December 28, 2013

As the sun sets on this last Saturday of 2013, painting even the east pink from south to north, I look back on a year that has seen well deserved attention to some favorite musicians (I'm looking at you, Dead Bars and Shelby Earl), my first published fiction (a story in HEATHERS, now available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle versions), and the first steps toward a full-length album from Your Mother Should Know. I could do a year-in-review blog, but I won't because there's always plenty of new material! The final list of 2013:

About the Author
I'm a writer -- how could I not choose this one? My bio in HEATHERS reads "Karen Eisenbrey was saved by rock and roll and fantasy novels." Perhaps I should change that "was" to "is being."

Dressed as Super Heroes
I appreciate a band that can own its comic book nerd roots. And as it happens, the follow-up to my story in HEATHERS gives the heroine superpowers. She doesn't do capes or high heels.

The Feelgood Band of the Year
There really are bands that lift away the years and make me feel 17 again (in a good way). Dead Bars is out of town, so this must be somebody else, but I hope they really do that for someone.
 
Puddle City Possums
This has both downhome folksiness and good poetic/syllabic structure. As an old Pogo fan, I'm happy to honor these possums. Puddle City is an excellent Seattle nickname, too.

You Knew Me When
Don't we all want to say this? I hope HEATHERS gets positive attention. I hope to publish more work. I hope the record turns out well. Whether any of this happens, you knew me when. Happy New Year!

December 21, 2013

The longest night of the year sounds like a great time to go out and catch some live music. The schedule's a little thin the rest of the week, what with Christmas and all, but once again, the listings come through with five good picks:

Bigfoot Accelerator
Can't leave out any reference to our local cryptid. Now we know why he's blurry in the photos -- he's accelerating!

Dumbfoundead
Fun with spelling. Add a letter, generate puns! So amazing it kills? Idiot found slain?
 
Hereticon
Like ComiCon -- go as your favorite heretic, collect alternative credos and non-canonic scriptures!

Three Ninjas and the Weird Old Tricks
I like this one just because it's long and all over the place. A weird old trick, right there.

Wildlife Indoors
OK, this is just asking for trouble.

December 14, 2013

In December, there are so many holiday concerts to choose from, we don't go to any. It's sort of reassuring to see all the ordinary, bar-band shows continuing unabated, with the usual abundance of great names. This week's picks:

Good Men and Thorough
I like the switch from "true" to "thorough." Not just loyal, they finish the job.

The Ill Legitimates
Whether or not they are bastards, these guys are sick in the best sense of the word.

Juno What?!
A name, a question, an announcement, and on top of everything else, punctuation!

The Mighty Titans of Tone
I love this for so many reasons: assonance, alliteration, exaggeration, unshakeable confidence, and attitude to burn.

Promethean Eulogy
Speaking of titans . . . You have to give this eulogy every day. With fireworks.

December 7, 2013

I took a break from blogging over Thanksgiving weekend, but now I'm back, refreshed and ever-thankful for Seattle's lively music scene, which yields such riches  as:

Ex's with Benefits
When I read this one aloud at the dinner table, it got a laugh and an immediate, "That's just sick." This is what's left when the relationship that began as a no-strings hookup ends.

The Royal Oui
Who doesn't love a bilingual pun?

Sexdrug
Instant decadence -- just add rock & roll.

Them Hills
That's my hometown!

The We Shared Milk
Aside from that weird definite article, there's something touching and sweet about the longstanding, unshakeable intimacy implied in this name. It evokes nap cots and sandboxes. We go way back.

November 23, 2013

I don't care what the calendar says -- when you have to scrape the windshield and the sun's in your eyes at noon, it's winter. As we head into Thanksgiving week, I'm thankful for a holiday that makes possible a rare weeknight foray to Chop Suey to hear Dead Bars! And also for venues that keep booking shows, and for bands that keep coming up with amusing names, such as:

Fit for an Autopsy
Not what you want to hear at your annual check-up.

Monster Magnet
That is one rough dating scene.

Mrs. Howl
Ginsberg's Island.

Vaude Villains
I have often seen "villain" misspelled "villian," but I never thought of taking it the other way. I imagine lots of mustache twirling and slapstick comeuppance.

Wishbeard
"When you wish upon a beard, makes no difference if you're weird . . ."

November 16, 2013

It was a long week, but the month is going by fast. Clearly, a paradox in the space-time continuum. But the club listings still yield a reliable crop of band names:

Elephant Gazebo
So much more pleasant than a graveyard, don't you think?

Pufferfish
The repeated fs sound goofy and make it fun to say. The critter itself is both dangerous and silly looking. What else has a reputation for being both dangerous and silly? Oh, yeah -- pop music!

Save the Forest Mosquito
Let's not. This is one animal that doesn't require conservation.

Trollfest
Between Discworld books, Trollhunter, and the Internet, it's a real trollfest around here.

Wally and the Beaves
This one combines classic X and the Y format with over-the-top nostalgia. Unless it's nostalgia for nostalgia (always a possibility), these people must be even older than me.

November 9, 2013

So glad band practice was Thursday and not Friday! With the power out, it would have been chilly and very dark in the studio. We were playing acoustic in any case, so we would have figured something out. My condolences to anyone in North Seattle who wanted to turn on an amp between 6 and 8 pm.

This week's picks:

Darling Rollercoaster
This perhaps takes a love of amusement parks a bit too far.

The Flannel Attractions
Either a Northwest love story or a sign that you need to use fabric softener.

Puddlestompers
Don't curse the rain. Put on your boots and stomp!

Under the Bodhi Tree
Rock & roll enlightenment.

XVIII Eyes
There's something familiar here. I thought it might be a tribute band, but it appears early Square Pig fave Eighteen Individual Eyes has decided to respell their name. This way got my attention, too, so I guess they get to appear twice.

November 2, 2013

Today we celebrate three years of Square Pig in a Round Hole, and bid a sad farewell to longtime fave Curtains for You, featured in the fifth post of this blog. Based on Facebook response, their "last live show ever" was shaping up to be a real love-fest. Who will be the new Curtains for You? Perhaps one of these:

Bad Motivators
I'm a sucker for an obscure Star Wars reference, especially one that implies disreputable influences. Plus, they're on a bill with two of my favorite local bands: Acapulco Lips and Red Ribbon!

Dead Animal Assembly Plant
I'm picturing a slaughterhouse in reverse, turning out reanimated livestock -- perfect for the holiday just past.

Def Leprechaun
I'm assuming tribute band here, which is often where you get the best wordplay. Or badass fiddle outfit. There's something engaging about that turn from sleek jungle cat to cereal-box sprite.

Pentagraham Crackers
Also fitting for Halloween, something dark rendered harmless by a comfort-food image.

Trivium
The only thing more trivial than trivia is a single trivium. I have only recently learned that "trivium" is part of classical academic education. I don't remember seeing the word before, so I was tickled to come across it as a band name.

October 27, 2013

Just one year ago tonight, Your Mother Should Know closed out a rockin' Halloween party/show at Sound Effects. Little did we know we would be the last band to play there before the building was demolished. RIP Sound Effects, Jam Box, Funhouse, and I guess the Comet, too. This winter will be a little darker without you. But other venues are still kicking, and there are plenty of well named bands to play in them this Halloween week:

All New Material
I'm always amused when I go to hear a band for the first time and they announce that the next song is a new one. (But Your Mother Should Know hasn't played the same set twice, so we probably fall into the "This is a new one" trap every time out.) Also, they're a cover band -- nice.

Curse of the Black Tongue
This is great for Halloween week -- creepy and gross and sorcerous. It also makes me think of a friend who used to be in a band called Black Hairy Tongue, which is even grosser.

La Fin Absolute du Monde
Everything sounds better in French, even the absolute end of the world.

Nervous Curtains
Shakey Blankets
I so wish these two were on the same bill! They need only Quivering Quilts to complete a themed show of haunted household textiles.

October 19, 2013

I identify as both writer and musician, but writer first, though I've probably made a little more money as a musician. I figured the blogosphere did not need another blog about writing, so I was pleased to find a different kind of word-based creative expression to ponder. When I started this project almost three years ago, I didn't imagine the supply of band names would last this long. Apparently, this well has no bottom.

Minot
I am never surprised to meet someone from Minot, ND. It is a town people are from. (My mother grew up near Minot and worked there for a time before her marriage to my dad.) I don't think I've ever met anyone who was moving there, but maybe that's because Seattle is a place people move to.

Power Skeleton
I have it on good authority that October is Skeleton Awareness Month. I have a sore hip, so I'm quite aware of my own personal skeleton. When I eventually have my hips and/or knees replaced, I want them to put in a sound chip to make noise like a servo motor.

Skunk Rider
Whether hero or villain, this character must have very short legs and no sense of smell. Probably not afraid to use chemical weapons.

Where My Bones Rest Easy
More Skeleton Awareness! Let them rest when their work is through.

The Wiled
Fun with spelling! It sounds like what rock music is, and describes those who have succumbed to its charms.

October 12, 2013

On vacation one day and I've already been to a fabulous show! Big thanks to the Skylark and all the bands -- Dead Bars, Bigfoot Wallace and His Wicked Sons, and Charms -- for a fun night out for our anniversary. And the names are good, too. They're in good company this week:

Bigfoot Wallace and His Wicked Sons
This one gets in for a whole bunch of reasons: classic [proper noun] and [possessive pronoun] [noun] form, accessorized with strong adjectives and nice syllabic rhythm; long but not too long; eye/ear-catching and humorous without being silly; and as a bonus, the form of the name suits the punk-blues style of the music.

Dead Bars
I'm surprised I haven't included this one already, though I have referenced them a couple times. I actually know the story behind the name, which grew out of drinking in bars where there was no energy or excitement, nothing going on but drinking and thinking. If these guys are playing, the venue is automatically not a dead bar anymore.

The Debaucherantes
At the coming-out after-party.

Heaven's Basement
This is, of course, where we live. No wonder there's so much weird stuff around.

Monogamy Party
Either this is what we were at at the Skylark last night, or it's what I've been a card-carrying member of for the last 27 years.  I'm all for it either way.

October 5, 2013

Macefield Music Festival tonight in Ballard! It's a little smaller than the old Reverb Fest, but I'm so happy they pulled something together. It's a beautiful day to go discover some new bands and hear old favorites The Young Fresh Fellows and new favorite Courtney Marie Andrews.

Meanwhile, there are so many great band names in the listings that I had to settle on a theme and narrow the list from there.

Alabaster
I don't know what they were intending, but as a Pogo fan of long standing, I can't help thinking of Albert Alligator's adorable little nephew Alabaster, and his pal Rackety Coon Chile. And so I smile.

Cute is What We Aim For
Whattayouknow! This is the theme. I don't usually find this much cuteness in the club listings.

Dung Beatles
Not so cute, you say? But the spelling -- adorable.

Oh! Pears
Perhaps more goofy than cute, but charmingly accessorized with punctuation. Read aloud, it reveals its secret.
 

Sleepy Kitty
Aw.

September 28, 2013

This week's band names (or maybe album titles) I'd like to see:

St. Rage (inspired by a mini-storage sign with one letter burned out).
Moose Family Detour (from an Alaska friend's Facebook post).

But these are all real bands:

Bat Sabbath
OK, probably a tribute band, but a great name all on its own. I picture a congregation of bats having upside-down church services up in the rafters. The repeated b and short-a sounds make it sound just right.

Bugs
Magpies
Tacos
I'm a big fan of really long band names, but I also have a soft spot for the one-word type. I like these three plural nouns without the definite article. One of these things is not like the others, but I suppose somebody somewhere would make a taco out of bugs and/or magpies.

Voodoo Organist
Pull out all the stops and raise the dead.

September 21, 2013

Singing and playing drums at the same time is hard! Duh, you say. At this point, I can sing an involved part if the drum part is simple, or play an involved part if the vocal part is simple. So now I'm stepping it up and trying to sing a sort-of complex vocal part against a sort-of complex drum part. What I'm finding is, I can do some of it but can't remember all of either part at the same time, and sometimes I can't remember any of either. BUT it's better than expected and enough fun that I plan to keep trying! (Good thing we don't have a show booked yet, but I look forward to playing this song in public after a lot more practice). Meanwhile, these well named bands have shows this week:

Grackles
Equally great as a name for birds or a band. I think it's the enclosed "ack" that makes it so much fun to say. It just sounds like something noisy.

Hound Dog Taylor's Hand
There's a disconnect between a hound dog and a hand that makes this name end on a surprise. Plus, you think it's a band named after the late Hound Dog Taylor, but then, no, it's named after his hand. Presumably not disembodied, but still -- makes you sit right up.

Loops of Fury
"Fury" is not the first thing to come to mind when I think "loops" so there's the surprise and goofiness factor of an unexpected pairing. But it is Decibel Festival, so who knows? Maybe it isn't hyperbole, after all.

Mind Spiders
Worse (or better) than ear worms!

Thrasher's Corner
A classic place name that sounds too metal for the bucolic reality.

September 14, 2013

Heard the good news this week that ReverbFest is being resurrected as the Macefield Music Festival, October 5 in Ballard. It'll be a bit smaller but still sounds great -- Young Fresh Fellows are in the lineup! We're in.

Meanwhile, there's plenty going on in the coming week. These band names deserve recognition:

The Littlest Viking
Children's movie-title trope: "The heartwarming story of a Norseman who loots and pillages his way to the top in spite of his diminutive size." I love the quick turn from cuteness to ferocity.

Meteor vs. Dinosaur
This will probably end badly . . . unless the dinosaurs are prepared with a gravity tractor to move the space rock before it hits the atmosphere.

Milo and the Understudies
I always appreciate a good deployment of the classic X and the Ys format. And then it's The Understudies, with all the second-stringness and muted hope for stardom that implies. If that weren't enough, Milo is the first name of the best villain I ever wrote. (And I've just learned this is a band of siblings, which I have to support).

Mr. and Mrs. Something
Yeah -- that couple you always see at that one place, where they serve those things.

The So So Glos
The repeated long Os make this name practically sing, and I always have a soft spot for any whiff of loser culture. 

September 7, 2013

September arrives and school begins with a light show and thunderous percussion! If summer must end, glad to see it go with a bang.

Bleeding Rainbow
So much going on in so few words. A sneakily violent reference to a PBS children's show? A proud announcement of the metaphorical color of one's blood? Or did the tie-dye run in the wash?

Into It. Over It.
If it goes this fast, it's not my fault I'm so often late to the party, fad-wise. What a relief! (How appropriate it would be if this band is a one-hit wonder).

The Knowgooders
A nice mash-up of "know" and "no good" and "do-gooders."

Tim Fantastic and Styrofoam Meat Trays
It's long and it makes nonsense of the mundane. What's not to like?

Queen Kwong
Once you see it done, it looks easy, but I never thought of this -- did you?

August 31, 2013

It's a fine weekend for Bumbershoot and any other live music you care to partake in! We're taking it easy around Chez Square Pig -- the youngest of our resident youths had wisdom teeth removed yesterday and has been pumped full of wisdom and good drugs. But even though I'm staying home, I can still applaud these great band names:

The Bloodclots
This fits the theme of the weekend (see above reference to oral surgery). This seems about perfect for the not-squeaky, not-clean side of rock & roll.

Dirty Pots
A seriously grungy image!

Polka Service
If you can have a folk mass or blues vespers or a church rock band, why not a polka service? (I guess this is a real thing, but it's ripe for satire).

Robotic About Us
I'm partial to science fiction imagery generally, and I'm considering writing a robot romance, so this speaks to me.

Runt
As one who was always the youngest and smallest, I tend to favor the runt. The word itself has the monosyllabic punch of some of our best swear words, and fits nicely in Seattle's loser-pride movement.

August 24, 2013

Once upon a time, there was group of kids who occasionally got together and jammed. They sounded pretty good and talked about putting on a show or playing for a dance, but were unable to come up with a name for their band. Possibly for this reason, they never played in public. And yet, how many times have I heard someone say they were going to start a band in order to use the great name they'd thought of? (This also rarely comes to fruition). As I've said before, naming a band is an act of concentrated creative expression almost on a par with writing a great lyric or riff. Trust that when the band is ready, the name will come -- or will have been waiting all the time.

The Apostrophes
The grammar nerd in me celebrates the correct use of this and all punctuation marks. I had also just selected another band name that contained an apostrophe, so there was a sense of destiny.


Bonded by Blood
Fueled by Fire
These two (on the same bill) get in for the same reason: alliteration. I also liked that both names had the same form: two-syllable verb (past tense) "by" one syllable noun. Because of this parallel form, I was ready to believe this was actually one band with a long name -- and I would have chosen it for that reason, too.


Cambrian Explosion
A reference to geologic time and events in an artifact of popular culture -- by definition fleeting -- is a sweet irony.


O'Brother
Here's that apostrophe referred to above. I like the expression of disbelief or resignation transformed into a name.

August 17, 2013

I find that I have nothing to say this week about anything but the band names, so here goes:

Frog Flag
This one gets in because it's short and fun to say, with lots of alliterating fs and gs. Let your frog flag fly!

God Hates Fads
Oh, what a difference one letter makes! That tiny change probably makes it true.

Marmot vs. Mammoth
Not an even match-up at all. Mammoth puts his foot in the marmot hole, he's going down. Love all those repeated m sounds.

More Machine than Man
Can't pass up a good Star Wars reference. And again with the alliteration!

A Sea of Glass
This automatically calls to mind Shelby Earl's fabulous, catchy, feel-good pop song about willingly enduring a lopsided, possibly abusive relationship. Swimming in a sea of glass is a beautiful, horrible image.

August 10, 2013

Happy birthday to my brother and bandmate, Neal! If we can get other people to haul our gear, let's still be rocking in our 90s!

This week's post has an opera and mythology theme, in honor of Seattle Opera's current Ring cycle, a heroic pull for all concerned (audience included) and a huge, awe-inspiring success.

Advent Horizon
The expected savior approaches, but it's too late. Everything will be dragged into the black hole of Wotan's hubris.

Horse Opera
Too easy! Last night's performance of Gotterdammerung (AKA "Crepuscle for Wotan") featured an actual horse onstage.

L'orchestre D'incroyable
'nuff said. The Rhine floods, Valhalla burns, but the orchestra always has the last word.

Merciful Zeus
Different mythology but any flawed deity fits the theme.

Viva Diva
After a thrilling performance as Brunhilde in Tuesday's Die Walkure, Alwyn Mellors came down with a virus and the heroic Lori Phillips stepped into the role for Siegfried and Gotterdammerung.  And owned it. Viva diva, indeed!

August 3, 2013

After an entire month of dry, sunny, warm-but-not-hot weather, people were complaining about one day of rain. What do they think, that it's suddenly not Seattle anymore? Then again, it wouldn't be Seattle if someone weren't complaining about the weather. I'm thankful it's still a town that also rains down wonderful band names. In a rare sweep, the first four are all on the same bill.

Agony and Ivory
I remember the summer when "Ebony and Ivory" was ubiquitous on pop radio. This is by far the best reference I've seen to it. I kind of want to start a band called Ebony and Ecstasy just to make it complete.

Lark vs. Owl
In a mixed household of morning people and not-morning people, I know all about this conflict.

Mean Recess
You gotta walk that lonesome playground; you gotta walk it by yourself . . .

My Machete
Sounds like some kind of comfort object. Maybe to carry during a mean recess . . .

Slow Bunny
Oh, dear. In a species that has only two things going for it -- speed and numbers -- this guy doesn't stand a chance.

As Seattle Opera begins Wagner's Ring of the Nibelungs, honorable mention goes to The Valkyries. I can't think of a better name for an all-female heavy-rock outfit.

July 27, 2013

I turn 50 next week, and I really can't complain. I'm doing all the things I hoped for when I was 16 -- writing novels, playing in a rock band, singing in a choir, all in the midst of an entertaining, engaging, amazing family. Granted, I thought I'd do the writing and rocking in my 20s, but I'll take it. As an early birthday celebration, we're going out to dinner on Capitol Hill and then to the Vermillion Un-Block Party to hear Red Ribbon. Should be interesting just getting there, but I'm up for the adventure!

OK, here are the band names:

I Draw Slow
. . . but I draw exceeding fine.

Jeans Wilder
I've loved Gene Wilder ever since I first saw Blazing Saddles (my first R-rated movie) at the age of 10. And I wear jeans practically every day. This one's for me.

Soft White Sixties
I suspect this will be my hair in another 10 years.

This Charming Band
Self-promotion, but awfully sweet. Who can resist a band this charming?

Xanthochroid
Gotta love something so scientific sounding. Yellow something? Oh -- having light hair. A very metal way to be blond.

July 21, 2013

I'm blogging late -- spent the weekend east of the mountains, tasting wine and experiencing genuine hot weather. It's important to do that periodically so I know not to complain when it gets over 80 in Seattle. I also want to take a moment to advise everyone to get Shelby Earl's new album, Swift Arrows, which releases on Tuesday, July 23. She has the voice of a sword-wielding angel, with powerful songs and arrangements to match. This record is the feel-good heartbreaker of the year.

On with the band names!

The Cat Empire
This is another word for that fuzz-covered, carpeted perch by the window. Or possibly your bed when there's a sunbeam.

Janglewood
Music camp with 12-string guitars.

The Put It All Down in Letters
As ever, I am a sucker for a name that is too long for convenience. This is even better for being a complete imperative sentence, with the absurd addition of the definite article. Plus, I'm a big fan of letters.

Vaudeville Etiquette
There are rules about who throws the first pie.

Wizard Rifle
Now, that just seems unfair. Magic and firearms, too?

July 13, 2013

I don't get out to too many shows that I'm not playing on (or so it seems after last weekend), so tonight is a special treat: a much anticipated show for I which I don't have to do anything but show up! Shelby Earl celebrates the release of Swift Arrows tonight at the Columbia City Theater, with Mikey and Matty, and Courtney Marie Andrews. I know, a whole bunch of name names, but elsewhere in time and place are an abundance of named bands to make up for it.

Badger Pocket
Either a tiny town in Arkansas, or a feature of a previously unknown species of marsupial weasel.

Future Bible Heroes
Because, as my friends in the United Church of Christ say, "God is still speaking."

Human Animation Lab
Why do I think this is going to involve lightning and an assistant named Igor?

Strangely Alright
Duddley Doright's weirder cousin.

Warpvomit
What happens when you get spacesick on a faster-than-light ship.

Honorable mention to a lineup that reads like a poem:
Seize the Sun
Love the Lost
Ascend from Silence
 

July 6, 2013

Tonight! Your Mother Should Know is pleased and honored to be included with Old Man Williamson, Pouch and Peterman on the bill for Peterman's record release at Victory Lounge, 9:00 p.m. Free! I even get to step out from behind the drums and sing one number, so it's a momentous occasion.

And we're not the only well named bands out there this week. Try these on:

Golden Robot Army
I'm thinking old-school giant robots here, with laser eyes, and golden armor gleaming in the sun as they take their rightful place as our overlords.

Kingdom Crumbs
. . . thy will be dumb . . .

Loud Eyes
That's some serious synesthesia! Not just mis-wired senses, but the sensory organs themselves, doing things they can't.

Special Explosion District
Anywhere on July 4?

The Woolen Men
I picture a set of cuddly knitted golems. I wish they were on the same bill with the Golden Robot Army.

June 29, 2013

How can this be? It's hot, and still June! Does this bode well or ill for July 4? Which reminds me: time for a shameless plug! Your Mother Should Know is pleased and honored to be included with Pouch and Peterman on the bill for Peterman's record release at Victory Lounge next Saturday, July 6, 8:30 p.m. And on Friday, July 5, 8:00 p.m. the members of Your Mother Should Know (Neal Kosaly Meyer and yours truly) will present "Songs Your Mother Should Know," a three-song cycle of Neal's recent neo-Tin-Pan-Alley songs at Seattle Composers Salon, Chapel Performance Space,

4649 Sunnyside Ave N, 4th Fl, Seattle. $5 - $15 sliding scale admission.

There's lots going on before that, and here is a well-named sampling:

The Botherations

"Botheration" was one of my mom's favorite (clean) exclamations. I love the association of an old-fashioned expression with today's music.

Dragontail Peak

This one hits my fantasy reader and writer spot. While you're worrying about the dragon's mouth, the tail will come around and take you out from behind.

Fuzzy Cloaks

It's way too warm to want a fuzzy cloak, but it's such a comforting image. Or is it . . . distortion?

Mega EvErs

An audacious and clever punning nod to history and activism.

Swamp Meat 

I couldn't believe I hadn't done this name already. It has the obvious sludgy, undead association, but then you say it out loud and it sounds like something completely different. They keep being on bills with friends of YMSK, so I'm bound to hear them before long.

June 22, 2013

Summer's here, and for this one day, it even looks like it! The naked bicyclists won't have to worry about hypothermia, but I hope they remember their sunscreen. Tomorrow, we rejoin Junuary, already in progress. But it's never too rainy or too sunny for a little rock & roll.

Bonnie and the Bang Bang
Classic structure, with both alliteration and repetition. It has a nice rhythm of its own and ends with, yes, a bang.

Earthworm
Hail the lowly earthworm, which makes organic matter into soil. When our elder son was in first grade, he did a report on worms, recorded on tape and punctuated with various noisemakers from our vast collection. I appreciated worms before that, but after, I was a real fan.

Hymn for Her
Beautiful double meaning from the homophone.

Liiight
This one gets in for the spelling. I can just hear the reverb.

Molotov Colostomy
Well, that took a surprising turn! Grossest protest ever.

June 15, 2013

If one were so inclined and didn't have to get up in the morning, one could go out and hear bands at a different club every night of the week. Fun to imagine, exhausting to even think about. Here are a few band names, scattered throughout the week, that caught my eye:

Before the Eyewall
I love it when evocative scientific terms find their way into band names. If I remember my Magic Schoolbus correctly, the eyewall is an area of intense winds that surrounds the calm eye of a hurricane. I imagine being in the eye, about to plunge back into the eyewall, might be like contemplating entrance to the wildest of mosh pits.

Drunken Prayer
Dear God, don't let me trip in front of that person I've had my eye on all night. Lord, lead me not into the wrong bathroom. O Porcelain One, may this offering be acceptable in thy sight.

DJ Port-a-Party
That's what a DJ is, right? But I love that it sounds like something else.

Mighty Tiny Band
Being of the small persuasion myself, as well as a member of a little band, I like that we tiny ones can also be mighty.

Purr Gato 
I took a lot of Spanish classes a long time ago, and I have a cat with a very loud purr. Seems like reason enough.

June 8, 2013

Whew! I'm sure glad that bright thing in the sky finally went away. Now it feels like June. But it's always a nice day for rock and roll! Here are the band names that made the cut this week:

Amphibian Children
Tadpoles? (Due to water content, probably best not to put them in the same room with last week's pick Electric Children). Many years ago, as part of a free improv session, my brother (and bandmate) made up a song about tadpoles that I've often said Your Mother Should Know ought to take up. So far, we haven't.

The Dee Dees
Nostalgia time, suggesting as it does an age when there were girls named Dee Dee. And an age when there were the Ramones . . . (I didn't know until I checked that this is an all-girl Ramones cover band, but I could have guessed.)

Led Askew
Nice twist on an idiom. So much more bent than simply led astray.

Low Standard
Good to know that grunge's loser attitude is still out there, setting the bar low.

The Thoughts
Well, where does it all begin, after all? As a thought. Then you put it out into the world, so loud you can't hear yourself think.

June 1, 2013

My own musical experiences take a turn away from pop this weekend and next, as we attend and participate in the 8th Annual Harry and Myrtle Olson International Music and Organ Festival at University Temple United Methodist Church. Feel free to join us! Or if you're looking for a well-named band, check these out:

The Bony King of Nowhere
Instantly deep in folk-tale territory, and a weird tale it is. He's a real nowhere man. And I love that adjective, "bony." 


Electric Children
Because the hand-cranked kind are so labor intensive.


Last Great Fire
I guess Seattle should count itself lucky to have suffered only one Great Fire (so far). Let it be the last.


Mice Parade
Cute as anything until they march into your pantry.


The Of 
Definite article + preposition = what? Language stripped of meaning, but it's got a good beat and you can dance to it.

May 26, 2013

I'm blogging a day late because, after 27 years in Seattle, I finally went to Folklife! It turned out to be a beautiful day for it -- sunshine, grass dry enough to sit on, every variety of human in every state of dress, and a constant, undifferentiated din that morphed as we moved among buskers from jazz combo to jug band to steel drums to ukelele duo to ??? Standouts among the stage performers were Podorythmie, playing lively French-Canadian dance music; folk-popsters Song Sparrow Research (who I can't believe I haven't blogged about, because what a great name!); and beloved local singer-songwriter Shelby Earl.

But Folklife isn't the only thing happening! The club listings yielded the following harvest:

Future Fridays
Part of the appeal is that they're playing on Monday, which must wish to be Friday when it grows up.

Godzillian
Just how many is a Godzillian, and can it be applied to anything or just giant rubbery monsters?

Kung Fu Vampire
And continuing with the B-movie theme -- it doesn't get much better than this.

The Raging Maggots
Ew, gross! I think it's the repeated long a sound that makes this seem like a real thing. Then the disconnect hits: how, exactly, does a maggot rage?

We the Audience
Hall of mirrors! If the band is the audience, who is performing for them? We, the audience?

May 18, 2013

Any May 18 when a volcano does not erupt is a good day. To celebrate, go hear a band!

Aruvius Thud
I just love the way this sounds, like the name of a backwoods wizard.

Invisible Shivers
Comes into its own when spoken aloud. All those short-i and v sounds are delicious.

Man or Astro-Man?
Anything that can simultaneously bring to mind space travel, Ed Wood and Nietzsche gets my vote.
 
Shark Dentures
Ice to Eskimos, coals to Newcastle, dentures to sharks . . .

Strangled Darlings
Writers are advised, "Kill your darlings." I didn't know we were supposed to strangle them!

May 11, 2013

I had the privilege to spend the evening of Cinco de Mayo in the parking lot of Restaurante Michoacan in Crown Hill, enjoying margaritas and Mexican food, with live music by Freddie and the Screamers -- classic Northwest rock & roll by some of the original perpetrators! Great party made hilarious by the cops shutting it down at 8 p.m. because of a noise complaint. (Click the link for the song that pushed it over the top). It takes old Northwest rockers to do that! Can't imagine that Mother's Day will be anywhere near so exciting, but the band names just keep on coming:

Ark of the Covenant
A twofer -- biblical and movie reference all in one!

The Blind Photographers 
There have been deaf musicians, so why not?

Cedar and Boyer
Boyer is one of my favorite hypotenuse streets in Seattle and there's a Cedar St. not too far away, but I couldn't find this intersection on the map. Fictional Intersections would be another good band name.

Dr. Drug and the Possible Side Effects
Classic X and the Y structure + household phrase = instant party. Sounds like a high old time.

Western Red Penguins 
This goes off in a completely unexpected direction but still sounds for a moment like a real thing. A composer friend has invented birds, complete with names and calls. Wonder what she'd do with this one.

May 4, 2013

It's one of Seattle's rare perfect days -- reason enough to celebrate! The bars will sell a lot of cold beer tonight. These band names caught my eye:

Captain Ahab's Motorcycle Club
Love the goofy literary reference! Probably would have been safer than the obsessive whaling voyage.

The Drunken Guitarists
Truth in advertising, perhaps? Drummers, hold onto your hi-hats! No mic stand is safe!

Duck! District
This would be amusing even without the exclamation point -- a section of town devoted to ducks (wait, that's Green Lake) -- but with it, the absurdity multiplies. Not just a hardhat zone; it's a duck! district.

Peeping Tomboys
Equal opportunity.

Wiscon
Take the sin out of Wisconsin, and what do you get?

April 27, 2013

I'm finally feeling almost good again, after being sick with a cold all week. Much as I'd like to go hear the Tripwires at the Royal Room tonight, I think I'd better finish my recovery in my own bed. Don't let that keep you in! Here are some inspiring band names to get you in the mood:

Boomzzilla
Drum monster! Promise of good, dumb fun.

Flosstradamus
The mundane and the arcane, punned together to create prophetic dentistry.

Killing Joke
We already tell comedians, "You slay me!" so it's an easy step from stroke to joke.

Nostalgist
I have to face it -- I'm probably old enough to apply for this job.

The Ongoing Concept
This could apply to a song or an album or a band or rock & roll itself.

April 20, 2013

Chickadees are nesting in the birdhouse on my porch. One just flew by with big beakful of fluff -- looked like a beard. Chickadee Santa Claus would be a moderately good name for a band. Here are my picks this week. I'm not feeling wordy, so my comments are brief.

CCR Headcleaner
Product names often make good band names. This one sounds particularly technical. Or maybe it scrubs all the Creedence songs from your brain.

Damn Divas
I have been know to condemn the self-important.

Jelly Bread
Folded over, the comfort food of my childhood.

Once Upon a Tuesday
Mythic and specific all at once.

Uncommon Men from Mars
Well, they would be. Mars needs women . . . ?

April 13, 2013

Winter's making a lame attempt at a comeback, but chickadees are nesting and I see buds on the lilac bush. It might be cold and wet, but it's still spring, and only a month to the U. District Street Fair, when it might be sunny and 90 (or rainy and 60). Think warm thoughts and go find a band. Here are a few that caught my eye:

Captured! by Robots
I would like the silly sci-fi B-movie vibe regardless, but the exclamation point puts it over the cheesy top.

Inkiest Eels
I try not to play favorites, but this week, this is my favorite. This bizarre word pairing sounds like the title of some weird children's book that I would love to get my hands on. The assonance of all those long-e sounds also makes it a delight to say.

The Past Impending
Obscure verb tense? Convoluted narrative device? Time travel reference?

Power Cassette
This must be the accessory of a second- or third-tier music-themed 1980s superhero.

Stop Motion Poetry
Poetry in motion, the animated series.

April 6, 2013

On this rainy Saturday, there are six or eight interesting shows we could go to, but when it came right down to it, we chose The Holy, Red Ribbon, Acapulco Lips and No Rey at The Josephine. Should be good. This week's picks were selected by the unscientific method of reading all the listings aloud and noting which ones got a chuckle.

Ballard Train Wreck
Love the local flavor! Was this wreck caused by lutefisk on the tracks, or did someone leave their turn signal on?

Cerebral Cortez
Smart and funny! Science puns get me every time.

Dinner and a Suit
Starts out sounding like a nice date, ends up as a lame game-show prize. Or a really tiny inheritance.

Gilbert Grape and the Trucknuts
Classic X and the Y format, a few too many words, and apparent simultaneous references to a Johnny Depp movie and a breakfast cereal. What's not to like?

Second to Last
I feel like I should go back and find a "T" band so this can be in the penultimate position. Serious punk cred here: if you come in dead last, you're a loser, but coming in second to last is about as lame as it gets.

March 30, 2013

Time to come in out the sun (in Seattle! In March!) and think about band names. Fortunately, the supply of creative and entertaining names is as abundant as ever.

Bite the Buffalo
Bullet Made Statues
Part of the attraction here is that these two are on the same bill, lacking only Statue Made Buffalo to complete the circle. A tough guy will bite the bullet; how much tougher the guy who will bite the buffalo? Meanwhile, bullet made statues would seem to belong to the same category of high-testosterone art as chainsaw carvings.

Deathrow Tull
For those of us who were never won over to flute-based folk rock, this couldn't be more perfect. The happy accident of homophones.

The Giraffe Dodgers
More happy homophones, this time with cheerful nonsense.

Holy Grail
They're playing on Easter. Dunno if it was on purpose, but what could be more appropriate?

March 23, 2013

Snow and sunshine and stuff in bloom? Yep, must be spring in Seattle. If you don't like the weather, wait 5 minutes. If you don't like the music, wait for the next band.

Bevelers
I see this one as a literary reference: "I made it on the bevel. 1. There is more surface for the nails to grip . . . 13. It makes a neater job." (From As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner)

The Echo Echo Echoes
This is the most autological band name I have seen to date. As you might expect, they use lots of reverb.

(The names that follow are not only wonderful, but all together on the same bill!)

Foxygen
This piece of wordplay brims with cheerful '70s funkiness.

Unknown Mortal Orchestra
So is it the mortals who are unknown, or the orchestra? This is an unexpected combination of words that sounds like it means something and has exactly the right rhythm.

Wampire
The spelling implies an entire accent.

March 16, 2013

Happy St. Urho's Day, everyone! Put on your purple and green and celebrate the tongue-in-cheek patron saint of Finland. Traditionalists may wait until tomorrow and drink green beer in honor of that other saint. Lots of fun band names to choose from:

The Dirty Church Ladies
I want to be one, if I'm not already! Being a church lady drummer probably puts me pretty close.

Jar of Rain
Putting rain into any kind of small container is the kind of idealistic and hopeless project I can get behind. Now I wonder -- is this Buckets of Rain minus a member or two? Or in collaboration with Jar of Flies? Both of those have made the blog in the past, so this was an easy pick.

Meniscus
One of my favorite words. Fun to say, and it sounds like it should mean something grosser than surface tension. So nerdy.

Something in the Trees
I love the mystery here. Is it a good something or a bad something? Is it among the trees, or actually in them? Who will go check? (Also, I have it on good authority that this group includes some fraction of The Tailenders, a past Square Pig favorite).

The Story So Far
The writer in me is drawn to the implication of narrative.

March 9, 2013

A friend's recent Facebook post converts nicely into a band name I want to see: Popeless & Sequestered. Not that there's any shortage of good names this week!

All You All
I have long been amused by the way the apparent plural "y'all" is often used as a singular and requires an additional "all" to make it plural and inclusive. This appears to be a Northern variant, subsituting gracefully for the more common "you guys." Thanks, guys.

Assembly of Dust
This almost sounds like a church. As Pastor Rich reminds us, we come from dust; but it's holy dust. Amen.

The Bog Hoppers
 "Bog" sounds like what it is: sticky and muddy and damp. "Hopper" echoes the short-o sound but adds lively action.

The Dread Crew of Oddwood
I love the old-fashioned usage of "dread" as an adjective for crew. It pairs well with the fantasy placename, Oddwood, and all those repeated ds create a thumping alliteration.

I Will Keep Your Ghost
. . . in a box under the bed? I'm always on the lookout for complete-sentence names, especially those that go to a strange or spooky place.

March 2, 2013

Coming right up: Your Mother Should Know with Canals of Venice, Dead Bars, and Red Ribbon! Tuesday, March 5 at Comet Tavern, doors open at 8 pm, music starts at 9 pm, $6 cover. Very excited about this show. YMSK has an oddly wonderful new set -- no two songs alike -- and I'm eager to hear the other bands, two of them for the first time. As usual, seeing us in the listings sort of distracted me from my blog research, but I found five worthy names to write about:

All Get Out
Folksy idiom -- "That band was noisy as all get out!" -- or emergency order -- "All get out! The bar's on fire!"? You decide.

Bacon Grenade
If this isn't the name of a hangover breakfast, it should be. Or maybe it's the thing you toss in to distract the guard dogs.

The Blank Tapes
Nostalgia trip! There was a time in the not-so-distant past when we devoted a certain part of our budget and storage space to blank tapes. We haven't bought one in ages; even the used tapes have all been ripped or are steadily being replaced. But this band name triggered memories of a well-used recording medium that was a great convenience in its day.

Paper Rout
I hope this is not just a typo in the paper, because I really like it this way but I'm not finding any web presence. Is this where the paper bag punches back? Or where you win, but only on paper? Funny the difference one letter can make.

Pollens 
Timely, considering the season. (Apologies to all hay fever sufferers). I like this because pollen is a collective noun already and making it plural is amusing overkill. But I'm sure that botanists (and hay fever sufferers) are concerned with the variety of pollens out there.

February 23, 2013

Out past 10 two weeknights in a row -- Banned Rehearsal performance last night and Your Mother Should Know practice the night before that. I don't know about this life in the fast lane. I'm feeling sleep-deprived, so I'll keep this short. Fortunately, the band names fell readily into a theme. See if you can guess it.

Excuse You
I know this line as an alternative momism to "What do you say?" When adults say it to each other, it gains a layer of sarcasm while still sounding polite.

Go Radio
It's been a long time since I did much music listening on the radio, but I love those moments when I'm switching the CD in the car and a fragment of another world comes over the airwaves. Long live radio.

Lagwagon
I think I had this car.

Sweet Talkin' Jones and the Muscletones
I try not to play favorites, but this is my favorite. It has the classic X and the Y structure, and it takes the "-tones" trope in a punning direction. And it rhymes. (Broad hint).

Town Hall Brawl
I think I'll stay away from the contentious meeting, but I'll be happy to read a detailed account the next day!

And of course, the theme is names with rhymes in them. I found Excuse You and Town Hall Brawl on the same bill early in the listings, and the rest chose themselves.

Coming Soon: Your Mother Should Know with Canals of Venice, Dead Bars, and Red Ribbon! Tuesday, March 5 at Comet Tavern, doors open at 8 pm, $6 cover.

February 16, 2013

After yesterday's meteor and asteroid events, may I just say: Space rocks. Sorry. On with the band names . . .

Aaron Daniel's One Man Banned 
It's almost too easy, but the pun of "banned" for "band" continues to work. I'm also sensitive to the usage because I'm part of a longstanding musical improv outfit called Banned Rehearsal, which has been not-rehearsing since 1984. Shameless plug: we'll be playing the Chapel Performance Space at Good Shepherd Center on Friday, February 22 -- our first public outing since 1997.

Chaotic Noise Marching Corps
This actually seems to describe the Banned Rehearsal aesthetic, though we do not generally march. I like the apparent oxymoron of chaos and noise combined with the implied order of a marching corps. Also, one of the guys lives on my block and went through elementary and middle school with one of my kids, so there's some neighborly pride here.
 
Feed Me with Teeth
Well, obviously, but on the other hand, what? A short sentence that twists all over the place. I also appreciate the assonance of the repeated double e.

Mouse on Mars
My instant reaction was memory of the Fun Forest, which I consider a good thing. In my mind, this name melds the roller coaster Mad Mouse with another ride called Flight to Mars. So, Seattle nostalgia plus my usual Mars-mania -- an easy pick.

Robot Uprise 
I don't think I've ever seen "uprise" used this way, or maybe at all. Is it a verb -- something a robot is being ordered to do? Or is it a noun, a shortened version of uprising? What do our robot overlords say?
 

February 9, 2013

What a privilege to live in a region that produced both The Sonics and Mudhoney, and continues to incubate a lively and creative music scene that really doesn't care what the rest of the world thinks. Let them come to us.

This week's picks ended up having a food-and-martian theme. I don't plan these things, folks; just lucky, I guess.

Boss Martians
Men Martians and Machines
I love it when my R&R and SF interests come together. I don't suppose I'll ever get over my Mars kick.
 
Fruit and Vegetable
Sour Scream and Salsa
These two really should have been on the same bill. Not just food and allusions to food, but the classic Noun and Noun band name structure. Yet they are also opposites: while both chose foods that are commonly spoken of together, one pairs staples of a balanced diet; the other, yelling condiments . . . into which the healthful foods could be dipped! I also like that Fruit and Vegetable are singular, as if this is a duo of (interchangeable) Veggie Tales characters. Sour Scream and Salsa provides abundant sibilance, and I gotta say, mariachi metal is an intriguing new genre.
 
Hellbelly
Too much sour scream and salsa? I love that something as simple as changing the vowel sometimes works magic.

February 2, 2013

Happy Groundhog Day! I'm very excited to go hear The Sonics and Mudhoney tonight! Musically, I missed the '60s because I was a child, and the '90s because I had children. Most kind of these two bands to do a show together for my convenience! They are among the few I've blogged about after hearing their music. Here are some I've yet to hear:

Acapulco Lips
I was sorry to miss Red Ribbon's show at the Rendezvous last week, moreso when I learned the name of the opening act. On the page, it looks like silly nonsense, but has to be read aloud to really sink in. On top of the wordplay (for me, at least), it brings to mind Walt Kelly's Pogo strip, in which "Octawocktapockers done got Albert!"

Impossible Bird
Come to think of it, everything birds do seems impossible. They fly, soar, swoop, and flock without even thinking about it; snag mosquitoes out of the air; perch on branches and power lines without losing their balance; see colors that are invisible to us; migrate incredible distances. I'll stop there. Birds are awesome.

Rose Windows
Do they transform the venue into a cathedral? This would also make a good stage name.

The Shivering Denizens
I can't believe I haven't included this one before. I'm always happy to find the word "denizens" in use, and "shivering" seems like just the right adjective.

Train Wreck
Can't look away! A spectacle even when all goes wrong. Also, I tend to notice train references, due both to my lifelong fondness for trains, and to my folk-music project, Train Case.

January 26, 2013

Blogging near the end of a busy day! It's probably a good thing we didn't go out last night, considering all the stuff we had to do today, but I was sorry to miss On the Ground, The Badlands, and Pouch. Next time, perhaps. Tonight, it's Neal Meyer's Cage/Joyce program at the Chapel Performance Space -- something I've been looking forward to. These names caught my eye this week:

Miss Rose and her Rhythm Percolators
I've been meaning to point this group out for some time. Today I met someone who knows them well, and there I was with a space to fill! It's an old-fashioned name befitting the style of music they play -- I'm told when they play the Sorrento, you expect Bertie Wooster to stroll in. So we have the classic format -- leader's name and his/her plural noun. "Rhythm Percolators" is both rhythmic and cheery, as well as old-timey. Sounds perfect for what they do.

Mordacious
Oh happy day when made-up words are easy and fun to say! What have we here? Morbid + Audacious? Mordant + Bodacious? Choose your own meaning.

Seacats
Kind of hard to picture -- the cats I know don't like to get their paws wet.

Tacoma Finish
Last week I dissed Tacoma, but I'm really rather fond of the place -- especially as an incubator of early garage rock. So if you can put a Tacoma finish on your music, that can only be a good thing.

This Soil is Diseased
Yow! I suspect this comes directly off a sign somewhere, a perfect metal name: complete sentence with notes of death and corruption.

January 20, 2013

I can hardly believe it, but people have begun to complain about the weather! In Seattle! All right, yes, the fog is getting a little old. But I remember a winter some years ago when it was foggy for three weeks straight without even a sunbreak. And I lived in Tacoma. So, you know, it could be worse. (I won't even mention the S word). Cut through the fog with some good astringent punk rock and you'll feel better.

Falling Awake
Is this about drifting into consciousness without really realizing it, and everything makes perfect sense until you go to sleep again? Or that moment when you've been drifting off to sleep, feel like you're falling, and jerk awake?

HugLife
What a difference one letter makes. So warm and fuzzy!

Kim Jong Illin'
Resident wet blanket points out that this is too out-of-date to be relevant anymore. Don't care. It's still clever and funny, and in a year or two, it'll be retro.

Lo' There Do I See My Brother
Formal and old-fashioned and too many words -- everything I love in a band name.

Red Wanting Blue
Do political opposites attract, or just need each other as foils? Does red want blue more than blue wants red? Is it a rom-com or a tragedy?

Special recognition for an event name I couldn't make up if I tried:
The King County Executive's Awards for Excellence in Hip Hop

January 13, 2013

I'm a day late due to a very busy Saturday of wildly diverse activities: helped lead a spiritual retreat in the morning, then into the sparkly purple minidress and over-the-knee boots for a party at Teatro Zinzanni in the late afternoon and evening. Naturally, I caught a cold; lucky I didn't get whiplash. But there's always time to celebrate great band names:

Books on Fate
It sounds like it's going to be Books on [some audio medium] and then takes a turn for the cosmic.

Coho Mountain String Ticklers
"Tickle" is the perfect verb for how bluegrass players get sound out of their instruments, and also how this name affected me.

Holy Bourbon Church
My temperance foremothers would be shocked, but what time are the services?

Microscopic Suffering
Seen through the right lens, even tiny suffering fills the field of view.

Transmissionary Six
Automotive meets evangelical.
 

January 5, 2013

It's a new year, Your Mother Should Know is learning new songs and should have a new recording out soon, and the intrepid bar-band community continues to inspire and delight with an apparently bottomless well of names.

Dead End Alaska
It's been said that the Pacific Northwest is where the restless souls, wandering black sheep, and other riffraff of the nation end up when they've roamed as far west as they can go. Those for whom even Seattle is not weird enough head north. This band name sounds like the end of the line even for them. If it's not a real place name, it should be.

Fainting Goats
Isn't this an ice cream place? And then there's Stumbling Goat Bistro, where I had a fine meal recently. It's hard to imagine what would make a goat faint or stumble -- they're surefooted and eat everything, including blackberry vines. But we like the unimaginable in this town.

O-Face
Full disclosure -- a relative is a co-founder of this group, formerly of Whidbey Island, now based in upstate New York. I like the name for its implicit raunchiness and explicit innocent silliness. (And the new EP is pretty good, too).

Powdered Water
Heh. Like the astronauts drank . . .

West Coast Improvement Company
How do you improve the Best Coast?