PatrickJ Posted June 28, 2020 Share Posted June 28, 2020 Evening Chaps, rather than start a new band name thread I figured I'd jack this one that Bubinga5 started last year. I've been missing playing with a band in recent months and earlier this week I had an idea for a new project I'm really excited about. I came up with a name for it this evening that I really like and think works well for this thing but when researching it I found a band up north formed last year with the same name. What are the collective thoughts on just going with it anyway? After all they are up North and I'm in the South East, musically we'dbbe reasonably different and I'm not looking to start the next big thing touring the UK and Europe, low key and local is really all I'm looking for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctor J Posted June 28, 2020 Share Posted June 28, 2020 Would you think the same if you had the name first and the roles were reversed? It sounds like you’re trying to justify yourself “borrowing” a name already in use. Just take it on the chin and come up with something of your own. You’ll be happier in the long run. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewblack Posted June 28, 2020 Share Posted June 28, 2020 We had some great band names play at our little venue back in the day. Masters Of Fung Ku were a great band, Loud Ugly and Crap had the most accurately descriptive name, Lob The Keeper, The Best Band In The World Ever (2) - people just shortened to The Best Band which did no harm. I get frustrated at band name choosing time because my ideas are always superb, but the band always goes for something dull and uninspired. But then I guess 90% of the audience and venues don't really care that much so its probably not worth getting my knickers twisted over. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewblack Posted June 28, 2020 Share Posted June 28, 2020 7 hours ago, PJ-Bassist said: After all they are up North and I'm in the South East, musically we'dbbe reasonably different and I'm not looking to start the next big thing touring the UK This is the salient point. The last band name decision we made was so obvious we found a couple of others using it. But they were nowhere near us geographically so we went with it. One of them actually contacted us via social media trying to find out how long we'd been using the name. We reassured them that a) we play totally different circuits and b) we're so good that if they get confused with us it won't do them any harm. They'll probably be able to raise their fee 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted June 28, 2020 Share Posted June 28, 2020 (edited) Probably the most divisive, time wasting and ultimately pointless thing any band has to go through. Fortunately, the two bands I’m currently in didn’t take too long deciding (but it’s always too long) a name and I don’t think anyone in the bands doesn’t like them (which is unusual). The easiest thing is to have a diva in the band (most likely the singer or lead guitarist, but not always) and call it the ‘Insert name here’ Band. The obvious exception to this is if you’re a tribute band and then you’re back to my original rant whilst you try and come up with something ‘clever’. Gosh, I sound bitter. I’m really not. Edited June 28, 2020 by ezbass 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silky999 Posted June 28, 2020 Share Posted June 28, 2020 Funk Soul Brother....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted June 28, 2020 Share Posted June 28, 2020 One of my covers bands has had our band name used by another after we started ours and the other 50s and 60s band ended up using a name already in use by several bands (which we hadn't spotted initially). Obviously best if you've got something unique, but not worth getting too hung up about if you then find it's a duplicate. If folk are precious about it they can trademark the name. Otherwise it remains available for anyone to use. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted June 28, 2020 Share Posted June 28, 2020 But maybe there is a difference here between an originals band and covers bands? Covers bands like mine really can't get too arsey about ownership of band names: it's not like any of us are paying royalties every time we cover other folks songs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted June 28, 2020 Share Posted June 28, 2020 Just name the band after a fictitious band member. The Alf Sprog Band, The Tim Smith Band, The Johnson Boris Band, The Harold Wilson Funkateers etc etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpondonBassed Posted June 28, 2020 Share Posted June 28, 2020 7 minutes ago, chris_b said: The Harold Wilson Funkateers I'd pay to see that. Can you imagine the brass section? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleabag Posted June 28, 2020 Share Posted June 28, 2020 My last band was a Funk outfit ( no jazz really ) and we ended up with What The Funk. They're still going, though i left 6 months ago. Other than that.. TRAGO MILLS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stub Mandrel Posted June 28, 2020 Share Posted June 28, 2020 I was in a band named after a seedy movie no-one has ever seen... although Wikipedia reckons it won a Razzie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted June 28, 2020 Share Posted June 28, 2020 14 hours ago, PJ-Bassist said: I've been missing playing with a band in recent months and earlier this week I had an idea for a new project I'm really excited about. I came up with a name for it this evening that I really like and think works well for this thing but when researching it I found a band up north formed last year with the same name. What are the collective thoughts on just going with it anyway? After all they are up North and I'm in the South East, musically we'dbbe reasonably different and I'm not looking to start the next big thing touring the UK and Europe, low key and local is really all I'm looking for. When we first wanted to call ourselves The Junkyard Dogs - oooh, 10 years ago now - we found that there was (i) a well-established covers band by that name oop North, and (ii) a sort-of scrumpy & western outfit in the West Country called Hobo Jones & The Junkyard Dogs. On balance, we decided to leave the name alone and went out for a while as The Brentford Nylons ("we do loose covers"). Then we discovered that the Northern band was folding and calling it a day. We waited a few months, and then re-named ourselves The Junkyard Dogs. Inevitably, the following year they re-formed! Too late ... the deed was done. In the last eight years we've never once been confused with Hobo Jones, and we've only ever had a single booking enquiry intended for the Northern band. The real issue is whether or not your marketing could possibly overlap with theirs. We use exclusively Facebook and Lemonrock. The latter doesn't seem to exist North of Milton Keynes so no problem there, and though it it is widely used in Hobo Jones country we're saved by the filing issue; we're a J and they're an H. That just leaves FB, and so far that's never been an issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacDaddy Posted June 28, 2020 Share Posted June 28, 2020 2 hours ago, Happy Jack said: When we first wanted to call ourselves The Junkyard Dogs - oooh, 10 years ago now - we found that there was (i) a well-established covers band by that name oop North, and (ii) a sort-of scrumpy & western outfit in the West Country called Hobo Jones & The Junkyard Dogs. On balance, we decided to leave the name alone and went out for a while as The Brentford Nylons ("we do loose covers"). Then we discovered that the Northern band was folding and calling it a day. We waited a few months, and then re-named ourselves The Junkyard Dogs. Inevitably, the following year they re-formed! Too late ... the deed was done. In the last eight years we've never once been confused with Hobo Jones, and we've only ever had a single booking enquiry intended for the Northern band. The real issue is whether or not your marketing could possibly overlap with theirs. We use exclusively Facebook and Lemonrock. The latter doesn't seem to exist North of Milton Keynes so no problem there, and though it it is widely used in Hobo Jones country we're saved by the filing issue; we're a J and they're an H. That just leaves FB, and so far that's never been an issue. And also no confusion with any WWE wrestlers: 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stub Mandrel Posted June 28, 2020 Share Posted June 28, 2020 15 minutes ago, MacDaddy said: And also no confusion with any WWE wrestlers: Somewhat ironic given how the WWF pandas beat the crap out of them in the 90s 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stub Mandrel Posted June 28, 2020 Share Posted June 28, 2020 There's a Rory Gallagher tribute called Brute Force and Ignorance, but they are in France... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
odysseus Posted June 28, 2020 Share Posted June 28, 2020 10 hours ago, stewblack said: I get frustrated at band name choosing time because my ideas are always superb, but the band always goes for something dull and uninspired. I can relate to this. I'm not saying my ideas were superb but they were certainly better than anything else suggested. Quite often in bands there is one person who decides that they are going to be choosing the name, and it's usually easier to let them get on with it. I just want to jam and write.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elom Posted June 28, 2020 Share Posted June 28, 2020 Quick fix: Take the name you thought of and stick a colour in front or after it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewblack Posted June 28, 2020 Share Posted June 28, 2020 Orange Baboon I like it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassTractor Posted June 28, 2020 Share Posted June 28, 2020 Agent Orange I like it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctor J Posted June 28, 2020 Share Posted June 28, 2020 Blue None. Meh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul S Posted June 29, 2020 Share Posted June 29, 2020 My Bon Jovi tribute band started life as a covers band called The Wayward Sons. Then another band appeared by that name and enjoyed a certain amount of fame. By that time we were headed down the Bon Jovi route and called ourselves Just Jovi - and there is another Bon Jovi tribute in Scotland called Just Jovi. It has led to confusion a couple of times. IIRC the singer of the Scottish version asked our singer if he could dep for him. I may have made that up, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewblack Posted June 29, 2020 Share Posted June 29, 2020 I wanted to call our Madness trib, I Can't Believe It's Not Madness. Incorporating the margerine tub font and everything. I was so pleased with myself. They just stared at me. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
songofthewind Posted June 29, 2020 Share Posted June 29, 2020 20 minutes ago, stewblack said: I wanted to call our Madness trib, I Can't Believe It's Not Madness. Incorporating the margerine tub font and everything. I was so pleased with myself. They just stared at me. Philistines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctor J Posted June 29, 2020 Share Posted June 29, 2020 Best Madness tribute is in Madrid... Juan Step Beyond 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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