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?