Rock Band Name Origins

DURAN DURAN

B-52’s – The beehive hairstyle popular in the 1950’s (worn by band members) was called a B-52 after a type of large US Air Force bomber plane with that designation.

BEASTIE BOYS – According to Michael Diamond, BEASTIE stands for Boys Entering Anarchistic Stages Towards Internal Excellence.

BLUE CHEER – 60’s nickname for high-quality LSD, and coincidentally a brand of laundry detergent (the band used the detergent idea on their album cover with “New, Improved, Blue Cheer” – surprised they didn’t get sued for it. (tour dates)

DAVID BOWIE – born David Jones, he changed his name to avoid confusion with David (Davy) Jones of THE MONKEES.

CREED – This popular Florida band was named after former bassist Brian Marshall’s earlier band Mattox Creed.

DURAN DURAN – named after a character in the Jane Fonda movie Barbarella.

GUNS ‘N’ ROSES – originally two bands L.A. GUNNS and HOLLYWOOD ROSES. Hollywood Roses was headed by Axl Rose, Tracii Guns headed the other band which also featured Slash Izzy. The two frequented clubs and played there and were friends.

RADIOHEAD – Named after a Talking Heads’ song called “Radio Head.”

RAMONES – Paul McCartney used to call himself Paul Ramone. The Ramones all use the last name Ramone even though it’s not their given name.

TALKING HEADS – probably from the video jargon for a camera shot showing only the head & shoulders of a person. Newscasters are usually shown this way and it makes for boring TV. Another story says they were inspired by a military experiment involving talking mannequin heads.

U2 – Three possibilities: 1) A type of spy plane used by the United States in the 1960’s – made famous when Gary Powers’ U2 plane was shot down over Russia and he was taken as a
prisoner during the Cold War. 2) U2 as in “you too” referring to the audience and its role in the musical experience 3) a U2 is an unemployment form in Ireland (see UB40)

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Those and more right here. (via)