to change band name or not? please read

[ralf]

hey all, i need your input.
i have been playing in a band called The Vermin for more than five years and we are now considering changing our name. in the five years we have developed somewhat of a following and have put out a full lenght tape and a full length cd about 2 years ago. we are a little iffy to change it (actually, my brother the guitar player is iffy) because we are worried that we will kinda have to start all over again. When you hear the name "The Vermin" what comes to your mind? style of music? age group? is it decent or not? is it attractive or not? please give me your ideas and let me know what you think. thanks!
-ralf

[Queue]

dunno if I would've picked it...
I think rodents...

regardless, if you already have recognition, keep the name...

Queue

[mikey_45]

Hey, when you think of Beatles, what do you think? The potential for negative connotation sure didn't seem to hurt them any. Was going to mention the "Butthole Surfers" (13 nationally released CD's), but think I'll pass.

I believe the purpose of the name is to draw attention, and motivate people to remember you. If you have a reputation for being good, and entertain your customers, I don't think that anyone would turn away and not come to a gig because they thought of rodents....

Oh, also The Grateful Dead, The Beastie Boys, The Animals, Anthrax...lots of examples of attention getting names that have served the bands well. Vermin sounds allright to me.

[Gidge]

change it to Osama and the Bin Ladens.......

[ralf]

gidge, i like the idea, i was also thinking The Talibans

the thing is, i sort of think that The Vermin is a little unoriginal (there are lots of other bands name the same) and maybe kinda like an immature kiddie high school punk band, which is what we were at the time, but i think our music has changed alot and don't want people to remember all of our old, sorta crappy material when they hear about us. we're changing our music, our image, but name we can't decide. thanks for your replys

[philboyd studge]

Give the band sophistication, add an E. Vermine

[Khompewtur]

"The Vermin" would definitely be a punk band.

Your name is your asset. Be sure.

[Lopp]

If you already have a following, keep the name. You've spent all these years getting people to recognize you, why flush the name recognition down the toilet?

"The Vermin" doesn't really evoke that much of a musical connotation from my standpoint. For me, it evokes the imagry of not being completely conservative. However, it could also work for a more conservative band as a tongue-in-cheek statement.

[Tonekat]

Here's a term that's been in the news, and is one of those newly minted words that receives a lot of airtime on our so-called "news" reports:

Ladies and Gentlemen, lets have a big hand for...SHOEBOMB!

Yaaayyyyyy!

[Buck62]

If "The Vermin" wasn't provocative enough, you could always call yourself "The Snotflickers".

Buck

[Chris Shaeffer]

The Vermin? Doesn't bring anything to mind, really. Initial impressions would be some kind of alternative or punk, maybe. Definately not pop or mainstream oriented. You could be county-fried rock, but I doubt it.

If you have some name recognition I wouldn't change it. Not unless you are thinking that it absolutely doesn't fit the genre you are shooting for.

On the other hand, I don't know your full situation so I have no idea if that is actually good advice.

[Sonic Misfit]

Keep the name, unless you've totally changed the style that you play and want to start fresh. Don't confuse your following, they are your bread and butter.

If you are a death-metal band and want something that stikes fear in the hearts of most people then change the band's name to ENRON. I know that here in Houston that would get attention.

[VOXVENDOR]

Originally posted by ralf
Gidge, i like the idea, i was also thinking The Talibans

Oh, Shit... What Next..??

I can just see you guys on stage... Cymbal stands are miniture world trade centers, and the bass body is shapped like a plane in the AA colour scheme,and the Guitar in the UA colour scheme.........

Microphone stand will be shaped like a large pair of box cutters....

Who comes up with this shit...

Wait a minute.... I just did... DOH!

[gec]

aight ralf,


The simplist answer to your question is NO DO NOT

Why you ask,

Study the music industry changing can lead to the plague brotha, whatta ya gonna do call yourselves The Talibans formerly know as Vermin, cuz your fans know you as Vermin. Your band could be the next prince. People fall off when they go through a change like that, MC Hammer to Hammer cuz he wanted to be harder and where did it get him nowhere. Besides you are building a name for yourself right now, if ytour gonna change it do it when you get a recording contract and before you are distributed globally

out

[nave]

In the end if you don't "make it big" it will not be because of your band name........And if you do make it big, it will not be because of your band name........and if you change your name and don't make it big it will not be because of your name.......

Many great bands have changed their names once or more before breaking out into the main stream....So, how do all you people that think band names are so important explain that?

If you hate the name change the darn thing.....it ain't gonna make or break you..

-nave

[VOXVENDOR]

Depeche Mode was once called "Composition of Sound"...

They broke huge with there new name.....


I guess the rule revolves around how much exposure you have had, and are you a household name yet.

[Queue]

wasn't there a band called "The Quarrymen" that made it big after a name change?

to THE BEATLES!!!

and then there was "The High Numbers"....

who did pretty well as THE WHO

and what about that blues combo "The New Yardbirds" ?

They had a pretty good run as Led Zeppelin

so now I'm leanin' with nave...

Queue

[nave]

OR The "warlocks" aka the grateful dead....


P.S. I have always thought that sitting in my room making band posters with crayons and construction paper is always much more important to the success of my band than the name of the band...

[istyle]

change it to " The Viagrans "
sure draw more attention and humor
cheers
istyle
www.mp3.com/istyle

[nave]

Or how bout "Bob dole and the viagrans"


-nave

[Lopp]

Is there a relationship between those bands above changing their name and then making it big aside from a circumstantial one? Nope.

Do people know you by your current name? Yup. Do they associate your current name with your current music? Yup. Might they get confused and not show up to gigs if you change your name? Yup.

IMHO, the best reason to change your name is if you have a drastic change in the band. For example, a membership change (e.g., everyone quits) or a drastic style change (e.g., rap to country).


Matt

[nave]

Quote from lopp

"Is there a relationship between those bands above changing their name and then making it big aside from a circumstantial one? Nope. "


LOPP GOOD POINT , but here is my point :



Is there a relationship between those bands that have kept their name and then made it big aside from a circumstantial one? Nope.....BANDS DON'T MAKE it BECAUSE OF THEIR NAMES.....It doesn't matter if you keep it or change it or whatever you do.....and Ofcourse you might lose a local following temporarily if you change your name......But in the long run that isn't going to matter if "making it big" is what you want.......



Making it big ...........I hate that phrase....people that want to "make it big" always act as if there is some kind of secret formula to success.......But ofcourse, there isn't, so no point in wasting your time fretting with silly things like band names if making it is what your after....Just play your music for crying out loud..

-nave

[Lopp]

Excellent points nave.

[Bodhisan]

The "New Vermin."

Bodhisan

[Whoopysnorp]

This reminds me of that part in Spinal Tap where they talk about having a skiffle band called The Originals, only they had to change it to The New Originals because there was already a band called The Originals.