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Can't remember whether people have wagged chin about this topic before on these boards, but what the heck.

I always thought The Dandy Warhols was an inexcusably shit name for a band. And my cousin's band is called Flotation Toy Warning - which even he admits is pretty poor. But (shameless plug) their music's pretty good.

As for best, inspired by banter with Dookerdoo in another thread, I'd have to go with something like The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. Although, as a rule, I normally despise a lot of bands named after the mammoth-egoed lead member: e.g. Santana, Slash's Snakepit.

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The only true knowledge is in knowing that you know nothing.

I thought "Gay Dad" was a great name (remember them?). Pity they were so shite

One of the suggestions for one of my bands was "Replacement Bus Service," which I also thought was great...

One name I always thought was shit was "Oasis"; The fact that it was named after Swindon's "Oasis Leisure Centre" (I used to go there as a kid) tells you everything you need to know...

It's difficult to see how the Gallaghers thought 'Oasis' was much of an improvement on 'Rain'.

'Replacement Bus Service'? Always a fan of apologetic band names. It almost gives you a licence to be rubbish (not that I'm saying you were, matt!)

For some inexplicable reason, the singer in my old band wanted to call us 'Length'. I don't think he'd really thought through the connotations. I always thought 'Sopwith Camel' would be a good name for a band, but I think someone's already used it.

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The only true knowledge is in knowing that you know nothing.

"Oasis" is a shit name, if only because it's clearly the name of an early 80's soft jazz-funk combo rather than a mid-90's rock outfit. If ever there was a group whose name should've included the definite article, then Oasis were that group.

A mate at college was in a group called "Tears in the Asylum" (taken, I think, from a Dylan Thomas poem). Shite, utterly, utterly shite. The group lived up to their name.

I always thought "Steely Dan" was top name, except that (again) it clearly wasn't the right name for Steely Dan.

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The only true knowledge is in knowing that you know nothing.

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Pukka Pie pest

Embrace the margin
Always Changing at Retford http://sptxx.tumblr.com/
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Looks like Elijah Wood. Supports Liverpool. Likes Coldplay.

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Looks like Elijah Wood. Supports Liverpool. Likes Coldplay.

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Jarvis Cocker or David Bowie or AVB or Johnny Borrell, she isn't picky

Cavey Cocker, Cup Cake Queen, Saint Thomas.

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Looks like Elijah Wood. Supports Liverpool. Likes Coldplay.

I see people have mentioned "Blur" on this thread a few times.

Its worth noting that before signing to Food/Parlophone they were called "Seymour", which I think is much better name (even though it fails Captain Howdy’s test as it's a literally reference, Salinger I think)

However, when they signed, they had to change their name and were given a list to choose from – I'll need to research what was on the list but I recall they were all suggestive of horrible early-90s shoegazing/baggy no-marks. I remember one being "Whirlpool", which is truly terrible...

I wonder if a lot of new bands have names forced on them in this way

My favourite on at the moment is: DANANANANAYKROYD

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Tall, moustachioed alcoholic - plays firewood with a bow.