pigeon Detectives - I mean, really.

 

[CNT36]

There was a band around here called Marvin and the Gayes who got bullied into changing their name to I say Marvin. That was the last I heard of them.

 

[xenon]

Bands with bad names aren't bands that are cool, trend setting, market savvy and probably aren't trying to be. They immediately rub up against our various senses of musical tribalism and musical cool which are things we should be fighting anyway. These bands might not be making good overall artistic statements, but to be fair most bands are just groups of musicians just doing good stuff or not as the case may be.

I like the Horselords album from last year. Mathy rock with some microtonal fussing and yeah I'm into that and that. The album says nothing in terms of a broader societal statement. I find their name quite cringy because I remember naff fantasy novel from the 80's of that name and an even naffer computer game associated with it. But my life is one big steaming pile of cringe so that's fine. (One Big Steaming Pile of Cringe - there's a band name right there!)

Working Mens Club sound like they are making some sort of statement with their name. Maybe there's some level of irony involved, maybe not. Maybe, probably, their name is one big error of judgement, but they're just musicians not icons and if anything that's a reassuring fact to be reminded of.

I listen to things for the music not the t-shirts. It's only those of us who grew up before the age of streaming who care about the "does it look cool when I'm carrying the LP under my arm?" aesthetic anyway.

that’s fair. But names like tofu love frogs, just make me want to kill. I presume they are insufferable hippies. unless it’s ironic, which it might be but I don’t feel compelled to check.
Bong are good though, yes Fairplay killer b I started listening to Thoughts and Existence last night.

 

[krtek a houby]

Afro-Celt Soundsystem

The name was a turn on. Great band.

 

[hitmouse]

I take it you're not a Sun Ra fan. His 'Arkestra' had a new ridiculous name on every album.

Oh yeah, Sun Ra's one of those I vaguely think of as being probably a good thing, important in his time and all that, but have never really actively felt an urge to listen to. I do really like Mt Zion tbf, I just wish they'd stop playing silly buggers with their name.

btw I do think some urbanites will like Post Punk Podge despite the truly terrible name

Oh, that reminds me of another one - I was really put off A Page of Punk at first because I assumed that any band who feel the need to put their genre in their name would be the most... well, generic kind of crap. As it turns out, they're not really particularly pushing any boundaries or anything, but they are a truly excellent live band.

Ho99o9 are yet another for the "I do listen to them but resent them being called that" list.

 

[flypanam]

Teeth of the sea.

I’ve got one of their records can’t bring myself to play it.

 

[Favelado]

Teeth of the sea.

I’ve got one of their records can’t bring myself to play it.

One of their band members also awful person.

 

[Favelado]

Arctic Monkeys must regret getting stuck with that.

 

[Knotted]

that’s fair. But names like tofu love frogs, just make me want to kill. I presume they are insufferable hippies. unless it’s ironic, which it might be but I don’t feel compelled to check.
Bong are good though, yes Fairplay killer b I started listening to Thoughts and Existence last night.

Not heard of Tofu Love Frogs but I've looked them up in a spirit of "no badly named band gets left behind". They were a celtic folk/punk rock band in the 90's. They did a song about Anti-Fascist Action. I like them. I guess their name is self-deprecating/ironic/absurd. Sure they could have done with a better name, but really I'm not bothered.