Jethro Tull has no Tull — and the Blowfish lack a Hootie
Band names can confuse those who aren't into music
Music notes
by
Scott Iwasaki
Filed away under T were a few Jethro Tull CDs. I laughed because, as most classic-rock fans and music critics know, Jethro Tull is the name of a band and, technically, the CDs should have been filed under J. There is no one in Jethro Tull named Jethro Tull.
Band founders Ian Anderson and Martin Barre named the band after an 18th-century British agriculturalist.
When the clerk asked me why I was laughing, I told her, and she said the store's corporate owners dictate where all CDs are filed.
It got me thinking about other band names that confuse people who aren't into music.
Take the Freddy Jones Band, for instance. Unlike the Dave Matthews Band, which is fronted by Dave Matthews, there is no one in the Freddy Jones Band named Freddy Jones.
Back in the late '70s there was a British rock quintet called Charlie. But there was no one in the band by that name. The lead singer's name was Terry Thomas. And then, of course, there's Lynyrd Skynyrd. The band named itself after a high school wrestling coach named Leonard Skinner. And there is no one with the last name Thompson in the Thompson Twins. In fact, that band is a trio.
Another incident happened more than 20 years ago. I was watching a music award show when singers Meat Loaf and Charo emerged for a presentation. Charo, in her sassy Hispanic tone, asked if she should call him "Meat" or "Mr. Loaf." (He can be found in the M section.)
Speaking of bands that start with M, there's Marilyn Manson. The lead singer's stage name is Marilyn Manson (he was born Brian Warner), and it's also the band's name, kind of like the early days of Alice Cooper, Santana and Dio.
The list goes on — Belle & Sebastian, Coheed & Cambria, Lothar & the Hand People. ...
Most of these bands confuse non-music fans because they could be the names of real people. In my memory, there will be a name-confusion incident that always tops my list.
When I was in elementary school, Three Dog Night played at the Salt Palace. I remember someone in my family (not me, by the way) saying the group was a dog show.
E-mail: scott@desnews.com
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