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Offering the only indication of sound and personality on a flyer, a band’s name is worth a thousand words.
Some bands put a great deal of effort into building their names. They make sure to smooth out all The Kinks in their chosen titles until every member is ’N Sync with the final decision. Some names are All-American Rejects. The Enigma-tic titles might leave you scratching your Talking Heads. But even the ones you Love are nothing you would want to t.A.t.u. on your chest.
Where do bands find the inspiration for their labels? It’s No Doubt you wonder about the names you see on Vox’s calendar pages. Here are a few of the stories behind some of the stage names.
Oatmeal for the Foxhounds
When Banastre Tarleton and Dave McGowan started their duo in October 2000, they wanted to avoid the standard Sonny & Cher and Simon & Garfunkel names. They wanted an obscure title that didn’t quite sound like a band or that no one else had thought of before.
A history buff, Tarleton started looking through Revolutionary War papers of his namesake. He came across a requisition for military supplies that included bullets, blankets, boots and a reminder not to forget the oatmeal for the foxhounds. The pair had found its name.
Although he doesn’t have any dogs of his own, Banastre has learned a few things about foxhounds.
“If you want to keep your foxhounds happy, give them oatmeal,” he says.
— Kristen Johnson/Vox Magazine/2003
