I think there's a subtle difference in a tribute band - the members of which have no connection whatsoever to the original, but who play exclusively that band's material - and a band which uses the original name and purports to be that band itself. A cat's whisker of difference, perhaps... As I recall, there were around three different versions of the "original Drifters" doing the rounds at one time.

In my own particular experience, I played guitar and sang in a UK trio called "The Checkmates". Our drummer had played for a bit at the tail end of an outfit called Emile Ford & The Checkmates and, many years later, got permission from Emile to use the name. (Emile Ford was the first black singer from the Caribbean to have a No. 1 hit in this country). In actual fact, we did about three songs by Ford and then just played '50s rock'n roll - so the name was really an advertising ploy, I suppose. We got a few gigs supporting UK bands like Matchbox and Showaddywaddy, and then I left from the sheer boredom of travelling many miles to play for 30 minutes and not very much money.

It all seemed so false - which is why I always look upon bands who've decided to make a living from this as slightly sad, I suppose.