The Stories Behind The Most Unusual Band Names

Have you ever wondered how a band got its name? Some groups' names are pretty obvious – they were named after a band member or several members of the band, like Van Halen (named after drummer and co-founder Alex Van Halen) or Bon Jovi (named after lead singer Jon Bon Giovi). Others come from locations, famous people, or acronyms, like ABBA. But not all names come from such apparent places. By utilizing various music business publications and blogs such as Rolling Stone, Spin, Pitchfork, and Clash Music, as well as a wide range of local and regional arts and culture sites, 24/7 Tempo has put together a list of the stories behind the most unusual band names. (Here are 25 bands with food names.)

• Founded: Sacramento, California, 1996
• Genre: Funk rock, dance
• Representative album: Wallop
• Origin of name: The way clicking sounds in the southern African Jul'hoan language

• Founded: Sydney, Australia, 1992
• Genre: Rock
• Representative album: Other Ways of Speaking
• Origin of name: The collective height of its members including Russel Crowe

• Founded: Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 1991
• Genre: Alternative
• Representative album: White Trash Heroes
• Origin of name: An intentional mistranslation of a Russian phrase

• Founded: Wichita Falls, Texas, 1994
• Genre: Alternative
• Representative album: A Hangover You Don't Deserve
• Origin of name: Steve Martin sketch

• Founded: Burnley, England, 1982
• Genre: Alternative
• Representative album: Tubthumper
• Origin of name: African drummer chant or a dream

• Founded: Brooklyn, New York, 2002
• Genre: Alternative
• Representative album: Bitte Orca
• Origin of name: No one can remember

• Founded: Johnson City, Tennessee, 2004
• Genre: Alt. country, roots rock
• Representative album: Halfway There: Electricity and the South
• Origin of name: Childhood nickname for backyard

• Founded: Los Angeles, California, 1985
• Genre: Rock, glam metal
• Representative album: Wake Me When It's Over
• Origin of name: Cult film about three go-go dancers on a killing spree

• Founded: Montreal, Quebec, 1994
• Genre: Experimental rock
• Representative album: Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven
• Origin of name: 1976 documentary about a Japanese motorcycle gang

• Founded: Carmarthen, Wales, 1991
• Genre: Psychedelic Folk
• Representative album: Barafundle
• Origin of name: Mixture of Welsh school slang, a phonetic transcription, and a biology term

• Founded: Durham, North Carolina, 2007
• Genre: Alt.folk, alt.country
• Representative album: Lateness of Dancers
• Origin of name: From "a mysterious sort of universe" according to M.C. Taylor

• Founded: Agoura Hills, California, 1994
• Genre: Alternative
• Representative album: The Greatest Hits: Don't Touch My Moustache
• Origin of name: Mispronunciation of a German street name

• Founded: Austin, Texas, 2003
• Genre: Post-punk
• Representative album: Dust
• Origin of name: Not revealed

• Founded: Shreveport, Louisiana, 2007
• Genre: Metalcore, deathcore
• Representative album: Hail Mary
• Origin of name: Phrase used by football coach Paul "Bear" Bryant

• Founded: Melbourne, Australia, 2010
• Genre: Acid rock, garage rock
• Representative album: Nonagon Infinity
• Origin of name: Mixture of Gizzard Gizzard and Lizard King

• Founded: Bloomington, Indiana, 2011
• Genre: Alternative
• Representative album: Casino Drone
• Origin of name: Connected with "weight' being the value of something

• Founded: Ruston, Louisiana, 1989
• Genre: Alternative
• Representative album: In the Aeroplane Over the Sea
• Origin of name: Not revealed

Electric guitar player on a stage with colorful blue and purple scenic illumination

• Founded: Bergen County, New Jersey, 2002
• Genre: Mathcore
• Representative album: Worse Than Alone
• Origin of name: 1964 episode of "The Twilight Zone"

• Founded: Honolulu, Hawaii, 1984
• Genre: Alternative
• Representative album: Pomegranate
• Origin of name: Hawaiian slang for "mutt"

Guitar and blank grunge stage background with copy space for gig poster

• Founded: Melbourne, Australia, 2013
• Genre: Alternative, post-punk
• Representative album: Hope Downs
• Origin of name: Name of early song

Group of young friends partying and celebrating at summer music festival. They are dancing in front of stage. Wearing casual clothing

• Founded: Santa Barbara, California, 1986
• Genre: Alternative
• Representative album: Dulcinea
• Origin of name: Monty Python fictional band

• Founded: Murfreesboro, Tennessee, 2004
• Genre: Mathcore
• Representative album: Danza III: The Alpha — The Omega
• Origin of name: Danza's early tap dancing career