WHO NAMED THE BAND: The Dungarees fit perfectly
Naming a country band is just as difficult as naming a rock band. It’s like branding a cow – to use a simile country folk may be familiar with. The cow doesn’t want to be branded. It resists the branding iron, because it hurts. Yet once the scar has healed the cow barely notices the […]
WHO NAMED THE BAND: King of Foxes fierce and fragile
Olivia Street decided to come up with a band name rather than use her own as a way to “protect the art” – and also to avoid the stigma of the singer-songwriter. It’s there. Sorry about that. King of Foxes is a good band name. It works on many levels. “Fox” is slang for a […]
WHO NAMED THE BAND: Scenic Route to Alaska beautiful and mysterious
With their abundant talent, deep Alberta roots, strong work ethic and a career on the rise, Scenic Route to Alaska is the perfect subject for Who Named the Band – an ongoing series of essays in which much more than just the unusual or ridiculous band name is examined. Scenic Route to Alaska plays the […]
WHO NAMED THE BAND: Captain Tractor sails 20 years
It’s hard to be taken seriously when your band name is a joke. “Captain Tractor” was coined 20 years ago by an actual comedian, one Neil Grahn, current TV guy and former member of Edmonton’s legendary comedy troupe Three Dead Trolls in a Baggie. He was playing on the “superhero” idea for his friends, a […]
WHO NAMED THE BAND: Nashville Pussy raises the badass bar
The challenge in picking a really cool band name is that you have to live up to it. This shall now be known as the Nashville Pussy Impetus. The band plays the Pawn Shop Sunday with the like-minded Supersuckers. (Cussing below, reader discretion advised.) “You can’t call yourself something great and then suck,” says lead […]
WHO NAMED THE BAND: Bruce Conte gladly wears Tower of Power albatross
There will be no horns on Bruce Conte’s stage – nor will he be playing any Tower of Power songs. Wait a minute – what?! Yes. Truth in advertising. He’s moved on. He played Friday at Festival Place. The original guitar player on What Is Hip? and all those other great songs points out […]
WHO NAMED THE BAND? The Trews wear the pants
When people are constantly asking about your band name, chances are you have a silly one. Ask the Trews about their name. Go ahead. They won’t mind. The band whose name means “trousers” in Scotland – not to be confused with “pants,” which the Brits call underwear – opens for Kid Rock at Rexall Place […]
Men Without Hats dream of aliens
The road tales were fun. Now it’s time to conduct another microscopic examination of another seemingly trivial matter in the world of rock bands – the band name. This week’s guest: Men Without Hats, a new wave blast from the past this Friday at the Century Casino. The very process of naming a band goes […]
