It feels so right that I'm doing my last blog post of 2012 on what would have been my mom's 80th birthday. A lot of people have influenced me to celebrate creative expression, but she would have been the first. Later this evening, we will lift a glass to her memory. Meanwhile, some band names to celebrate as we close out one year and begin another:
Best Band From Earth
I love that it's "from," not "on." This implies that there could be an interplanetary battle of the bands. That's the only kind of interplanetary battle I want to see.
Bright White Lightning
This has a nice rhythm, with the repeated long i and percussive t sounds, as well as being a concise description of a discharge of energy. It snaps.
Burn All the Liars
Oh, no! No writer is safe!
Hatters For Hire
This has an old-fashioned air, like a sepia-toned photograph of men in vests, bowlers, and waxed mustaches. It also evokes "Caps for Sale," a children's story first read to me by Captain Kangaroo when I was a preschooler. You find nostalgia in the oddest places.
Ohm Wrecker
Love those science puns.
Naming a band is an act of concentrated creative expression. Square Pig in a Round Hole exists to reward five favorite band names each week. Winners are listed alphabetically. Selection is wholly unscientific and subject to whim, with a bias toward wordplay, humor, and local flavor. In most cases, I won't know anything about the bands at the time of selection. Thanks to the Seattle Times club listings for abundant source material!
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Saturday, December 22, 2012
December 22, 2012
Once again, the world did not end. Now the days grow longer and time rocks on.
Astronauts in Airballoons
Hard for me to pass up any band name with a space reference. Now, you can't quite get to space in a balloon -- maybe this the landing system.
Chin Up Rocky
Hokey-smoke! A Bullwinkle reference!
Contraband Countryband
A clever pun, and an implication of mischief afoot. This should be a good party.
Das Booty
Not just a play on the familiar, but a bilingual play that goes off in an entirely new direction.
Vocal Few
Cliches are a reliable source of fun band names, and this is no exception. I sure hope this is a harmony group.
Astronauts in Airballoons
Hard for me to pass up any band name with a space reference. Now, you can't quite get to space in a balloon -- maybe this the landing system.
Chin Up Rocky
Hokey-smoke! A Bullwinkle reference!
Contraband Countryband
A clever pun, and an implication of mischief afoot. This should be a good party.
Das Booty
Not just a play on the familiar, but a bilingual play that goes off in an entirely new direction.
Vocal Few
Cliches are a reliable source of fun band names, and this is no exception. I sure hope this is a harmony group.
Saturday, December 15, 2012
December 15, 2012
It's hard to focus today on something so apparently trivial as band names. Yet bands and band names represent creativity and music and friendship -- light in a dark, dark world.
An Amiable Medley
This is just so mild and comforting. I like it when bands have opposite day.
The Cockadoodle Spaniels
I like the goofy nonsense of it. The two words don't have anything obvious to do with each other, except that they end with the same sound.
San Benedicto Rock Wren
OK, it has rock in it, and wrens are amazing singers, so it works in goofy, nerdy kind of way.
Whiskey Syndicate
I literally met these guys on the street as they were packing their gear for a show in Winthrop. They are celebrating their first anniversary as a band, so congratulations! I've noticed there are a lot of bands in town with whiskey in their name. I like this one because it sounds like a formal organization (though the band seems really laid back).
Wildcat! Wildcat!
I am delighted by the urgency or enthusiasm denoted by the exclamation points. There are lots of double-word bands, but not many so energetically punctuated.
An Amiable Medley
This is just so mild and comforting. I like it when bands have opposite day.
The Cockadoodle Spaniels
I like the goofy nonsense of it. The two words don't have anything obvious to do with each other, except that they end with the same sound.
San Benedicto Rock Wren
OK, it has rock in it, and wrens are amazing singers, so it works in goofy, nerdy kind of way.
Whiskey Syndicate
I literally met these guys on the street as they were packing their gear for a show in Winthrop. They are celebrating their first anniversary as a band, so congratulations! I've noticed there are a lot of bands in town with whiskey in their name. I like this one because it sounds like a formal organization (though the band seems really laid back).
Wildcat! Wildcat!
I am delighted by the urgency or enthusiasm denoted by the exclamation points. There are lots of double-word bands, but not many so energetically punctuated.
Saturday, December 8, 2012
December 8, 2012
One of the fun parts of doing this blog is seeing how many of the bands I blogged about early on are still out there playing, as much as two years later. (Because now I know how hard it can be to keep a band together, especially if your rehearsal spaces keep getting bulldozed like happened to Pouch -- twice!) This week alone, I recognize Man Without Wax, Peace Mercutio, Astronautilus, I The Mighty, A Lot Like Birds, Spinning Whips, We Say Bang, Huckle, Really Big Beard, Belmont Whips, DJ Leopold Bloom, Afraid of Figs, Campfire OK, Pocket Panda, and Snaketopus. I would still pick any one of these today. Good job, everyone! And yet I still find new ones every week:
How to Dress Well
I really want to see the fashion advice book by a Seattle rock band. Jeans, t-shirt, flannel, and sensible shoes . . .
Indecisive Rhythm
It hasn't got a good beat and you can't dance to it? Either they're terrible but painfully honest, or so awesome that they not only don't have to brag about it but can get away with the opposite.
Kaleidosaur
Turtlesaur
I would have picked either of these on its own -- I like turtles and kaleidoscopes, and adding "-saur" to practically anything makes it stand out -- but seeing two in one week seemed like fate.
Prehumanity
This must be some serious roots music.
How to Dress Well
I really want to see the fashion advice book by a Seattle rock band. Jeans, t-shirt, flannel, and sensible shoes . . .
Indecisive Rhythm
It hasn't got a good beat and you can't dance to it? Either they're terrible but painfully honest, or so awesome that they not only don't have to brag about it but can get away with the opposite.
Kaleidosaur
Turtlesaur
I would have picked either of these on its own -- I like turtles and kaleidoscopes, and adding "-saur" to practically anything makes it stand out -- but seeing two in one week seemed like fate.
Prehumanity
This must be some serious roots music.
Saturday, December 1, 2012
December 1, 2012
Your Mother Should Know is recording a new song this afternoon, so I have to keep this brief -- only four bands instead of five. Let's get to it:
Buffalo Jones
Johnny Unicorn
I was delighted to find these two on the same bill. They use the same format -- name + animal -- but in reverse of each other, so there's balance.
The Cocktail Revisionists
This sounds serious and academic, except -- cocktails.
Swingset Showdown
I don't know how I've gone this long without mentioning this band. I know they've made the short list in the past, but somehow never got into the top 5. I love the childish aggression of it. Tickled to learn that the drummer works at my neighborhood video store, so there's a micro-local connection, too. And they sound like the goofy kid brothers of Curtains for You!
Buffalo Jones
Johnny Unicorn
I was delighted to find these two on the same bill. They use the same format -- name + animal -- but in reverse of each other, so there's balance.
The Cocktail Revisionists
This sounds serious and academic, except -- cocktails.
Swingset Showdown
I don't know how I've gone this long without mentioning this band. I know they've made the short list in the past, but somehow never got into the top 5. I love the childish aggression of it. Tickled to learn that the drummer works at my neighborhood video store, so there's a micro-local connection, too. And they sound like the goofy kid brothers of Curtains for You!
Saturday, November 24, 2012
November 24, 2012
Post-Thanksgiving, I continue to give thanks for live music in general, the local scene in particular, and especially for my own fellow performers. And for the steadfast love and support of my family, especially the generation of my parents, aunts and uncles. As this protective layer is being eroded by death, I feel grateful and prepared for whatever the universe plans to dish out. We lost my Uncle Jim this week, a smart, talented, and warmhearted man. We never persuaded him over to the rock & roll side of things, but he appreciated as much as I do humor, wordplay, and making music with your friends. So here's to him.
Dreamwreck
When your dreams leave you high and dry, start a band and go off to dream again.
Midnight Salvage Co.
I didn't think of this when I made my selections, but this one goes nicely with the previous entry. I had thought this referred to some kind of illicit activity, but perhaps they're saving what they can out of wrecked dreams. (Full disclosure: I believe at least some members share my alma mater, the University of Puget Sound).
More of Anything
At once vague and abundant.
Said the Whale
So is Said the whale's name, or is this the attribution for a lost bit of dialogue? Perhaps from a story in the Squid Action Adventure genre!
Walk Off the Earth
On Thanksgiving, our twenty-one-year-old future rocket scientist was explaining gravitational and orbital science to his nine-year-old cousin. Part of the discussion included what would be required to jump or walk off the earth.
Dreamwreck
When your dreams leave you high and dry, start a band and go off to dream again.
Midnight Salvage Co.
I didn't think of this when I made my selections, but this one goes nicely with the previous entry. I had thought this referred to some kind of illicit activity, but perhaps they're saving what they can out of wrecked dreams. (Full disclosure: I believe at least some members share my alma mater, the University of Puget Sound).
More of Anything
At once vague and abundant.
Said the Whale
So is Said the whale's name, or is this the attribution for a lost bit of dialogue? Perhaps from a story in the Squid Action Adventure genre!
Walk Off the Earth
On Thanksgiving, our twenty-one-year-old future rocket scientist was explaining gravitational and orbital science to his nine-year-old cousin. Part of the discussion included what would be required to jump or walk off the earth.
Saturday, November 17, 2012
November 17, 2012
It looks like the real November weather has arrived, ready to settle in for a good long stay over Thanksgiving. There's not a lot going on music-wise Thanksgiving Day, but leading up to it, I see all kinds of fun:
All Hail the Yeti
I'm always partial to a good Sasquatch reference. This one takes it over the top with a formal, high-toned greeting.
Anenome
Read aloud. Fall over laughing as recognition dawns. Fun with spelling.
Chris Mess
Heh. It'll be that season soon enough. Funny how you don't see anyone starting a movement to put the mess back in Christmas.
Gravy Grime Girls
Points for a alliteration and word choice. Groovy. I wonder, do they sing "Greasy Grimy Gopher Guts"?
Ice Cream Socialists
I think I've finally found my party. Frozen treats for the masses.
All Hail the Yeti
I'm always partial to a good Sasquatch reference. This one takes it over the top with a formal, high-toned greeting.
Anenome
Read aloud. Fall over laughing as recognition dawns. Fun with spelling.
Chris Mess
Heh. It'll be that season soon enough. Funny how you don't see anyone starting a movement to put the mess back in Christmas.
Gravy Grime Girls
Points for a alliteration and word choice. Groovy. I wonder, do they sing "Greasy Grimy Gopher Guts"?
Ice Cream Socialists
I think I've finally found my party. Frozen treats for the masses.
Saturday, November 10, 2012
November 10, 2012
I'm feeling pretty happy about the election -- both the outcome and that it's over. Now we can devote ourselves to more important things, like getting tickets to hear the Sonics and Mudhoney in February! Here's who wins my vote this week:
Corpse of a Rotting Hottie
OK, yuck, but it really trips off the tongue. What really makes it is the surprise pairing of two words that shouldn't go together but almost rhyme.
Stuperhero
If it gets a laugh on first sight, it's probably going into the blog. I grew up surrounded by comic books, and the idea of a dumb superhero has great appeal.
Two Cow Garage
We already have backyard chickens and goats in Seattle. This is the next logical step.
Vice Device
Wire Choir
Both of these get in for having two words that rhyme, and for rhyming the same way. I really hoped to find five with a similar pattern so I could have a theme, but that rarely works.
Corpse of a Rotting Hottie
OK, yuck, but it really trips off the tongue. What really makes it is the surprise pairing of two words that shouldn't go together but almost rhyme.
Stuperhero
If it gets a laugh on first sight, it's probably going into the blog. I grew up surrounded by comic books, and the idea of a dumb superhero has great appeal.
Two Cow Garage
We already have backyard chickens and goats in Seattle. This is the next logical step.
Vice Device
Wire Choir
Both of these get in for having two words that rhyme, and for rhyming the same way. I really hoped to find five with a similar pattern so I could have a theme, but that rarely works.
Saturday, November 3, 2012
November 3, 2012
It rained all week, the yard is full of leaves, and now I have a cold. I get it. It's fall. Don't forget to set your clocks back one hour tonight, and DON'T FORGET TO VOTE BY TUESDAY!!! When it's all over, I really, really hope we have some things to celebrate.
Meanwhile, I can always celebrate local music and creative band names:
Green Jello
Brings potlucks to mind. No food is naturally that color. Put it on the plate with the hot foods, and everything tastes like lime.
Ollallaholics
It ululates!
Pianos Become the Teeth
That must have been some dream. Or maybe they're talking about Dr. Teeth . . .
The Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band
Maybe it's the preacher's kid in me, but I can't help but notice the combination of "reverend" and even a mild swear word. Never heard Dad swear; Mom was another story.
The Stravinsky Riots
Oh, to have been in Paris in 1913 . . .
Meanwhile, I can always celebrate local music and creative band names:
Green Jello
Brings potlucks to mind. No food is naturally that color. Put it on the plate with the hot foods, and everything tastes like lime.
Ollallaholics
It ululates!
Pianos Become the Teeth
That must have been some dream. Or maybe they're talking about Dr. Teeth . . .
The Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band
Maybe it's the preacher's kid in me, but I can't help but notice the combination of "reverend" and even a mild swear word. Never heard Dad swear; Mom was another story.
The Stravinsky Riots
Oh, to have been in Paris in 1913 . . .
Sunday, October 28, 2012
October 28, 2012
Due to a late night Friday -- Your Mother Should Know closed out a fun and varied show at Sound Effects -- blogging is happening on Sunday instead of Saturday this week. But my husband had a little to say about band names in his blog, Now Music in New Albion:
Angelspit
I like that I can't tell where to divide this. Is it Angel Spit or Angel's Pit? Either way, it's strange and surprising.
The Balloons
Confetti Kids
These two get in because they were on the same bill, like it was a party or something.
Boys Like Girls
This could have at least two meanings, both equally likely.
Spiderface
In honor of Halloween, something a little creepy. All those eyes . . .
Beast of the SkyBut there are other bands who have played or will play this week. Here are just a few:
The Hunting Club
Black Plastic Clouds
Your Mother Should Know
The band names increased in length by letter count and layout, but were arranged symmetrically by word count 4 3 3 4. Sorry, it's the sort of thing I notice.
Angelspit
I like that I can't tell where to divide this. Is it Angel Spit or Angel's Pit? Either way, it's strange and surprising.
The Balloons
Confetti Kids
These two get in because they were on the same bill, like it was a party or something.
Boys Like Girls
This could have at least two meanings, both equally likely.
Spiderface
In honor of Halloween, something a little creepy. All those eyes . . .
Saturday, October 20, 2012
October 20, 2012
Shameless plug: Your Mother Should Know is playing Friday, October 26 at Sound Effects Coffee House, with The Hunting Club, Black Plastic Clouds, and I think two other outfits -- a packed, interesting show! This'll likely be our last gig of 2012 because we're feeling old and tired, and have a backlog of songs we want to record!
On to this week's notable band names:
All Human
I find this reassuring. No animals, robots or space aliens were harmed in the making of this music.
Birdhouse
I grew up in the Bluebird Capitol of the World, where special bluebird houses dot the countryside. So I notice birdhouses wherever I go. I have one outside my window. And birds sing, so there you go.
Feet
Body parts are reliably good band names. And I love me a good monosyllable.
Sinizen
I'm enjoying this mash-up of citizen, denizen, and sinner. All have sinned, so there's nothing for it but to make some music.
Troubadour Dali
Whoa, surreal, man.
On to this week's notable band names:
All Human
I find this reassuring. No animals, robots or space aliens were harmed in the making of this music.
Birdhouse
I grew up in the Bluebird Capitol of the World, where special bluebird houses dot the countryside. So I notice birdhouses wherever I go. I have one outside my window. And birds sing, so there you go.
Feet
Body parts are reliably good band names. And I love me a good monosyllable.
Sinizen
I'm enjoying this mash-up of citizen, denizen, and sinner. All have sinned, so there's nothing for it but to make some music.
Troubadour Dali
Whoa, surreal, man.
Saturday, October 13, 2012
October 13, 2012
I've been on vacation this week! Our glorious summer lingered just long enough for a trip to Mt. Rainier and the last perfect day in Paradise. Suddenly we're staring squarely down the barrel of winter -- just the time to hunker down in a dingy bar and hear some loud comfort music. A few choice morsels to consider:
Mausoleum Neeson
I'm always a sucker for the ones you have to read out loud to get the joke. As a fan of Mr. Neeson's work, I also appreciate a shout-out when I see one, backhanded as it may be.
Science!
It's the exclamation point that does it. We should be excited about science!
Skip the Foreplay
Can't necessarily recommend this as good advice, but I have to admire their confidence that whatever they're doing will be worth it.
The Solvents
Something harsh and strong to strip away all that is sticky or extraneous.
Toxic Reign
Fun with spelling and double meanings. Perhaps also a comment on this electoral season and what may lie ahead.
Mausoleum Neeson
I'm always a sucker for the ones you have to read out loud to get the joke. As a fan of Mr. Neeson's work, I also appreciate a shout-out when I see one, backhanded as it may be.
Science!
It's the exclamation point that does it. We should be excited about science!
Skip the Foreplay
Can't necessarily recommend this as good advice, but I have to admire their confidence that whatever they're doing will be worth it.
The Solvents
Something harsh and strong to strip away all that is sticky or extraneous.
Toxic Reign
Fun with spelling and double meanings. Perhaps also a comment on this electoral season and what may lie ahead.
Saturday, October 6, 2012
October 6, 2012
As I blog, I'm listening to Your Mother Should Know, live at the Blue Moon. We sound pretty good! But the best part of playing shows is still that it ensures we get out regularly to hear other people. Yeah, I'm talking about you, Andrew James Robison, Red Ribbon, and Peterman! Great show. On to Reverb Fest tonight. Meanwhile, some band names:
Brokestra
In which our heroes discover just how much money there is to be made in music.
Little Green Cars
One of my brother's high school classmates owned a little green Opel named Stewart (after a pet turtle, I believe). I've liked little green cars ever since, especially when they have names.
My Heart is an Idiot
Technically not a band, but this about sums up 98% of blues, rock and country songs.
Pink House
Across from my childhood home was a pink house, known as The Pink House. Later, it was painted white, and now it's yellow, but it will always be The Pink House to me.
Two Heads is Twice as Many Teeth
Why mess around with metaphor when you can go straight to literal, mathematical fact?
Brokestra
In which our heroes discover just how much money there is to be made in music.
Little Green Cars
One of my brother's high school classmates owned a little green Opel named Stewart (after a pet turtle, I believe). I've liked little green cars ever since, especially when they have names.
My Heart is an Idiot
Technically not a band, but this about sums up 98% of blues, rock and country songs.
Pink House
Across from my childhood home was a pink house, known as The Pink House. Later, it was painted white, and now it's yellow, but it will always be The Pink House to me.
Two Heads is Twice as Many Teeth
Why mess around with metaphor when you can go straight to literal, mathematical fact?
Saturday, September 29, 2012
September 29, 2012
So I'm trolling through the Times club listings like I always do on Friday afternoon, looking for good blog material, when I come to the very last listing: Your Mother Should Know, Peterman, Red Ribbon, Andrew James Robison, Thursday night at the Blue Moon. It took me half a tick to go, "Hey! I know those guys! That's us!" Here's the link to the events page: http://www.facebook.com/events/526955247320118/
And I found some other good names, too:
Deerhoof
Eyeball
New Lungs
These three all appeal to me for the same reason -- odd parts out of the context. They can be regarded as gross (in your soup), sinister (giant movie monster), comical (how is one eyeball going to play all the instruments?!) or perhaps hopeful (a new set of lungs when the old ones fail). I kind of hoped to do an all body-parts theme, but I couldn't find two more.
Great Spiders
Giant spider in the third act!
The Leafy Greens
I have always maintained that rock music is good for you.
And I found some other good names, too:
Deerhoof
Eyeball
New Lungs
These three all appeal to me for the same reason -- odd parts out of the context. They can be regarded as gross (in your soup), sinister (giant movie monster), comical (how is one eyeball going to play all the instruments?!) or perhaps hopeful (a new set of lungs when the old ones fail). I kind of hoped to do an all body-parts theme, but I couldn't find two more.
Great Spiders
Giant spider in the third act!
The Leafy Greens
I have always maintained that rock music is good for you.
Sunday, September 23, 2012
September 23, 2012
I go out of town for a weekend and many of my favorite bands have gigs! Not fair! Very sorry to miss Pouch, Curtains for You, and Young Fresh Fellows. Well, maybe next time. Great names just keep coming:
Guitars
This name is like Snakes on a Plane-style truth in advertising. Unless, of course, there are no guitars in the band at all, which would also be pretty great.
Moose Portrait
I think I saw this on Facebook last week. I wondered, "Where is squirrel?"
Owl Pussycat
This sounds like the introduction: "Owl, Pussycat. Pussycat, Owl." Then they went to sea in their beautiful pea-green boat.
Slug Guts
Warm Soda
I'm grouping these together because they appeal to me for the same reason: they make me go yuck, but laugh at the same time.
Guitars
This name is like Snakes on a Plane-style truth in advertising. Unless, of course, there are no guitars in the band at all, which would also be pretty great.
Moose Portrait
I think I saw this on Facebook last week. I wondered, "Where is squirrel?"
Owl Pussycat
This sounds like the introduction: "Owl, Pussycat. Pussycat, Owl." Then they went to sea in their beautiful pea-green boat.
Slug Guts
Warm Soda
I'm grouping these together because they appeal to me for the same reason: they make me go yuck, but laugh at the same time.
Saturday, September 15, 2012
September 15, 2012
Best wishes to longtime Square Pig faves (and friends of Your Mother Should Know) Curtains for You, playing at the Paramount tonight!!! They're opening for The Head and the Heart, but I'm rooting for CFY to steal the show. As always, there are lots of creative band names out there this week, including:
Baba Ganoosh
What's not to like about a band named for a food that sounds like a person's name? I'm also a fan of garlicky eggplant dip, so there you go.
Chixdiggit
This one gets in for self-confidence and creative spelling. It looks like the name for an effects pedal. It's the one that makes an out-of-shape guitarist look like a rock god.
Fearless Lieder
Any band that can combine references to German art song and Rocky and Bullwinkle gets my vote. I see this and I hear Boris Badenov saying it. "That voice! Where have I heard that voice?"
Icky Blossoms
I like the word "icky." Then there's the apparent disconnect with "blossoms," typically a nice, non-icky concept. Are they poisonous? Stinky? Rotting and slimy? Or a gift from a loathed one? I'm intrigued.
The Wizards Sleeve
I'm always on the lookout for wizard references, and here's a new one. That it's just a sleeve, not the entire robe, amuses me. The resident gamers inform me that this is most likely a reference to an item in the game Dungeons of Dredmore. Who knew doing a blog would be so educational?
Special notice this week goes out to a hilarious misspelling: You May Die in the Dessert. I know it's bad for me, but really! (This is actually a favorite image from my childhood; I once wrote a story about an intrepid, shrunken explorer, lost in a towering banana split, all because of what the misspelling suggests.)
Baba Ganoosh
What's not to like about a band named for a food that sounds like a person's name? I'm also a fan of garlicky eggplant dip, so there you go.
Chixdiggit
This one gets in for self-confidence and creative spelling. It looks like the name for an effects pedal. It's the one that makes an out-of-shape guitarist look like a rock god.
Fearless Lieder
Any band that can combine references to German art song and Rocky and Bullwinkle gets my vote. I see this and I hear Boris Badenov saying it. "That voice! Where have I heard that voice?"
Icky Blossoms
I like the word "icky." Then there's the apparent disconnect with "blossoms," typically a nice, non-icky concept. Are they poisonous? Stinky? Rotting and slimy? Or a gift from a loathed one? I'm intrigued.
The Wizards Sleeve
I'm always on the lookout for wizard references, and here's a new one. That it's just a sleeve, not the entire robe, amuses me. The resident gamers inform me that this is most likely a reference to an item in the game Dungeons of Dredmore. Who knew doing a blog would be so educational?
Special notice this week goes out to a hilarious misspelling: You May Die in the Dessert. I know it's bad for me, but really! (This is actually a favorite image from my childhood; I once wrote a story about an intrepid, shrunken explorer, lost in a towering banana split, all because of what the misspelling suggests.)
Saturday, September 8, 2012
September 8, 2012
If I hadn't been up late last night and if I didn't have to get up tomorrow, I would be at the Funhouse tonight for Tom Price Desert Classic and Pierced Arrows. So if you weren't and/or don't, go! On Monday (again, at the Funhouse), I'm sad to be missing Peterman, Charms, and Andrew James Robison, who have appeared with Your Mother Should Know on other occasions. Darn this grown-up schedule, anyway! And there's much, much more to choose from this week:
Dante Vs. Zombies
This sounds like one of those literature + monsters mash-ups. My money's on Dante, because he's got Virgil and the virtuous pagans backing him up. (That would be a good name for a band, too).
Not From Brooklyn
I guess Brooklyn is where the New York hipsters go now, but what could be hipper than Seattle? (Apparently, Tacoma!) After I left Tacoma, I did live on Brooklyn for a month, but that was a long time ago.
Snaketopus
I like this one because it's just campy and silly. Do the tentacles have snake heads? Does it slither up onto the beach and bite people?
Squirrel of Shame
Years ago, I read The Children of Odin to my kids. One of my favorite figures was Ratatosk, the Squirrel of Discord that runs up and down the World Ash Tree. I'm guessing this is his brother.
Trampled By Turtles
I love this image, because of the slow speed. Anything heavy enough to do any damage, you could just roll out of the way. I picture some poor dude, passed out and engulfed by turtles.
Dante Vs. Zombies
This sounds like one of those literature + monsters mash-ups. My money's on Dante, because he's got Virgil and the virtuous pagans backing him up. (That would be a good name for a band, too).
Not From Brooklyn
I guess Brooklyn is where the New York hipsters go now, but what could be hipper than Seattle? (Apparently, Tacoma!) After I left Tacoma, I did live on Brooklyn for a month, but that was a long time ago.
Snaketopus
I like this one because it's just campy and silly. Do the tentacles have snake heads? Does it slither up onto the beach and bite people?
Squirrel of Shame
Years ago, I read The Children of Odin to my kids. One of my favorite figures was Ratatosk, the Squirrel of Discord that runs up and down the World Ash Tree. I'm guessing this is his brother.
Trampled By Turtles
I love this image, because of the slow speed. Anything heavy enough to do any damage, you could just roll out of the way. I picture some poor dude, passed out and engulfed by turtles.
Saturday, September 1, 2012
September 1, 2012
September already? Sheesh. There's a lot going on this weekend, even for those -- like me -- avoiding Bumbershoot. I recommend Tyrannosaurus Grace at the Comet tonight! No theme to the picks this week:
Author and Punisher
One of the least pleasant parts of writing fiction is being cruel to your characters. Then again, sometimes they deserve it.
Broken Water
Once this happens, there's no turning back. A process has started that ain't over till it's over.
Dead Sonics
I hope this is neither a reference to the band's sound quality nor to the great Northwest garage band. Maybe it has something to do with basketball . . .
Dun Bin Had
Love the spelling. It tells you how to say it, and creates a nicely balanced, complete sentence in three three-letter monosyllables.
I Made Them a Steak
As written, this is kind of a strange sentence, which I like. Read aloud, it could have at least two different meanings, one of them about mishearing or misdoing something, which I like even more.
Author and Punisher
One of the least pleasant parts of writing fiction is being cruel to your characters. Then again, sometimes they deserve it.
Broken Water
Once this happens, there's no turning back. A process has started that ain't over till it's over.
Dead Sonics
I hope this is neither a reference to the band's sound quality nor to the great Northwest garage band. Maybe it has something to do with basketball . . .
Dun Bin Had
Love the spelling. It tells you how to say it, and creates a nicely balanced, complete sentence in three three-letter monosyllables.
I Made Them a Steak
As written, this is kind of a strange sentence, which I like. Read aloud, it could have at least two different meanings, one of them about mishearing or misdoing something, which I like even more.
Saturday, August 25, 2012
August 25, 2012
Perennial Square Pig favorite Pouch is at the Funhouse tonight! Might just go. Meanwhile, here are the new picks:
Jar of Flies
Yuck. Either somebody caught them and put them in there, or they hatched in there, like the fruit flies we bred for biology class when I was in high school. I can still smell the stink.
No-See-Ums
More insects! I've always liked this name for the tiniest of camping pests. Does a funny name make them more or less irritating?
Primate 5
At last, a mammal, and an open admission that we are primates, too. "Band" being one of the accepted terms for a group of apes, including humans.
Safeword Sasquatch
And, another primate! What I like here is that "safeword" implies kink, and interest in Sasquatch is about as nerdy as you can get.
She Keeps Bees
Back to insects. I like all the long e sounds, and the monosyllables, and the complete sentence, with the hint of urban agriculture: "I've got chickens, he's got a goat, and she keeps bees."
Jar of Flies
Yuck. Either somebody caught them and put them in there, or they hatched in there, like the fruit flies we bred for biology class when I was in high school. I can still smell the stink.
No-See-Ums
More insects! I've always liked this name for the tiniest of camping pests. Does a funny name make them more or less irritating?
Primate 5
At last, a mammal, and an open admission that we are primates, too. "Band" being one of the accepted terms for a group of apes, including humans.
Safeword Sasquatch
And, another primate! What I like here is that "safeword" implies kink, and interest in Sasquatch is about as nerdy as you can get.
She Keeps Bees
Back to insects. I like all the long e sounds, and the monosyllables, and the complete sentence, with the hint of urban agriculture: "I've got chickens, he's got a goat, and she keeps bees."
Saturday, August 18, 2012
August 18, 2012
The heat yesterday made it hard to think or even see straight, so I just picked a theme and went with it. The theme is: band names built on the classic formula "X and the Y". There were something like eight variations on this theme in the listings, from which I selected five:
Angelo Delsenno and the Empty Sky
This is the only one that comes close to the usual "frontperson and the band" formulation. But it could as easily be a solo act with a tongue-in-cheek name. Either way, Empty Sky is a grand and poignant name.
The Bard and the Liar
As if they were not different names for the same thing. Storytellers and poets tell the truth by making stuff up. And I love me an unreliable narrator!
Between the Buried and Me
This one diverges a little from the formula by separating "and" and "the." It gets in because I like this idea of secrets or communication between the living and the dead. In my current fantasy project, the protagonist visits the dead in her dreams. And two days ago, I finished reading The Illumination, a novel by Kevin Brockmeier, which includes within the narrative a lovely little fable about a country where the living write letters to the dead and slip them into cracks in the ground, until one day one of them gets an answer. Eventually the living and the dead live together underground, happily ever after.
Fox and the Law
Speaking of fables, here's a good title. What's the moral?
The Funeral and the Twilight
A tiny poem about times of poignant farewell, to a loved one, to the day.
Angelo Delsenno and the Empty Sky
This is the only one that comes close to the usual "frontperson and the band" formulation. But it could as easily be a solo act with a tongue-in-cheek name. Either way, Empty Sky is a grand and poignant name.
The Bard and the Liar
As if they were not different names for the same thing. Storytellers and poets tell the truth by making stuff up. And I love me an unreliable narrator!
Between the Buried and Me
This one diverges a little from the formula by separating "and" and "the." It gets in because I like this idea of secrets or communication between the living and the dead. In my current fantasy project, the protagonist visits the dead in her dreams. And two days ago, I finished reading The Illumination, a novel by Kevin Brockmeier, which includes within the narrative a lovely little fable about a country where the living write letters to the dead and slip them into cracks in the ground, until one day one of them gets an answer. Eventually the living and the dead live together underground, happily ever after.
Fox and the Law
Speaking of fables, here's a good title. What's the moral?
The Funeral and the Twilight
A tiny poem about times of poignant farewell, to a loved one, to the day.
Saturday, August 11, 2012
August 11, 2012
I'm breaking with tradition a little bit by including two bands that I actually heard (!) but that did not appear in the club listings. The Ancients and Tyrannosaurus Grace both played terrific sets at the Rat and Raven last Thursday. Andrew James Robison opened with an exciting acoustic set, followed by Your Mother Should Know doing whatever it is we do. (Catch Andrew at the Funhouse this Sunday, with Black Plastic Clouds and Canals of Venice).
The Ancients
I probably wouldn't pick this name out of the listings, but it fits perfectly the band's wildly theatrical Adventure Metal genre. These guys would be right at home with a tiny Stonehenge on stage.
The Hooten Hallers
I like how the name spoken sounds like a raucous good time, but written looks like the denizens of Hooten Hall, no doubt some Wodehousian country manor.
Howth
Castle Dwellers
These get in as a set. They're on the same bill at the Sunset on Sunday, and happy chance in the listings creates a reference to Howth Castle, back to which we are brought by a commodious vicus of recirculation in the first lines of James Joyce's Finnegans Wake. It just so happens that this very night, August 11, 2012, my brother and partner in rock and roll, Neal Kosaly-Meyer, performs -- from memory -- John Cage's "Writing for the Second Time Through Finnegans Wake" in honor of the 20th anniversary of Cage's death. Chapel Performance Space at Good Shepherd Center, 8:00 p.m. It's gonna be a great show!
Tyrannosaurus Grace
This is one of those names that just sounds right. I don't know what it is -- some kind of Wesleyan dinosaur, I guess -- but I like it.
The Ancients
I probably wouldn't pick this name out of the listings, but it fits perfectly the band's wildly theatrical Adventure Metal genre. These guys would be right at home with a tiny Stonehenge on stage.
The Hooten Hallers
I like how the name spoken sounds like a raucous good time, but written looks like the denizens of Hooten Hall, no doubt some Wodehousian country manor.
Howth
Castle Dwellers
These get in as a set. They're on the same bill at the Sunset on Sunday, and happy chance in the listings creates a reference to Howth Castle, back to which we are brought by a commodious vicus of recirculation in the first lines of James Joyce's Finnegans Wake. It just so happens that this very night, August 11, 2012, my brother and partner in rock and roll, Neal Kosaly-Meyer, performs -- from memory -- John Cage's "Writing for the Second Time Through Finnegans Wake" in honor of the 20th anniversary of Cage's death. Chapel Performance Space at Good Shepherd Center, 8:00 p.m. It's gonna be a great show!
Tyrannosaurus Grace
This is one of those names that just sounds right. I don't know what it is -- some kind of Wesleyan dinosaur, I guess -- but I like it.
Sunday, August 5, 2012
August 5, 2012
I'm blogging a day late due to a fine trip to sunny Washington wine country, where it was even hotter than in Seattle, but dry. Unexplained anomaly: someone turned off the wind in Ellensburg!
Good Willsmith
I like the word overlap that turns the meaning in the middle from a movie into an actor.
Sad Little Men
I can't help thinking of Buzz Lightyear and Sheriff Woody, accidentally abandoned at the refueling station. "You're a sad, strange little man, and I pity you."
Saint John and the Revelators
Nice reference to an old spiritual, and slyly apocalyptic.
Vomettes
Instant punk classic.
The Yolks
I've always liked the word yolk. It looks kind of funny, and it sounds almost like joke, but also kind of thick, like what it is.
Late breaking news: This show didn't make the club listings, but this Thursday, August 9, Your Mother Should Know is at the Rat & Raven, with Andrew James Robison and Tyrannosaurus Grace. Doors at 8.
Good Willsmith
I like the word overlap that turns the meaning in the middle from a movie into an actor.
Sad Little Men
I can't help thinking of Buzz Lightyear and Sheriff Woody, accidentally abandoned at the refueling station. "You're a sad, strange little man, and I pity you."
Saint John and the Revelators
Nice reference to an old spiritual, and slyly apocalyptic.
Vomettes
Instant punk classic.
The Yolks
I've always liked the word yolk. It looks kind of funny, and it sounds almost like joke, but also kind of thick, like what it is.
Late breaking news: This show didn't make the club listings, but this Thursday, August 9, Your Mother Should Know is at the Rat & Raven, with Andrew James Robison and Tyrannosaurus Grace. Doors at 8.
Saturday, July 28, 2012
July 28, 2012
TOMORROW NIGHT! Your Mother Should Know, with Charms, The Belmont Whips and Peterman at the Comet Tavern. $6 cheap! Doors open at 8, music starts at 9. We go on around midnight, so it'll be my birthday by then and I'll be up way past my bedtime. Should be a good show -- come out and celebrate with me.
And I Am the Riot
I wonder what came before the conjunction -- "You are the . . ." I like that it's not a riot, but the riot.
The Belmont Whips
This one gets in because I recognized the Castlevania reference all by myself.
Headless Pez
The repeated short e sound makes this trip off the tongue. The object itself is hilariously lame -- without the head, it's not worth anything as a collectible, and I'm not even sure it would work as a dispenser. Now I'm tasting Pez just by thinking about them.
Penguin Prison
Penguins behind bars -- now that's just sad.
Spaceman Flu
I researched spacesickness for a science fiction novel. Early in the US space program, they didn't realize it existed and were very concerned when some of the astronauts would suddenly barf in the cockpit. I suppose they wondered if it was some weird spaceman flu.
And I Am the Riot
I wonder what came before the conjunction -- "You are the . . ." I like that it's not a riot, but the riot.
The Belmont Whips
This one gets in because I recognized the Castlevania reference all by myself.
Headless Pez
The repeated short e sound makes this trip off the tongue. The object itself is hilariously lame -- without the head, it's not worth anything as a collectible, and I'm not even sure it would work as a dispenser. Now I'm tasting Pez just by thinking about them.
Penguin Prison
Penguins behind bars -- now that's just sad.
Spaceman Flu
I researched spacesickness for a science fiction novel. Early in the US space program, they didn't realize it existed and were very concerned when some of the astronauts would suddenly barf in the cockpit. I suppose they wondered if it was some weird spaceman flu.
Saturday, July 21, 2012
July 21, 2012
I'm rested, refreshed and back online after three days on an island. We had beautiful sunshine and a big thunderstorm with torrential rain, all within 48 hours. I love Puget Sound in summer! When I got home, the club listings were soaking wet, so I had to wait to make my picks until the paper dried out.
3D Friends
Are people finally noticing that real life has been in 3D all along?
Disastroid
Anyone who wrote a story about a near-fatal catastrophe in the Asteroid Belt could not possibly pass this one up. I love how the two words flow together so naturally.
If Birds Could Fly
I try not to play favorites, but this one is a stand-out. What a wonderful world it would be . . .
Trombone Cake
Just a couple weeks late for Stu Dempster's 76th birthday, a significant number for a trombonist.
Ultra High Energy Cosmic Rays
As a scientist friend pointed out, Earth's magnetosphere protects us from these things. Get very far out and you have to think about them. Easier to deal with in sci-fi (and, I hope, at the Funhouse) than in real space travel!
3D Friends
Are people finally noticing that real life has been in 3D all along?
Disastroid
Anyone who wrote a story about a near-fatal catastrophe in the Asteroid Belt could not possibly pass this one up. I love how the two words flow together so naturally.
If Birds Could Fly
I try not to play favorites, but this one is a stand-out. What a wonderful world it would be . . .
Trombone Cake
Just a couple weeks late for Stu Dempster's 76th birthday, a significant number for a trombonist.
Ultra High Energy Cosmic Rays
As a scientist friend pointed out, Earth's magnetosphere protects us from these things. Get very far out and you have to think about them. Easier to deal with in sci-fi (and, I hope, at the Funhouse) than in real space travel!
Saturday, July 14, 2012
July 14, 2012
So many good names this week! It was hard to choose just five, but I finally narrowed it down to these:
Bottlenose Koffins
Through a happy accident of sounds, we get this mash-up of the playful with the sinister.
Day Laborers and Petty Intellectuals
I like this one for its length and because I wouldn't necessarily put these two groups together -- but then again, why not? Especially in this economy.
Mutha Knows Best
Salute to our name-mates from Your Mother Should Know.
Prism Tats
Through the magic of near-homophones, the tough and gritty becomes bright and colorful. In the future, refracting tattoos will be all the rage.
Strap On Halo
Instant holiness? Holy kinkiness?
Bottlenose Koffins
Through a happy accident of sounds, we get this mash-up of the playful with the sinister.
Day Laborers and Petty Intellectuals
I like this one for its length and because I wouldn't necessarily put these two groups together -- but then again, why not? Especially in this economy.
Mutha Knows Best
Salute to our name-mates from Your Mother Should Know.
Prism Tats
Through the magic of near-homophones, the tough and gritty becomes bright and colorful. In the future, refracting tattoos will be all the rage.
Strap On Halo
Instant holiness? Holy kinkiness?
Sunday, July 8, 2012
July 8, 2012
Once again, a day late! Yesterday was far too nice to spend indoors blogging, so we went instead to Mt. Rainier. Glorious. Weekends like this remind us why we want to live in Seattle. July is our reward for slogging through months like November and June. While the rest of the country is sweltering and/or on fire, we have a few perfect days. So it's kind of hard to imagine going indoors to hear bands, yet there are some tempting shows coming up:
Cattle Decapitations
It's graphic and gross, and seems to hint at an alien invasion or weird cult. But there's something about the word "decapitation" that I find oddly technical and antiseptic for something so blunt, bloody and final.
Golgothan Sunrise
This one startled me with the juxtaposition of the Place of the Skull with the dawn of a new day. But yeah -- the sun did rise on that hill once more, in spite of everything, and life returned against all odds. (If this were a cocktail, though, it would have to be a bitter drink).
Objects in Space
Sci-fi writer over here; always thinking about objects in space. Also the name of a terrific episode of the late, lamented Firefly.
Roll Acosta
Looks like a dude's name, sounds like a thrill ride. As always, I'm a sucker for a name that only reveals itself when spoken aloud.
Speed of Sound in Seawater
Scientific precision with alliteration! Does it get any better than this?
Bonus -- Potential band names ripped from the headlines:
Silo of Sanity
Scorching Bartok
Cattle Decapitations
It's graphic and gross, and seems to hint at an alien invasion or weird cult. But there's something about the word "decapitation" that I find oddly technical and antiseptic for something so blunt, bloody and final.
Golgothan Sunrise
This one startled me with the juxtaposition of the Place of the Skull with the dawn of a new day. But yeah -- the sun did rise on that hill once more, in spite of everything, and life returned against all odds. (If this were a cocktail, though, it would have to be a bitter drink).
Objects in Space
Sci-fi writer over here; always thinking about objects in space. Also the name of a terrific episode of the late, lamented Firefly.
Roll Acosta
Looks like a dude's name, sounds like a thrill ride. As always, I'm a sucker for a name that only reveals itself when spoken aloud.
Speed of Sound in Seawater
Scientific precision with alliteration! Does it get any better than this?
Bonus -- Potential band names ripped from the headlines:
Silo of Sanity
Scorching Bartok
Sunday, July 1, 2012
July 1, 2012
It was an extremely busy week, so this is a day late. The big news is Your Mother Should Know has two gigs coming up this summer: Sunday, July 29 at the Comet (it's the day before my birthday and we're headlining!) and Thursday, August 9 at Rat and Raven (the day before Neal's birthday). I can't think of a better way to end an old year and start a new one!
Eee ee
This name evokes the squealing of young Beatles fans, and probably all young female fans since. Except me, of course. I made a conscious effort never to squeal at a show, and now I'm way past the age where I could have gotten away with it. Love it as a band name, though.
Flying Cars
It's the future! I know because I have a tiny phone that fits in my pocket and flips open like a Star Trek communicator. I'm kind of glad we don't have flying cars, though. I've seen how people drive on roads, and that's bad enough. Better to leave it as a band name.
I Was Thinking of a Roadhouse Brawl
I have to like a name that's a complete sentence on such a rock & roll subject. It would be great to see this group on the same bill with I Can Lick Any SOB in the House.
Really Big Beard
Is there just one really big beard for the whole group, or is it a requirement for membership?
Skate Drunks
Nice play on skate punk. Probably just as bad an idea as flying cars.
Eee ee
This name evokes the squealing of young Beatles fans, and probably all young female fans since. Except me, of course. I made a conscious effort never to squeal at a show, and now I'm way past the age where I could have gotten away with it. Love it as a band name, though.
Flying Cars
It's the future! I know because I have a tiny phone that fits in my pocket and flips open like a Star Trek communicator. I'm kind of glad we don't have flying cars, though. I've seen how people drive on roads, and that's bad enough. Better to leave it as a band name.
I Was Thinking of a Roadhouse Brawl
I have to like a name that's a complete sentence on such a rock & roll subject. It would be great to see this group on the same bill with I Can Lick Any SOB in the House.
Really Big Beard
Is there just one really big beard for the whole group, or is it a requirement for membership?
Skate Drunks
Nice play on skate punk. Probably just as bad an idea as flying cars.
Saturday, June 23, 2012
June 23, 2012
What a beautiful summer day for the Rock & Roll Marathon! Not just rainy, but windy, too. June in Seattle -- the purgatory leading to the paradise that is July.
The Gallow Swing
But do it rock?
Glitter Wizard
Wizard Boots
When I saw these two, I hoped I'd get to do a whole fantasy-themed post, but it didn't pan out. So here they are as a pair, making me wish for a pair of glittery wizard boots.
Legato Bebop
A name that trips off the tongue. Is it possible, or is this one of those impossible things to believe before breakfast?
Tape Stacks
I chose this one in honor of my husband, who many years ago wrote: "Today I cleaned my room. Arranged my tapes in three neat little stacks." He has recently completed a project of digitizing several hundred cassettes -- much more than three stacks worth. The vinyl will take a lot longer.
The Gallow Swing
But do it rock?
Glitter Wizard
Wizard Boots
When I saw these two, I hoped I'd get to do a whole fantasy-themed post, but it didn't pan out. So here they are as a pair, making me wish for a pair of glittery wizard boots.
Legato Bebop
A name that trips off the tongue. Is it possible, or is this one of those impossible things to believe before breakfast?
Tape Stacks
I chose this one in honor of my husband, who many years ago wrote: "Today I cleaned my room. Arranged my tapes in three neat little stacks." He has recently completed a project of digitizing several hundred cassettes -- much more than three stacks worth. The vinyl will take a lot longer.
Saturday, June 16, 2012
June 16, 2012
Many thanks to Pouch, Antique Scream, White Orange, and Ancient Warlocks for a loud, heavy time at the Funhouse last weekend! Not a dud in the bunch, which is what you want when you don't get out often. And happy Father's Day to all the cool rockin' daddies out there!
Abducted by Sharks
In this reality, aliens bite your leg off.
Boaconstructor
A case of changing one letter to change the whole meaning: a snake who builds things, or perhaps the person who fastens all the feathers together into a stole. I like that it's one word, too.
Ennui Trust
Fun two ways! On paper, a safe place to store your boredom. Spoken, the motto on our money, with a key word missing.
Roaming Herds of Buffalo
How big is the stage, anyway?! An expansive band name that evokes the wide open spaces of the West.
Wookie Party
Vote Wookie! (Do their candidates pull people's arms out of their sockets when they lose?)
Abducted by Sharks
In this reality, aliens bite your leg off.
Boaconstructor
A case of changing one letter to change the whole meaning: a snake who builds things, or perhaps the person who fastens all the feathers together into a stole. I like that it's one word, too.
Ennui Trust
Fun two ways! On paper, a safe place to store your boredom. Spoken, the motto on our money, with a key word missing.
Roaming Herds of Buffalo
How big is the stage, anyway?! An expansive band name that evokes the wide open spaces of the West.
Wookie Party
Vote Wookie! (Do their candidates pull people's arms out of their sockets when they lose?)
Saturday, June 9, 2012
June 9, 2012
First, a plug for the Nova High School Band Showcase at the Vera Project, Sunday, June 10 at 6:30 p.m., $7 cheap! All ages! And great names: Mago, Pink Pajamas, The Specifics, Robot Mermaids, Wolves in the Walls, and Street Logic. Proceeds benefit the band program at Nova H.S.
Bell Witch
I hope this is a play on bellwether, because that's really clever in several directions. If not, oh, well.
Daddy Treetops and the Howlin' Tomcats
A good old "X and the Y" construction taken over the top. It's not just tomcats, it's howlin' tomcats; it's not just some guy, it's a guy with a wonderful nickname. And I always like a good cat reference.
I Can Lick Any Sonofabitch in the House
So much to like! Complete sentence -- check; extravagant, drunken challenge -- check; actual threat -- probably not.
Megabats
Sounds scary, if you don't know megabats are fruit eaters. Mega or micro, bats are always cool.
White Orange
A rare color in the really large crayon box? A mutant citrus? The latest flavor of Altoids? I plan to go hear these guys tonight at the Funhouse, along with Square Pig favorites Ancient Warlocks and Pouch, plus Antique Scream. Should be a great time!
Bell Witch
I hope this is a play on bellwether, because that's really clever in several directions. If not, oh, well.
Daddy Treetops and the Howlin' Tomcats
A good old "X and the Y" construction taken over the top. It's not just tomcats, it's howlin' tomcats; it's not just some guy, it's a guy with a wonderful nickname. And I always like a good cat reference.
I Can Lick Any Sonofabitch in the House
So much to like! Complete sentence -- check; extravagant, drunken challenge -- check; actual threat -- probably not.
Megabats
Sounds scary, if you don't know megabats are fruit eaters. Mega or micro, bats are always cool.
White Orange
A rare color in the really large crayon box? A mutant citrus? The latest flavor of Altoids? I plan to go hear these guys tonight at the Funhouse, along with Square Pig favorites Ancient Warlocks and Pouch, plus Antique Scream. Should be a great time!
Saturday, June 2, 2012
June 2, 2012
I regret that I never blogged about God's Favorite Beefcake in happier times. I noticed the name more than once, but for some reason it never made the list. I love the humorous grandiosity packed into three words. Let's all make music and try to love one another. RIP, Drew and Joe.
Cat Food
Maybe it's because I just fed my cats, but I want to know: kibble, canned, or rodent? Or something to feed the soul of a real cool cat?
Conspiracy of Beards
This is arresting and funny on its own, even without the description: "An a capella choir singing arrangements of Leonard Cohen songs." Wow.
I Wish We Were Robots
I'm ever fond of names that are complete sentences. This one has that sci-fi aspect that's always a plus with me. And it's the kind of sentence where I want to know the rest of the story: who's "we" and why robots?
Sons of Huns
It rhymes! Monosyllables! And they're on the same bill with Pouch -- I might even make it to this show.
Twisted Trystan
A tongue-twister that includes the word Twisted? Nice.
Cat Food
Maybe it's because I just fed my cats, but I want to know: kibble, canned, or rodent? Or something to feed the soul of a real cool cat?
Conspiracy of Beards
This is arresting and funny on its own, even without the description: "An a capella choir singing arrangements of Leonard Cohen songs." Wow.
I Wish We Were Robots
I'm ever fond of names that are complete sentences. This one has that sci-fi aspect that's always a plus with me. And it's the kind of sentence where I want to know the rest of the story: who's "we" and why robots?
Sons of Huns
It rhymes! Monosyllables! And they're on the same bill with Pouch -- I might even make it to this show.
Twisted Trystan
A tongue-twister that includes the word Twisted? Nice.
Saturday, May 26, 2012
May 26, 2012
What a beautiful weekend for Folklife! We're skipping it, but don't stay away on my account. Square Pig faves Curtains for You, Ravenna Woods, and Shelby Earl are playing the Indie Roots stage. Meanwhile, the club listings were reliably rich:
Barons of Tang
Is this like land barons or oil barons, but with powdered space-age breakfast drink?
Is/Is
This repetition is a verbal tic I associate with computer programmers. Over the years, exasperation has turned to affectionate tolerance -- at least they're attempting to communicate.
Raygun Cowboys
I'm glad someone else noticed how the sci-fi weapon sounds like the name of the cowboy-actor-turned-President.
Tequila Mockingbird Orchestra
I like names like this that don't come into their own until you say them aloud, and then suddenly there's a literary allusion smacking you in the face.
Us on Roofs
I see this one all the time and I liked it from the first, but somehow it never made the cut before. I like the communal feel of "us", and the plural of "roof" is funny for some reason. It also can be seen as a reference to "Up on the Roof," a great pop song from the past.
Barons of Tang
Is this like land barons or oil barons, but with powdered space-age breakfast drink?
Is/Is
This repetition is a verbal tic I associate with computer programmers. Over the years, exasperation has turned to affectionate tolerance -- at least they're attempting to communicate.
Raygun Cowboys
I'm glad someone else noticed how the sci-fi weapon sounds like the name of the cowboy-actor-turned-President.
Tequila Mockingbird Orchestra
I like names like this that don't come into their own until you say them aloud, and then suddenly there's a literary allusion smacking you in the face.
Us on Roofs
I see this one all the time and I liked it from the first, but somehow it never made the cut before. I like the communal feel of "us", and the plural of "roof" is funny for some reason. It also can be seen as a reference to "Up on the Roof," a great pop song from the past.
Saturday, May 19, 2012
May 19, 2012
I begin to suspect a conspiracy to keep old folks like me out of clubs simply by scheduling. It's difficult to work up the energy to go out on a Friday night after a long week, when the band you want to see is the third in a lineup of five at a show that doesn't even start until 9. In spite of that, I love our lively music scene, even in absentia. And I want to see a lineup that includes Wow and Flutter, Terminal Fuzz Terror, and Low Hums.
Future Rainbow Lazer
The best hippie/sci-fi baby name ever.
Huckle
Fun to say, and sort of startling to see without "-berry" at the end. (Now I want pie.)
Piano Piano
Irony? I sincerely doubt they play pp.
Spare Me Poseidon
Love the classical reference. Drowning in the wine-dark sea of music.
A Vintage Spectacular
This might be just the name of a show, not a band, but it would be a good name for a band. I see a poster with P. T. Bridgeport lettering and people in corsets and boater hats, shredding on electric guitars.
Future Rainbow Lazer
The best hippie/sci-fi baby name ever.
Huckle
Fun to say, and sort of startling to see without "-berry" at the end. (Now I want pie.)
Piano Piano
Irony? I sincerely doubt they play pp.
Spare Me Poseidon
Love the classical reference. Drowning in the wine-dark sea of music.
A Vintage Spectacular
This might be just the name of a show, not a band, but it would be a good name for a band. I see a poster with P. T. Bridgeport lettering and people in corsets and boater hats, shredding on electric guitars.
Saturday, May 12, 2012
May 12, 2012
Something a little different this week, in honor of Mom:
I grew up in a home with only one record player. Later, it was a stereo, but there was still only one of it. This meant everybody heard whatever was played. In the beginning, of course, our parents chose the music, which generally meant Mom did. She enjoyed musical comedy, so we heard a lot of Rodgers and Hammerstein. She cleaned house to Bach, and we also got significant doses of Handel, Beethoven, and Grieg. If she liked a new song on the radio or a movie soundtrack, she'd buy the album. We did a lot of singing in the car, folk songs and camp songs and hymns. I'm not sure which came first, but when I was around 5 or 6, she bought a guitar and started listening to Simon and Garfunkel. She learned pop-inflected sacred music by Avery and Marsh and Carlton Young, and shared it with the youth and adult choirs in our church. For a time, she and my dad led the church youth group, and when Sgt Pepper came out, they hosted an event for the kids to explain and defend the music to their parents.
When I was 10, I decided I wanted to play drums in the school band. My folks bought me sticks for my birthday. On my next birthday, I got a snare drum of my own, and started drum lessons. Eventually, I got a drum set. When the music store closed, Mom arranged for me to have my lessons in an empty office at the nursing home where she worked. When my brother got his driver's license, he also got the job of driving me to my lessons every Saturday, 40 miles each way. We'd listen to pop music on the radio, and we were both thinking, "Why didn't I know there was music like this?" Then he started buying records. We still had only one stereo -- everybody heard everything. I was a quick convert to Three Dog Night, Elton John, The Who, The Beatles -- but so was Mom. She'd listen, pay attention, find herself singing inappropriate lyrics in the hallways of the nursing home. She may have asked us to turn it down, but she never asked us to turn it off. Before long, she was cleaning house to Rocket to Russia.
During the summer of 1983, my brother and I took over the living room for an hour or two every day to play at being a rock band -- he played Mom's acoustic guitar and I played my drums, and on weekends our sister joined us on tenor sax. Even unamplified, we were loud enough that Mom might close the door. But she never told us to stop, and when we gave our sparsely-attended concert at the end of the summer, she and Dad listened proudly to both sets. In 1985, she came with us to a Bruce Springsteen concert. In 2002, she spent a lot of time listening in her car to The Rising.
In 2004, my mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. She experienced precipitous declines and long plateaus, from which she could never come back. We went every week, with her guitar, and sang for her: folk songs and camp songs and hymns, Avery and Marsh songs, Beatles songs. Playing and singing on a regular basis gave my brother the skills and confidence to start a band, which he named Your Mother Should Know. Eventually he figured out he should invite me to be his drummer. Sometimes we sang his songs for Mom, and I know that if she could have, she would have listened carefully. She would have liked them, and she might have sung inappropriate lyrics in the hallways. She would have been there when we played in SkyChurch and at the High Dive. She would have listened to Your Mother Should Know in the car.
We thank our mother for our ears and our voices and our eclectic musical tastes. She was our earliest and most regular audience. I know I will think of her whenever I play or sing. Thanks, Mom. I know you're listening.
HOW MY MOM TURNED ME INTO A ROCK AND ROLLER
I grew up in a home with only one record player. Later, it was a stereo, but there was still only one of it. This meant everybody heard whatever was played. In the beginning, of course, our parents chose the music, which generally meant Mom did. She enjoyed musical comedy, so we heard a lot of Rodgers and Hammerstein. She cleaned house to Bach, and we also got significant doses of Handel, Beethoven, and Grieg. If she liked a new song on the radio or a movie soundtrack, she'd buy the album. We did a lot of singing in the car, folk songs and camp songs and hymns. I'm not sure which came first, but when I was around 5 or 6, she bought a guitar and started listening to Simon and Garfunkel. She learned pop-inflected sacred music by Avery and Marsh and Carlton Young, and shared it with the youth and adult choirs in our church. For a time, she and my dad led the church youth group, and when Sgt Pepper came out, they hosted an event for the kids to explain and defend the music to their parents.
When I was 10, I decided I wanted to play drums in the school band. My folks bought me sticks for my birthday. On my next birthday, I got a snare drum of my own, and started drum lessons. Eventually, I got a drum set. When the music store closed, Mom arranged for me to have my lessons in an empty office at the nursing home where she worked. When my brother got his driver's license, he also got the job of driving me to my lessons every Saturday, 40 miles each way. We'd listen to pop music on the radio, and we were both thinking, "Why didn't I know there was music like this?" Then he started buying records. We still had only one stereo -- everybody heard everything. I was a quick convert to Three Dog Night, Elton John, The Who, The Beatles -- but so was Mom. She'd listen, pay attention, find herself singing inappropriate lyrics in the hallways of the nursing home. She may have asked us to turn it down, but she never asked us to turn it off. Before long, she was cleaning house to Rocket to Russia.
During the summer of 1983, my brother and I took over the living room for an hour or two every day to play at being a rock band -- he played Mom's acoustic guitar and I played my drums, and on weekends our sister joined us on tenor sax. Even unamplified, we were loud enough that Mom might close the door. But she never told us to stop, and when we gave our sparsely-attended concert at the end of the summer, she and Dad listened proudly to both sets. In 1985, she came with us to a Bruce Springsteen concert. In 2002, she spent a lot of time listening in her car to The Rising.
In 2004, my mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. She experienced precipitous declines and long plateaus, from which she could never come back. We went every week, with her guitar, and sang for her: folk songs and camp songs and hymns, Avery and Marsh songs, Beatles songs. Playing and singing on a regular basis gave my brother the skills and confidence to start a band, which he named Your Mother Should Know. Eventually he figured out he should invite me to be his drummer. Sometimes we sang his songs for Mom, and I know that if she could have, she would have listened carefully. She would have liked them, and she might have sung inappropriate lyrics in the hallways. She would have been there when we played in SkyChurch and at the High Dive. She would have listened to Your Mother Should Know in the car.
We thank our mother for our ears and our voices and our eclectic musical tastes. She was our earliest and most regular audience. I know I will think of her whenever I play or sing. Thanks, Mom. I know you're listening.
In loving, rocking memory --
Marilyn Frances Meyer
December 30, 1932 - May 10, 2012
Saturday, May 5, 2012
May 5, 2012
The Mariners better play a good game tonight -- we're missing Tea Cozies at Chop Suey because we have free baseball tickets. I suspect the roof will be closed, but maybe we'll get lucky and see the super moon. Hey, Super Moon would be a good name for a band . . . Meanwhile, the listings are rife with good picks this week.
Alchymeia
I love the antique spelling of an ancient science for something people are doing right now. There is a kind of alchemy to making music with other people.
A Breakthrough in Field Studies
How to Operate Your Brain
Both fall into the same beloved category of long names that sound scientific or academic. Nerdcore?
Faintly
An adverb, possibly a musical indication, rarely if ever applied to rock music.
The Saloonatics
I've always loved the word "saloon" for its double o. The added step to lunacy is simple and inspired, especially on a full-moon weekend.
Alchymeia
I love the antique spelling of an ancient science for something people are doing right now. There is a kind of alchemy to making music with other people.
A Breakthrough in Field Studies
How to Operate Your Brain
Both fall into the same beloved category of long names that sound scientific or academic. Nerdcore?
Faintly
An adverb, possibly a musical indication, rarely if ever applied to rock music.
The Saloonatics
I've always loved the word "saloon" for its double o. The added step to lunacy is simple and inspired, especially on a full-moon weekend.
Saturday, April 28, 2012
April 28, 2012
Young Fresh Fellows at the Sunset tonight! We're going to try to make it -- a reward after a day of errands.
This week's picks:
Automotive Steamhorse
Only two words, but so many syllables! I picture somebody driving a locomotive down the street.
The Hoot Hoots
I like the repetition (they must not have been playing the week that was my theme) and the onomatopoeia of the word "hoot." Plus I'm rather fond of owls, so there you go.
Imagine Dragons
I'm always happy to imagine dragons. Not sure I want to meet one, but imagine? Sure.
The Mighty Squirrels
I first noticed this band because they're on the same bill YFF, but I will always get behind anything that is both small and mighty.
Yellow Dubmarine
Yellow Submarine was my introduction to the Beatles, when I was too young to know what the heck was going on. My sister, whose birthday is today, had a Yellow Submarine lunchbox! (No, we don't know where it is). This transformation is almost too easy, but it was the first name to draw a chuckle, always a good measure for what goes in the blog.
This week's picks:
Automotive Steamhorse
Only two words, but so many syllables! I picture somebody driving a locomotive down the street.
The Hoot Hoots
I like the repetition (they must not have been playing the week that was my theme) and the onomatopoeia of the word "hoot." Plus I'm rather fond of owls, so there you go.
Imagine Dragons
I'm always happy to imagine dragons. Not sure I want to meet one, but imagine? Sure.
The Mighty Squirrels
I first noticed this band because they're on the same bill YFF, but I will always get behind anything that is both small and mighty.
Yellow Dubmarine
Yellow Submarine was my introduction to the Beatles, when I was too young to know what the heck was going on. My sister, whose birthday is today, had a Yellow Submarine lunchbox! (No, we don't know where it is). This transformation is almost too easy, but it was the first name to draw a chuckle, always a good measure for what goes in the blog.
Saturday, April 21, 2012
April 21, 2012
If it seems too nice out to go inside and hear a band, just remember, rain will surely come again. This week's picks:
Larry and His Flask
I like this on its own -- just a man and his bottle -- but it was made even better by being on the same bill with two bands who have the classic "X and the Y" naming structure. "And His" gives the classic a nice twist.
Post Paint
We have a running joke about second-generation post-painterly abstractionism, which apparently means something to someone. This is way better.
The Purpose Being
We also have a running joke about an entity known as The Time Being, for whom we leave things. This must be its cousin.
Red Means Go
Enough to make me leave the car in the garage forever.
Yay Conifers
Because without 'em, there'd be no Evergreen State, right? Go, gymnosperms!
Larry and His Flask
I like this on its own -- just a man and his bottle -- but it was made even better by being on the same bill with two bands who have the classic "X and the Y" naming structure. "And His" gives the classic a nice twist.
Post Paint
We have a running joke about second-generation post-painterly abstractionism, which apparently means something to someone. This is way better.
The Purpose Being
We also have a running joke about an entity known as The Time Being, for whom we leave things. This must be its cousin.
Red Means Go
Enough to make me leave the car in the garage forever.
Yay Conifers
Because without 'em, there'd be no Evergreen State, right? Go, gymnosperms!
Saturday, April 14, 2012
April 14, 2012
Truths observed of late: Friday the 13th is always lucky for those who get paid on the 15th; a fine spring day in Seattle is as close to Paradise as we're likely to get in this life; and making music with like-minded folks is a foretaste of the heavenly banquet. On with the list:
& Yet
Talk about starting in the middle of things. Aside from the coolness of starting a name with an ampersand (which Blogger does not allow in its labels), "and yet" is one of my favorite phrases, implying as it does that in spite of whatever has gone before, there is still hope.
Bear in Heaven
I suppose this is a play on the "beer in heaven" question. I picture a paradise of huckleberries, honey, and grubs.
Foxy Shazam
Sounds like a super-heroine from a '70s blaxploitation film. This chick is empowered!
Go Kart Mozart
Far-flung images brought together by the magic of rhyme.
Two Ton Boa
That's a lot of feathers. Just imagine the size of the stripper who wears this thing!
& Yet
Talk about starting in the middle of things. Aside from the coolness of starting a name with an ampersand (which Blogger does not allow in its labels), "and yet" is one of my favorite phrases, implying as it does that in spite of whatever has gone before, there is still hope.
Bear in Heaven
I suppose this is a play on the "beer in heaven" question. I picture a paradise of huckleberries, honey, and grubs.
Foxy Shazam
Sounds like a super-heroine from a '70s blaxploitation film. This chick is empowered!
Go Kart Mozart
Far-flung images brought together by the magic of rhyme.
Two Ton Boa
That's a lot of feathers. Just imagine the size of the stripper who wears this thing!
Saturday, April 7, 2012
April 7, 2012
I was reading through the club listings yesterday, making my picks -- Moostache, OK; Matt Badger and His Flock of Knives, OK -- when I hit "Curtains for You, Youth Rescue Mission, The Tailenders, Your Mother Should Know" and got all distracted. Your Mother Should Know? That's my band! Wheee! Then I pulled myself together and made the rest of my picks before loading drums for the show, which went great. It was a joy to open for such a fine assortment of bands. Now, back to business:
Boom Chick
This is me! And also onomatopoeia for what I do. (And they have the same instrumentation and division of labor as Your Mother Should Know!)
Madness Becomes Method
This must be that kind of method where you keep doing the same thing but expect different results.
Matt Badger and His Flock of Knives
I never imagined knives flocking before. I wouldn't stand too close to the stage if I were you.
Moostache
Change one letter and you get a milk commercial. One of the great uses of a pun in advertising.
Repave the Skies
Hey, this implies that we already have our flying cars! It's the future! And the sky has potholes! The more things change . . .
Boom Chick
This is me! And also onomatopoeia for what I do. (And they have the same instrumentation and division of labor as Your Mother Should Know!)
Madness Becomes Method
This must be that kind of method where you keep doing the same thing but expect different results.
Matt Badger and His Flock of Knives
I never imagined knives flocking before. I wouldn't stand too close to the stage if I were you.
Moostache
Change one letter and you get a milk commercial. One of the great uses of a pun in advertising.
Repave the Skies
Hey, this implies that we already have our flying cars! It's the future! And the sky has potholes! The more things change . . .
Saturday, March 31, 2012
March 31, 2012
At 2:27 this morning, my first-born turned 21. How did that happen?! It's been a great ride so far, though. Maybe I'll even persuade him to come out to the High Dive next Friday for The Tap Project Benefit Concert, with Your Mother Should Know, The Tailenders, Youth Rescue Mission and Curtains for You.
Here's the list:
Explodatron
Over the past 21 years, I've learned a lot about what appeals to boys. A giant robot that blows things up would be high on the list.
Not Dead Yet
I dig the Monty Python reference. And also: my first-born is 21, and yet . . .
Salvador Dali Llama
The unequivocal favorite of the week. I love a collision pun. It's almost too obvious, but I'm glad someone had the audacity to use it.
Today I Caught a Plague
This one seems to go with Not Dead Yet. I like the complete sentence, apparently delivered with utter calm.
You Are Plural
Gotta love the grammar jokes.
Here's the list:
Explodatron
Over the past 21 years, I've learned a lot about what appeals to boys. A giant robot that blows things up would be high on the list.
Not Dead Yet
I dig the Monty Python reference. And also: my first-born is 21, and yet . . .
Salvador Dali Llama
The unequivocal favorite of the week. I love a collision pun. It's almost too obvious, but I'm glad someone had the audacity to use it.
Today I Caught a Plague
This one seems to go with Not Dead Yet. I like the complete sentence, apparently delivered with utter calm.
You Are Plural
Gotta love the grammar jokes.
Saturday, March 24, 2012
March 24, 2012
Sunshine two days in a row?! What is this, spring? Enjoy it while you can.
Without even trying very hard, I found two themes: party and space. I just wish someone had come up with a party in space.
Bath Party
Remove one letter and something serious and political becomes something silly and fun. We should do this more often.
Mars Red Sky
Oceans of Mars
It's Mars, OK? My imagination has spent a lot of time there lately. According to this picture, I even played a show there (possibly on the bed of a former ocean, under a red sky):
The Outer Space Heaters
I've always thought "space heater" was an awfully cool name for a pretty mundane object. Now I see why.
Post Rapture Party
What if it already happened and nobody qualified? Might as well party.
Without even trying very hard, I found two themes: party and space. I just wish someone had come up with a party in space.
Bath Party
Remove one letter and something serious and political becomes something silly and fun. We should do this more often.
Mars Red Sky
Oceans of Mars
It's Mars, OK? My imagination has spent a lot of time there lately. According to this picture, I even played a show there (possibly on the bed of a former ocean, under a red sky):
 |
| Your Mother Should Know on Mars |
The Outer Space Heaters
I've always thought "space heater" was an awfully cool name for a pretty mundane object. Now I see why.
Post Rapture Party
What if it already happened and nobody qualified? Might as well party.
Saturday, March 17, 2012
March 17, 2012
And a very happy St. Patrick's Day to ya! Loads of great bands out there this weekend! Put on some green and go have fun.(Unless, like me, you're still recovering from the time change and an awesome but exhausting 3-hour rehearsal, in which case -- put on some green, have fun at home, and go to bed early.)
20 Lb Gumball
This is a hilarious and implausible image, but scary, too. I don't want to meet the kid who can chew this thing, and I really don't want to find it stuck under my theater seat.
Bottle of Bones
Sounds pirate-y. Arr.
Dragonlord
In my youth, I spent a lot of time in Ursula K. LeGuin's Earthsea with a certain Dragonlord. At the same time, I was discovering the music that still speaks to me. I love it when my interests intersect.
Super Happy Story Time Land
A little too long, a little too goofy. Works for me.
Walk the Moon
When you travel on a moonlit night, the moon travels with you. Kind of hard to get the leash on, though.
20 Lb Gumball
This is a hilarious and implausible image, but scary, too. I don't want to meet the kid who can chew this thing, and I really don't want to find it stuck under my theater seat.
Bottle of Bones
Sounds pirate-y. Arr.
Dragonlord
In my youth, I spent a lot of time in Ursula K. LeGuin's Earthsea with a certain Dragonlord. At the same time, I was discovering the music that still speaks to me. I love it when my interests intersect.
Super Happy Story Time Land
A little too long, a little too goofy. Works for me.
Walk the Moon
When you travel on a moonlit night, the moon travels with you. Kind of hard to get the leash on, though.
Saturday, March 10, 2012
March 10, 2012
March has thus far lived up to its reputation as unstable and transitional. Snow one day, 60 and sunny the next, while the early bloomers insist that it's spring already. And though it seems too early, Daylight Saving Time begins tomorrow, so remember to "spring ahead" one hour.
I picked up a theme in the band names that didn't quite stretch to five, so we have a set and an outlier.
Pound Pound Pound
The Ram Rams
Si Si Si
Sugar Sugar Sugar
Sometimes repetition is all a word needs to make it into a band name. Two repeats is good, but three is better. Would four be even better, or way too much? Pound Pound Pound appeals to the drummer in me. The Ram Rams forms a tidy sentence that isn't even too hard to picture. Si Si Si adds Spanish sibilance to an overall positive vibe. Sugar Sugar Sugar brings sweetness to the point of aggression.
Monkeys in Space
This blog was almost called Monkey Ranch, and I'm still alert to band names with monkeys in them, on top of my well documented sci-fi bias. Here it all comes together in one supremely goofy package.
I picked up a theme in the band names that didn't quite stretch to five, so we have a set and an outlier.
Pound Pound Pound
The Ram Rams
Si Si Si
Sugar Sugar Sugar
Sometimes repetition is all a word needs to make it into a band name. Two repeats is good, but three is better. Would four be even better, or way too much? Pound Pound Pound appeals to the drummer in me. The Ram Rams forms a tidy sentence that isn't even too hard to picture. Si Si Si adds Spanish sibilance to an overall positive vibe. Sugar Sugar Sugar brings sweetness to the point of aggression.
Monkeys in Space
This blog was almost called Monkey Ranch, and I'm still alert to band names with monkeys in them, on top of my well documented sci-fi bias. Here it all comes together in one supremely goofy package.
Saturday, March 3, 2012
March 3, 2012
Feeling slightly loopy this afternoon -- I'm down a pint, having recently returned from Puget Sound Blood Center. (If you're able, go donate at the first opportunity. It's not a big deal and really makes a difference). So I'm not going out dancing or anything tonight, but I can still pick some favorites:
Allah-las
It sounds like a typical wordless pop refrain and looks like a prayer. Rock and roll has a deep root in gospel music, but there's nothing wrong with getting ecumenical.
Don and the Quixotes
Classic band name format + literary allusion = a real winner.
Hot Dog Time Machine
Two unrelated objects mashed up to form a name that trips off the tongue and sounds great, even if I'm not sure what it means. It made me laugh.
Kids & Explosions
They go together, no matter how much we try to keep them apart. It's probably a good thing you can't get a really 'splody chemistry set these days.
Trashcan Wizard
I see Oscar the Grouch with a wand and a pointy hat.
Allah-las
It sounds like a typical wordless pop refrain and looks like a prayer. Rock and roll has a deep root in gospel music, but there's nothing wrong with getting ecumenical.
Don and the Quixotes
Classic band name format + literary allusion = a real winner.
Hot Dog Time Machine
Two unrelated objects mashed up to form a name that trips off the tongue and sounds great, even if I'm not sure what it means. It made me laugh.
Kids & Explosions
They go together, no matter how much we try to keep them apart. It's probably a good thing you can't get a really 'splody chemistry set these days.
Trashcan Wizard
I see Oscar the Grouch with a wand and a pointy hat.
Saturday, February 25, 2012
February 25, 2012
The club listings were not quite as inspiring as usual this week, but that just gives me a chance to include two bands on the bill with Your Mother Should Know at the High Dive on April 6: The Tailenders and Youth Rescue Mission. (The fourth band and headliner, Curtains for You, has been featured previously, but always has my support).
Djinn and Tonic Belly Dance Revue
I love the translinguistic pun, as well as the West-meets-East idea of the drink and the dance. And then there's the whole bottle thing . . .
In Medias Res
This is where writers are advised to begin the story: in the middle of things. It's also a pretty good time to drop into a party!
PK
Long, long ago, before we were Your Mother Should Know, my brother and I were The PKs, short for Preacher's Kids. So I have to wonder -- does anyone in this group belong to that same club?
The Tailenders
This name implies a kind of loser pride, not ashamed to bring up the rear, hang off the back, sweep up the leavings -- and maybe kick off the after-party, when the real fun happens.
Youth Rescue Mission
Sing it with me: "My life was saved by rock and roll."
Djinn and Tonic Belly Dance Revue
I love the translinguistic pun, as well as the West-meets-East idea of the drink and the dance. And then there's the whole bottle thing . . .
In Medias Res
This is where writers are advised to begin the story: in the middle of things. It's also a pretty good time to drop into a party!
PK
Long, long ago, before we were Your Mother Should Know, my brother and I were The PKs, short for Preacher's Kids. So I have to wonder -- does anyone in this group belong to that same club?
The Tailenders
This name implies a kind of loser pride, not ashamed to bring up the rear, hang off the back, sweep up the leavings -- and maybe kick off the after-party, when the real fun happens.
Youth Rescue Mission
Sing it with me: "My life was saved by rock and roll."
Saturday, February 18, 2012
February 18, 2012
I'm at a loss for any kind of clever introductory banter, so I'll just get to this week's list:
The Asteroids Galaxy Tour
Always a sucker for goofy space references. I like the idea of a band having not just a world tour, but a galaxy tour. They must have a heck of a bus.
Lifestyles of the Poor and Unknown
Completely relateable.
Ten Second Epic
This at first seems like an oxymoron, but it's all in how the tale is told.
Thing Changers
You always hear that things change -- now we know who's responsible.
Wilt
As much as I love long, rambling band names, sometimes a nice monosyllable hits the spot. This could be what thirsty plants do, or a good old word that doesn't get much use these days: wilt thou have this band?
The Asteroids Galaxy Tour
Always a sucker for goofy space references. I like the idea of a band having not just a world tour, but a galaxy tour. They must have a heck of a bus.
Lifestyles of the Poor and Unknown
Completely relateable.
Ten Second Epic
This at first seems like an oxymoron, but it's all in how the tale is told.
Thing Changers
You always hear that things change -- now we know who's responsible.
Wilt
As much as I love long, rambling band names, sometimes a nice monosyllable hits the spot. This could be what thirsty plants do, or a good old word that doesn't get much use these days: wilt thou have this band?
Saturday, February 11, 2012
February 11, 2012
It's after 5 pm and still light out! That's a reason to celebrate, whether you have a Valentine or not. As always, there's no end of great bands playing shows in the coming week. These names stood out:
And And And
This one distills a favorite naming convention to its essence. All conjunctions, all the time.
Bang Sha Bang
As a drummer, I'm happy to support this percussive bit of onomatopoeia.
Chrononauts
And as a science fiction writer, how could I not laud these sailors of the timestream?
I the Mighty
One the resident young people used to call himself "I. the Great." His brother was "[name redacted] the Mighty." I don't think this is them, but it seems to pay them homage.
Terabyte and the Battery Eaters
And here is the aforementioned favorite naming convention, dressing up an old-fashioned framework in the garb of our digital age.
And And And
This one distills a favorite naming convention to its essence. All conjunctions, all the time.
Bang Sha Bang
As a drummer, I'm happy to support this percussive bit of onomatopoeia.
Chrononauts
And as a science fiction writer, how could I not laud these sailors of the timestream?
I the Mighty
One the resident young people used to call himself "I. the Great." His brother was "[name redacted] the Mighty." I don't think this is them, but it seems to pay them homage.
Terabyte and the Battery Eaters
And here is the aforementioned favorite naming convention, dressing up an old-fashioned framework in the garb of our digital age.
Saturday, February 4, 2012
February 4, 2012
Shameless Plug: Your Mother Should Know will play an unplugged set as part of a benefit show, 7 pm tonight at Prospect Congregational UCC, 1919 E Prospect St. It's a nice mixed bill of soloists and ensembles, doing jazz, blues, gospel, and original songs. Admission by donation, all welcome!
On to the business at hand:
Beet Oven
There's the Beethoven reference, of course, but the pun of "beet" for "beat" is one I never get tired of. Wonderful as they are, root vegetables don't come across as particularly cool or hip. They're more down-to-earth (literally) and reliable. Maybe I relate to them! Roasting them takes them to a higher plane, hence the oven.
Dominant Legs
I recently read that humans are weird because (among other oddities) 90% of us are right-handed, whereas in other animals with a dominant hand, paw or flipper, it's 50%. That answered two questions I had, and (along with this band name) raised another: if you're right-handed, are you automatically right-legged/footed?
I Hate You Just Kidding
I like the idea of a band name that's a complete sentence. This one sentiment reveals a manipulative character who should perhaps be kept even closer than an enemy -- and don't turn your back.
Radioshark
Everybody's favorite source for adapters becomes dangerous. Or maybe it's a radio-controlled shark. Wait a minute, is this the Fake Shark from last week?
Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra
Sheer extravagance wins this one a place on the list -- everything from the number of words to the extra "e" in the definite article to "orchestra" instead of "band." It all adds up to a kind of ridiculous grandeur.
On to the business at hand:
Beet Oven
There's the Beethoven reference, of course, but the pun of "beet" for "beat" is one I never get tired of. Wonderful as they are, root vegetables don't come across as particularly cool or hip. They're more down-to-earth (literally) and reliable. Maybe I relate to them! Roasting them takes them to a higher plane, hence the oven.
Dominant Legs
I recently read that humans are weird because (among other oddities) 90% of us are right-handed, whereas in other animals with a dominant hand, paw or flipper, it's 50%. That answered two questions I had, and (along with this band name) raised another: if you're right-handed, are you automatically right-legged/footed?
I Hate You Just Kidding
I like the idea of a band name that's a complete sentence. This one sentiment reveals a manipulative character who should perhaps be kept even closer than an enemy -- and don't turn your back.
Radioshark
Everybody's favorite source for adapters becomes dangerous. Or maybe it's a radio-controlled shark. Wait a minute, is this the Fake Shark from last week?
Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra
Sheer extravagance wins this one a place on the list -- everything from the number of words to the extra "e" in the definite article to "orchestra" instead of "band." It all adds up to a kind of ridiculous grandeur.
Saturday, January 28, 2012
January 28, 2012
Your Mother Should Know, the band for which I am drummer and sometime backup vocalist, has been working hard to prepare an unplugged set that will be part of a benefit concert at Prospect Congregational United Church of Christ, Saturday, February 4 at 7:00 p.m. Donations will help pay for the new stove, which is used to prepare daily lunch for a lot of very deserving preschoolers. Meanwhile, it's fun and educational to learn our songs in new arrangements.
These band names caught my eye this week:
Bonfire So-So
I assume this is a reference to Campfire OK, a past honoree in this blog. I'm a big fan of band names inspired by other band names. I also like this one on its own merits, because of the disconnect. How could anything as extravagant as a bonfire be only so-so?
Fake Shark Real Zombie
I saw Jaws when I was 11, only to discover too late that I was one of those younger children for whom the movie was too intense. When I finally saw it again as an adult, I laughed because the shark was so obviously fake. In the campy monster movie with the same name as this band, I would then turn around to confront a real zombie and either die of fright or somehow remove its head.
Jakalope
I always enjoyed seeing stuffed jackalopes in gift shops in Montana. That's how you knew you'd left our time zone.
Nucular Aminals
One of the resident gamers is playing a game set near Chernobyl, so this is timely. Spelling out the mispronunciation gives it a nice Cold-War edge.
Really Old Airplanes
It sounds like the answer to a question, anything from: "What did you see on your trip?" to "What do you collect?" Are they a waste of time or what makes life worth living?
These band names caught my eye this week:
Bonfire So-So
I assume this is a reference to Campfire OK, a past honoree in this blog. I'm a big fan of band names inspired by other band names. I also like this one on its own merits, because of the disconnect. How could anything as extravagant as a bonfire be only so-so?
Fake Shark Real Zombie
I saw Jaws when I was 11, only to discover too late that I was one of those younger children for whom the movie was too intense. When I finally saw it again as an adult, I laughed because the shark was so obviously fake. In the campy monster movie with the same name as this band, I would then turn around to confront a real zombie and either die of fright or somehow remove its head.
Jakalope
I always enjoyed seeing stuffed jackalopes in gift shops in Montana. That's how you knew you'd left our time zone.
Nucular Aminals
One of the resident gamers is playing a game set near Chernobyl, so this is timely. Spelling out the mispronunciation gives it a nice Cold-War edge.
Really Old Airplanes
It sounds like the answer to a question, anything from: "What did you see on your trip?" to "What do you collect?" Are they a waste of time or what makes life worth living?
Saturday, January 21, 2012
January 21, 2012
OK, so that wasn't the greatest week for getting out to hear bands in Seattle, unless you could walk to a club. We hope to get out tomorrow to hear Triptet at Lucid. The snow and slush are melting fast, so we could even drive if we have to. These names tickled my fancy:
Dies Drear
This is perfect for Seattle in winter: not Dies Irae (Day of Wrath), but Dies Drear (Day of Low Clouds with Chance of Rain or Rain/Snow Mix and Dark by 5:00 P.M.). The aural pun secures it a place on the list.
The Fifth Wall
In theater, an actor breaks the fourth well by addressing the audience directly. The presence of a fifth wall implies that he could address another dimension. (Or maybe just the orchestra down in the pit, or that guy up in the flies).
If Bears Were Bees
I can't imagine much honey would get made, bears being solitary critturs and all. They certainly wouldn't leave any for the rest of us.
A Lull
I like this because it's the opposite of what you find at most rock shows. Any lull in the proceedings gets filled with noise. A little space allows the music to make even more impact.
Supply and the Man
This one gets my attention for a bunch of reasons. It uses the classic "X and the Y" formula; it features a clever play on a familiar phrase that's easy to miss unless you say it aloud; and it makes mention of "the Man," that powerful figure to whom rock & roll wishes to stick it. Well done.
Dies Drear
This is perfect for Seattle in winter: not Dies Irae (Day of Wrath), but Dies Drear (Day of Low Clouds with Chance of Rain or Rain/Snow Mix and Dark by 5:00 P.M.). The aural pun secures it a place on the list.
The Fifth Wall
In theater, an actor breaks the fourth well by addressing the audience directly. The presence of a fifth wall implies that he could address another dimension. (Or maybe just the orchestra down in the pit, or that guy up in the flies).
If Bears Were Bees
I can't imagine much honey would get made, bears being solitary critturs and all. They certainly wouldn't leave any for the rest of us.
A Lull
I like this because it's the opposite of what you find at most rock shows. Any lull in the proceedings gets filled with noise. A little space allows the music to make even more impact.
Supply and the Man
This one gets my attention for a bunch of reasons. It uses the classic "X and the Y" formula; it features a clever play on a familiar phrase that's easy to miss unless you say it aloud; and it makes mention of "the Man," that powerful figure to whom rock & roll wishes to stick it. Well done.
Saturday, January 14, 2012
January 14, 2012
Did anyone else notice that Friday the 13th fell on a Friday this month? It's too late now to hide under the bed, so you might as well go out -- weather permitting! Here are some bands to consider:
The Awfully Sudden Death of Martha G.
This sounds like an Edward Gorey caption, or else the title of a Lemony Snicket novel. Why does the addition of "awfully" make Martha's sudden death seem less terrible, or at least more refined?
The Bourbonites
Preferable by far to being a suburbanite. (And also indirectly connected to last week's whiskey theme).
Frost Giants
I'm a big fan of Norse mythology, so this gets my vote. I wonder if there's a duo out there called Thor & Loki.
A Lot Like Birds
What's a lot like birds besides other birds? Dunno -- the appeal is in the mystery. I also like that they're on the same bill with Just Like Vinyl.
Spaceneedles
Local flavor all over the place! The plural cracks me up -- how could there be more than one? Running the words together makes it look almost unfamiliar.
The Awfully Sudden Death of Martha G.
This sounds like an Edward Gorey caption, or else the title of a Lemony Snicket novel. Why does the addition of "awfully" make Martha's sudden death seem less terrible, or at least more refined?
The Bourbonites
Preferable by far to being a suburbanite. (And also indirectly connected to last week's whiskey theme).
Frost Giants
I'm a big fan of Norse mythology, so this gets my vote. I wonder if there's a duo out there called Thor & Loki.
A Lot Like Birds
What's a lot like birds besides other birds? Dunno -- the appeal is in the mystery. I also like that they're on the same bill with Just Like Vinyl.
Spaceneedles
Local flavor all over the place! The plural cracks me up -- how could there be more than one? Running the words together makes it look almost unfamiliar.
Saturday, January 7, 2012
January 7, 2012
I had already chosen my list when I noticed that the week seemed to have a theme. These bands are all playing in the next few days: Whiskey Syndicate, Sunday Evening Whiskey Club, Whiskey Swillers, and Weatherside Whiskey Band. Is the year already such a trial? Anyway, here are my picks:
Deception Past
I like the reference to a fabulously-named (and personal favorite) geographic feature, with a little tweak to make it about yesterday's lies.
Ever-So-Android
Effete meets SF.
The Gargle Blasters
I cannot fail to honor this reference to The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. I'm surprised I hadn't done it already.
Lights On Why
For safety, of course. The lack of punctuation adds a nice ambiguity. Is it a question? A demand? A bit of dialogue?
The Table of Contents
Brave to name your band for the dullest (usually) part of the book.
Deception Past
I like the reference to a fabulously-named (and personal favorite) geographic feature, with a little tweak to make it about yesterday's lies.
Ever-So-Android
Effete meets SF.
The Gargle Blasters
I cannot fail to honor this reference to The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. I'm surprised I hadn't done it already.
Lights On Why
For safety, of course. The lack of punctuation adds a nice ambiguity. Is it a question? A demand? A bit of dialogue?
The Table of Contents
Brave to name your band for the dullest (usually) part of the book.
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