Band name help please

Subject: Band name help please
From: Hamish
Date: 28 Sep 09 - 09:17 AM

Yes - it's another of Mudcat's famous "I can't think of a band name" threads. Your help most gratefully received.

We are: Karen on flute, Carol on cello and me on guitar and we play traditional and in-the-tradition tunes. English, Scottish, not much Irish, some European (French, Swedish), French-Canadian.

I like to think we're quite refined and elegant. We're certainly more chamber-orchestra than thrash-punk!

Looking for a unique and punchy name which doesn't have too many in-built preconceptions. We don't want an Oirish name, nor a new-age name. The best we've come up with so far is "Gallowhill" (after the tune by Lau which gives an indication of our vibe) although some folks think that sounds a bit macabre.

Any and all ideas, please. Thank you in anticipation. Usual royalties will apply*.

--
Hamish

*paid in beer.

Subject: RE: Band name help please
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 28 Sep 09 - 09:31 AM

Karomish?

Shakespeare's Mother?

The Karen On Flute, Carol On Cello and Hamish On Guitar ( KOFCOCHAG) ensemble?

If nothing else a plethora of daft suggestions should get you thinking of good ones:-)

Cheers

DeG

Subject: RE: Band name help please
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 28 Sep 09 - 09:35 AM

"The Green Light Orchestra" — unaggressively PC with permissive undertones; several levels of meaning — I always loved the name of the Electric Light Orchestra, which in a way it references; with overtonal ref also to these low-energy bulbs which are supposed to be going to be so much better for us, so implying the gentle approach which your summary above seems to suggest...

Any vocals, btw, or purely instrumental? — I think we should be told...

* Don't drink beer these days: but fond of sparkling mineral...

Subject: RE: Band name help please
From: Hamish
Date: 28 Sep 09 - 09:45 AM

The idea is to be purely instrumental, M. Although we have a booking for a double headed gig in January where I'll be one act (solo, singing) and The Green Light Orchestra will be the other act. It's early days and I'm happy just to be playing with these two lovely and talented musicians. We might do some songs, but it's not on the agenda at the moment.

The lack of a name is rather holding us back from setting up a MySpace site.

I suppose the obvious cypher is "Hamish and Carol, Karen" - HACK; or "Carol, Hamish and Karen" = CHAK. But they're not very appealing, are they?

Keep 'em coming!

Subject: RE: Band name help please
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 28 Sep 09 - 09:48 AM

"Many a good tune" (although it would be bether if you had a fiddle).

Poise.

Northern Lights.

Go carefully now.

Gentle Measures.

The Humpty Down Set.

Blow Scrape and Pluck.

Air and two G strings.



Unfortunately "String Whistle" is taken.

Subject: RE: Band name help please
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 28 Sep 09 - 09:50 AM

Ha Ca Ka

Subject: RE: Band name help please
From: The Sandman
Date: 28 Sep 09 - 09:53 AM

Feeorin: type of diminutive fairy in the folklore of England. It is also the collective word for fairies who are usually friendly towards mankind, or at least neutral. They are depicted as small creatures with a green skin and wearing red hats. They enjoy singing and dancing.

Subject: RE: Band name help please
From: Banjiman
Date: 28 Sep 09 - 09:59 AM

Hamish & The Harem?

Not very P.C. I suppose!

Subject: RE: Band name help please
From: Mr Happy
Date: 28 Sep 09 - 09:59 AM

The Tunies?

Subject: RE: Band name help please
From: Hamish
Date: 28 Sep 09 - 10:01 AM

Air and Two G Strings is strangely similar to the "Rose Between Two Thorns" morph into "A Thong Between Two Rosy Cheeks" which has already been unaccountably rejected. And as for "Many a Good Tune" we're not that old! At least Karen and Carol aren't.

Subject: RE: Band name help please
From: Mr Happy
Date: 28 Sep 09 - 10:06 AM

I was part of a trio some time back, two chaps & a girly.

Tried out loads've names

Me & Jim liked '3 Strong Winds' but little orphan Annie couldn't bear it - wonder why?

Subject: RE: Band name help please
From: Mr Happy
Date: 28 Sep 09 - 10:14 AM

Anagramatising 'hamishkarencarol' gives:

monarchial shaker   
harmonical shaker   
monarchal shakier   
sherlock maharani   

Any good?

Subject: RE: Band name help please
From: Hamish
Date: 28 Sep 09 - 10:25 AM

You've seen me play, obviously. Maniacal Shaking...

Shake a Manacle, perhaps. Would bring in a certain type of audience...

Subject: RE: Band name help please
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 28 Sep 09 - 10:40 AM

Reverting to my original suggestion — it would also probably acronymise into "The GLO [pronounced 'Glow']", which has its own appeal, has it not?

Subject: RE: Band name help please
From: SteveMansfield
Date: 28 Sep 09 - 10:49 AM

Karhamcar

Renishrol

Or some sort of similar arrangement with parts of the surnames?

Any unusually-named local hills, bays, meadows, crossroads, hamlets or pubs you could take a name from?

Subject: RE: Band name help please
From: GUEST,Dazbo at work
Date: 28 Sep 09 - 10:56 AM

Using my patented random chosen band and/or tune generator:

whale's musket
aunt's feathers
milliner's posy
greengrocer's spade
mother's comb
bishop's nest
dairymaid's kite
farmer's veil
countess's hat
william's nest
urchin's waggon
shark's tun
barman's jig
helen's arrow
nurse's march
earl's hat
philosopher's brawl
robin's feathers
father's whip
mary's bed
ann's smile
horse's patches
sailor's shoes
whore's bag
grandfather's fob
henry's sword
mary's coach
dairymaid's kettle
brother's cart
butcher's polka
matron's grave
farmer's broom
elizabeth's lawn
batman's spurs
cat's grave
woman's tun
uncle's garden
dairymaid's arms

I'm particularly impressed with philosopher's brawl

Subject: RE: Band name help please
From: Eric the Viking
Date: 28 Sep 09 - 11:07 AM

12th Night

Subject: RE: Band name help please
From: SharonA
Date: 28 Sep 09 - 11:09 AM

"A Thorn Between Two Roses"?

"Thorn and Roses"? (Too much like Guns & Roses?)

"Strings for Airs"

"There are No Words"

Subject: RE: Band name help please
From: GUEST,highlandman at work
Date: 28 Sep 09 - 11:14 AM

This will be no help whatever but while we are on the topic of band names I must share it...
Our local public radio station WNCW pays a lot of attention to local and regional bands, with the expected "community calendar" PSA's throughout the day. Besides the usual Celtic-ish names there is always a steady stream of those indie-sounding creations, you know the type (one of my favorites is the Magnetic Zeros).
One day while riding in the truck and half-listening to the announcements, it took me a few moments to realize that they were NOT talking about another indie band:
"Rabies Clinic this Saturday at the firehouse..."
-Glenn

Subject: RE: Band name help please
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 28 Sep 09 - 11:14 AM

ISO 639 :)

Subject: RE: Band name help please
From: theleveller
Date: 28 Sep 09 - 11:19 AM

Silkie

Subject: RE: Band name help please
From: SharonA
Date: 28 Sep 09 - 12:03 PM

"Silkie Purse"...... just KIDDING!

Subject: RE: Band name help please
From: Bernard
Date: 28 Sep 09 - 12:07 PM

You mentioned Gallowhill - how about Hallowgill?!

Subject: RE: Band name help please
From: wysiwyg
Date: 28 Sep 09 - 12:47 PM

KarenKella, rhymes with Tarantella.

~S~

Subject: RE: Band name help please
From: Dave Illingworth
Date: 28 Sep 09 - 01:28 PM

Inspiration has often left me when I have been in this situation.
The title of a song or tune from your repertoire can sometimes work.

It's probably been used before, but I was doing a crossword the other day and saw that an anagram for "orchestra" was "carthorse".
I quite like the rustic/folky nature of that, but it could imply that tha band's music was slow and plodding........

             Good luck.

Subject: RE: Band name help please
From: GUEST
Date: 28 Sep 09 - 01:34 PM

flute, guitar and cello.. hmmm..


"Blow Pick & Scrape"

Subject: RE: Band name help please
From: ClaireBear
Date: 28 Sep 09 - 01:50 PM

Thought up at random:

Forest for the Trees
10-String Flute
Sublime Chamber Band

I tried an anagram generator for "Carol Hamish Karen" too, and got:

Harmonica Larks, Eh? (sweet!)
Carnal Rakish Home (which I quite like)
Aha, Mariner Shlock (which would be great if you did corny sea tunes)
Aha Marlin Chokers (conjures up a certain image)

and my personal favorite...

Chalk Horse Airman

Subject: RE: Band name help please
From: BusyBee Paul
Date: 28 Sep 09 - 04:29 PM

Hamish, whatever you do, DON'T use Dazbo's "Whore's Bag"!.

Best I can come up with tonight is "Karoh", which is of course a little piece of each of you.

Don't know if it has any hidden meaning.

Deirdre

Subject: RE: Band name help please
From: BusyBee Paul
Date: 28 Sep 09 - 04:31 PM

Umm, there's already a KarOh on Myspace...

And she's better looking than you ;-)

I'll get me coat and Schirm!.

Subject: RE: Band name help please
From: GUEST
Date: 28 Sep 09 - 04:36 PM

or.. "Blow Pick & Bow"

Subject: RE: Band name help please
From: GUEST,CupOfTea at work
Date: 28 Sep 09 - 05:11 PM

As I don't seem to be from yer neck of the woods, I don't know local injokes on place names or customs, so I'm going with ideas based on your decision to only do tunes and no singing. A brave stance, that. Good luck whoever you turn out to be!

Tonguetied

Tunes of the Tonguetied (denotes all the tunes, none of the words)

Wordless Wind & Speechless Strings

or very simply Wordless

Noteworthy Not Wordy

Chatless Chamber Crumudgeons for something a bit more um.. snarkish? Oh, whoops, you said elegant...

Wordless Wonder Chamber Trio

Wonderfully Wordless Chamber Trio

Joanne in Cleveland (the one in Ohio)

Subject: RE: Band name help please
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 28 Sep 09 - 05:21 PM

I guess 'Carkarham'..... might fit the bill..... or a similar arrangement of your three names...... 'Karhamcar' ' Carhamkar'....... they all sound vaguely Gaelic..... Hope you find a good name whatever.
Best wishes, Mike.

Subject: RE: Band name help please
From: Nick
Date: 28 Sep 09 - 05:29 PM

Heartfelt

Subject: RE: Band name help please
From: Phil Edwards
Date: 28 Sep 09 - 05:34 PM

Three Around Three

Subject: RE: Band name help please
From: TonyA
Date: 28 Sep 09 - 05:34 PM

There's already a Gallowhill Hillbillies in that market, so that won't do.

What about Coulterlee? The fictional place in Charles Kingsley's poem Lorraine Lorraine Lorèe. It doesn't appear to be in use. It would be easy to find your band with a google search.

Subject: RE: Band name help please
From: Nick
Date: 28 Sep 09 - 05:35 PM

I've played in things called amongst others -

Clap
Some Other Animal
Box of Goats
Walking Tables
Eric Pope and the Cardinals
Greedy Zebras
Curragh
Fine Brogues

And the thing you realise is that band names only have any sense AFTER they have been named and played out. If people like the band they usually like the name and go "wow that's a good name"

I don't think it matters too much.

Subject: RE: Band name help please
From: Neil D
Date: 28 Sep 09 - 06:00 PM

Rarefied Aires

Subject: RE: Band name help please
From: Fortunato
Date: 28 Sep 09 - 06:52 PM

Nose Full of Nickels

Subject: RE: Band name help please
From: frogprince
Date: 28 Sep 09 - 07:31 PM

Wind and Wire
Wind and Steel.

There's an ancient novelty song called "I'm a Lonely Little Petunia in an Onion patch". But in this case, the "petunias" outnumber the "onion", which might suggest....
                "An Onion Between".

Subject: RE: Band name help please
From: frogprince
Date: 28 Sep 09 - 07:39 PM

"Two Lovelies and Somebody Else".

Subject: RE: Band name help please
From: frogprince
Date: 28 Sep 09 - 07:42 PM

Ok, I'm on a roll here, whether or not I'm rolling to anyplace helpful. Am I correct in getting the idea that a lot of your tunes will be a lot older than you are?

               "Before Our Own Time".

Subject: RE: Band name help please
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 28 Sep 09 - 08:18 PM

Ditch Carol then you could be/do the Haka!

Subject: RE: Band name help please
From: Ref
Date: 28 Sep 09 - 08:41 PM

I think "Help, Please" would be an excellent name for a band!

Subject: RE: Band name help please
From: Suegorgeous
Date: 28 Sep 09 - 09:24 PM

I don't have an idea for a name as yet - but something I think it's important to consider is that if a member leaves at any point in the future, you may well want to continue the band under the same name (especially if you've started to get gigs, maybe even get well-known). And if you do, it'll cause problems if you've been too specific in the band name - such as referring to the current band members' names, or to your specific instruments. So it's best to think of one now that's a bit more flexible, to cover such future eventualities.

In the same vein, it sounds like you may well include songs in the future, so don't use a name that limits you to instrumentals (as some of the above suggestions do).

I think using a tune title can work well, or the words from a song (my own band is called One Star Awake).

Sue

Subject: RE: Band name help please
From: Gurney
Date: 28 Sep 09 - 10:41 PM

Places Please.
Packing Cool.

Subject: RE: Band name help please
From: Michael Harrison
Date: 29 Sep 09 - 12:44 AM

hmmm,...Pale Garden, or Garden of the Pale. Cheers,.........mwh

Subject: RE: Band name help please
From: Hamish
Date: 29 Sep 09 - 03:48 AM

Or maybe Bow Peep?

It just might work...

Subject: RE: Band name help please
From: Crow Sister (off with the fairies)
Date: 29 Sep 09 - 04:35 AM

Echoing Suegorgeous's sentiments about not cramping future changes.

Name of a favourite tune or ine from a favourite song, is perfect.

As is drawing from local folklore and curious placenames, as mentioned above.

Subject: RE: Band name help please
From: Hamish
Date: 29 Sep 09 - 08:58 AM

What do you think about caireal or caireil? It's Scots Gaellic for 1 Noise, clamour. 2 Outcry. 3 Sound of distant music. 4 Harmony, melody. 5 Carol. 6 Chirping of birds.

It's short, snappy, no overtones beyond a vague folkiness/Scottishness and has a hidden humorousness about it for when we have to explain where the name comes from? I think I'm convinced. Just needs me to convince the other two...

Subject: RE: Band name help please
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 29 Sep 09 - 09:09 AM

How do you pronounce it? Does the fact I have to ask put you off the idea at all?