![Fear of Flying: White Lies used this name from their early days, back when they were only fifteen. Back then though, they were described by bassist, Charles Cave, as a]()
Fear of Flying: White Lies used this name from their early days, back when they were only fifteen. Back then though, they were described by bassist, Charles Cave, as a "weekend project". Well, giving the post-punk genre a rebirth isn't bad for a weekend project, now is it?
![Obelisk/ Malice/ Easy Cure: The Cure just couldn't make their mind up for a while so played under this selection of truly dark names. At least they came up with something a bit lighter, you know, like The Cure.]()
Obelisk/ Malice/ Easy Cure: The Cure just couldn't make their mind up for a while so played under this selection of truly dark names. At least they came up with something a bit lighter, you know, like The Cure.
![Hive: The Coral, whilst building their back catalogue of music were officially known as Hive. Once they finished making a set they were happy with, and recruited their final member, Nick Powell, the band became The Coral.]()
Hive: The Coral, whilst building their back catalogue of music were officially known as Hive. Once they finished making a set they were happy with, and recruited their final member, Nick Powell, the band became The Coral.
![Me and You Versus Them/ Forever Enjoying Sex/ Talkhouse/ The Slowdown/ Bigsleep/ Drive Like I Do: It wouldn't be The 1975 if it wasn't a bit confusing, would it? The band actually played extensively under all of these names. You can even watch videos of a young Matt Healy and even younger George Dann play an acoustic version of, 'Sex', on YouTube.]()
Me and You Versus Them/ Forever Enjoying Sex/ Talkhouse/ The Slowdown/ Bigsleep/ Drive Like I Do: It wouldn't be The 1975 if it wasn't a bit confusing, would it? The band actually played extensively under all of these names. You can even watch videos of a young Matt Healy and even younger George Dann play an acoustic version of, 'Sex', on YouTube.
![Tony Flow & the majestic masters of mayhem: Red Hot Chilli Peppers decided to change their name to the aforementioned purely due to their unexpected quick success after their first show when they were asked back to the venue the following week.]()
Tony Flow & the majestic masters of mayhem: Red Hot Chilli Peppers decided to change their name to the aforementioned purely due to their unexpected quick success after their first show when they were asked back to the venue the following week.
![On A Friday: Radiohead, rather cleverly, made this name up because they used to practice on a Friday in their old school music rooms. Having secured a record deal, EMI suggested the band change their name to Radiohead. It is a bit better after all.]()
On A Friday: Radiohead, rather cleverly, made this name up because they used to practice on a Friday in their old school music rooms. Having secured a record deal, EMI suggested the band change their name to Radiohead. It is a bit better after all.
![Smile: There was a band before Freddie Mercury joined, and that band was Smile. But once the members forced him to join he then asked that they change their name to Queen. Unsurprisingly, that worked out better.]()
Smile: There was a band before Freddie Mercury joined, and that band was Smile. But once the members forced him to join he then asked that they change their name to Queen. Unsurprisingly, that worked out better.
![Arabicus Pulp: Pulp actually found the inspiration for this name in the Financial Times. How very Jarvis Cocker. They later changed the name to simply Pulp.]()
Arabicus Pulp: Pulp actually found the inspiration for this name in the Financial Times. How very Jarvis Cocker. They later changed the name to simply Pulp.
![November and the Criminal: This band name lasted right up until Peace got signed, when just before, inspired by an end of World War 2 picture, brothers, Sam and Harrison Koisser changed the band's name to Peace.]()
November and the Criminal: This band name lasted right up until Peace got signed, when just before, inspired by an end of World War 2 picture, brothers, Sam and Harrison Koisser changed the band's name to Peace.
![Rocket Baby Dolls/ Gothic Plague: Going through their glam-goth stage (don't we all), Muse's band was called Gothic Plague and then Rocket Baby Dolls (named after a dodgy porno). After smashing up their equipment at a battle of the bands and winning, to their surprise, the band decided it was time to take themselves serious and named themselves, Muse.]()
Rocket Baby Dolls/ Gothic Plague: Going through their glam-goth stage (don't we all), Muse's band was called Gothic Plague and then Rocket Baby Dolls (named after a dodgy porno). After smashing up their equipment at a battle of the bands and winning, to their surprise, the band decided it was time to take themselves serious and named themselves, Muse.
![Warsaw: Joy Division were first named Warsaw. It gave Tony Wilson a headache, as he had signed not only the best band of the time, but they were also littered with Nazi connotations. Joy Division being the name of a troop of soldiers that seeked to make a pure/ arian race.]()
Warsaw: Joy Division were first named Warsaw. It gave Tony Wilson a headache, as he had signed not only the best band of the time, but they were also littered with Nazi connotations. Joy Division being the name of a troop of soldiers that seeked to make a pure/ arian race.
![Pilot/ The Pride/ Snowfield: Originally Pilot the band switched through several names before finding that Editors was one that sounded the most serious.]()
Pilot/ The Pride/ Snowfield: Originally Pilot the band switched through several names before finding that Editors was one that sounded the most serious.
![Pectoralz/ Starfish: The band went through these two awful names, before getting to their final destination of Coldplay. Surprisingly, the band were active under their earlier names, playing shows in Camden for several different promoters.]()
Pectoralz/ Starfish: The band went through these two awful names, before getting to their final destination of Coldplay. Surprisingly, the band were active under their earlier names, playing shows in Camden for several different promoters.
![The Canals: Bombay Bicycle Club first formed under this name and performed at a school assembly with an additional keyboardist. The band later decided to name themselves after a chain of Indian restaurants that are now unfortunately closed.]()
The Canals: Bombay Bicycle Club first formed under this name and performed at a school assembly with an additional keyboardist. The band later decided to name themselves after a chain of Indian restaurants that are now unfortunately closed.
![Seymour: Blur were originally named after J.D. Sallinger's book, 'Seymour: An Introduction'. They later changed their name after a list was drawn up for them by their new label Food Records.]()
Seymour: Blur were originally named after J.D. Sallinger's book, 'Seymour: An Introduction'. They later changed their name after a list was drawn up for them by their new label Food Records.
![Angel and The Snake: Blondie played two shows under this name, until they decided a different name was needed. Their name now was actually taken from the fact that men would wolf whistle Debbie Harry shouting,]()
Angel and The Snake: Blondie played two shows under this name, until they decided a different name was needed. Their name now was actually taken from the fact that men would wolf whistle Debbie Harry shouting, "Hey, Blondie!"
![Union/ The Angel Range/ Diet: Bloc Party were called all of these names during their period of inception. They later decided to be called Bloc Party, taking inspiration from Western political parties, and the Eastern]()
Union/ The Angel Range/ Diet: Bloc Party were called all of these names during their period of inception. They later decided to be called Bloc Party, taking inspiration from Western political parties, and the Eastern "Blocs".
![Duck Tape/ Figure 8: Being the jokers they are, it looks as though Blink 182 wanted to be named after the mispronunciation of duct tape.]()
Duck Tape/ Figure 8: Being the jokers they are, it looks as though Blink 182 wanted to be named after the mispronunciation of duct tape.
![Polka Tulk Band: Black Sabbath got this name from either a talcum powder brand, or an Indian/Pakistani clothing shop. The actually story is confused.]()
Polka Tulk Band: Black Sabbath got this name from either a talcum powder brand, or an Indian/Pakistani clothing shop. The actually story is confused.
![Skrewfish: It's a shame really. This band name is actually better than Biffy Clyro. The band played their first gig under this name, but it is unclear when they decided to make the change.]()
Skrewfish: It's a shame really. This band name is actually better than Biffy Clyro. The band played their first gig under this name, but it is unclear when they decided to make the change.
![The Quarry Men: It's probably the most famous of all old names. It's not as famous as The Beatles, but it's not far away. Under this name, The Beatles played house parties, cinemas and theatres.]()
The Quarry Men: It's probably the most famous of all old names. It's not as famous as The Beatles, but it's not far away. Under this name, The Beatles played house parties, cinemas and theatres.
![Sweet Children: Another old band name, that isn't actually that bad. Green Day played their first couple of shows under this name.]()
Sweet Children: Another old band name, that isn't actually that bad. Green Day played their first couple of shows under this name.
![The Strand: This was in fact The Libertines' first name and one which they played with their original members under. They later changed it, inspired by the novel, 'Lust of the Libertines' by Marquis De Sade.]()
The Strand: This was in fact The Libertines' first name and one which they played with their original members under. They later changed it, inspired by the novel, 'Lust of the Libertines' by Marquis De Sade.
![Mr Soft/Soft: Assuming nothing to do with erectile dysfunction, but Guy Garvey and his band of brothers spend nearly a decade in obscurity before they eventually settled on the name 'Elbow' - inspired by a line in the BBC TV drama The Singing Detective in which the character Philip Marlow describes the word]()
Mr Soft/Soft: Assuming nothing to do with erectile dysfunction, but Guy Garvey and his band of brothers spend nearly a decade in obscurity before they eventually settled on the name 'Elbow' - inspired by a line in the BBC TV drama The Singing Detective in which the character Philip Marlow describes the word "elbow" as the loveliest word in the English language. That's when everything fell into place. Don't let anyone tell you that a name isn't important