Wednesday, June 15, 2005

So what makes a band name funny?

As mentioned in yesterday's Varsity Basketweaving post, my friend Paul relaunched the Worst Band Names page on his Web site, which reminded me of the best criterion for coming up with a funny band name.

Some might argue it involves a bad pun, imagery that mixes the abstract with the concrete or gimmicks involving misspelled words, but for me, it's very simple. The rule of "Is this a funny band name?" can best be explained in Madlib form.

Picture yourself at a concert for one of your favorite up-and-coming bands at your neighborhood rock club. Like you, there are about 100 or so people swarming in front of a stage, waiting to see your new favorite local band, but while you're waiting, there's this Emo/punk/metal guy fronting another band and moping over a microphone in between songs. He's listless, cranky and just wants to wrap up the set so he can return to hitting on the bartender who wants nothing to do with him. Four songs into his set, he puffs on a cig and drones:

"Hey, we're __________. Thanks for coming out tonight. This will be our last song but come say hello afterwards. Or whatever."

******

Okay, now try this with some of the names I've come up with over the years. See which ones make you laugh:

"Hey, we're Love Compartment. Thanks for coming out tonight. This will be our last song but come say hello afterwards. Or whatever."

"Hey, we're Manual Lewis. Thanks for coming out tonight. This will be our last song but come say hello afterwards. Or whatever."

"Hey, we're The Homeless Romantics. Thanks for coming out tonight. This will be our last song but come say hello afterwards. Or whatever."

"Hey, we're Fatslapper. Thanks for coming out tonight. This will be our last song but come say hello afterwards. Or whatever."

"Hey, we're The Alabastards. Thanks for coming out tonight. This will be our last song but come say hello afterwards. Or whatever."

"Hey, we're The Social Moors. Thanks for coming out tonight. This will be our last song but come say hello afterwards. Or whatever."

"Hey, we're The Fuglies. Thanks for coming out tonight. This will be our last song but come say hello afterwards. Or whatever."

"Hey, we're Woolery Mammoth. Thanks for coming out tonight. This will be our last song but come say hello afterwards. Or whatever."

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