Photo: Frank Micelotta/Fox via Getty Images
While there are plenty of bands that need to stop touring and give up altogether, there are even more with interesting origin stories. Some of our favorite bands have fascinating origins, and we’re here to give credit where credit is due.
Although some of these bands have since lost their leading men to depression, drugs and the curse of the 27 Club, we still have a few of them left running around with great bits of rock history in their leather britches and long hair.
From rock greats like The Velvet Underground’s dirty little secret to how The Rollin’ Stones became The Rolling Stones, we’ve got a little bit of music history class right here for you. Bands you never bothered to question before, ’90s rockers like Incubus, Foo Fighters and Weezer on down to the latest and greatest of today’s music (alright, now we sound like an alt-rock radio station). Tune in, turn on and learn something that doesn’t make you sound like such an idiot when you speak. It’s Music 101 with Mandatory, kiddies.
The Interesting Origins Of Some Of Your Favorite Bands You Never Thought To Question
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Band Name Origins
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Weezer
If you recall from our last group of fascinating band origins, the color-coded, thick-framed glasses of Weezer got their name from their lead singer, Rivers Cuomo, whose asthma garnered him the nickname "Weezer." Kids can be such relentless assholes.
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Foo Fighters
In the wake of Kurt Cobain, Dave Grohl learned the term "foo fighters" was a World War II term used by pilots to reference flying phenomena in the sky.
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Blink 182
Photo: via coveralia.com
The blinky boys, known for their random hilarity, actually only chose to add on the random number just before they were to be sued by Irish band, Blink.
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The Rolling Stones
Photo: via teamrock.com
Many don't know, but one of the greatest lesser-knowns of the 27 Club, Brian Jones, was the original name maker for the band, calling them The Rollin' Stones. They would later let Jones go from the band, and he soon died after drowning in a pool.
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30 Seconds To Mars
Photo: via Artist Direct
More than 15 years ago, the band got ahold of a Harvard professor's thesis on how humans were on an "exponential technological curve" that is 30 seconds to Mars.
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Incubus
Photo: via metrolyrics.com
While flipping through the dictionary for interesting ideas, the California rockers landed on the word used to describe a demon who would sleep with sleeping women. Totally legit.
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Green Day
The term "green day" refers to one of those special days where all you do is get high. Lead singer, Armstrong, wrote a song about the concept (likely while indulging), which later replaced the original band name, Sweet Children.
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The Killers
Photo: via nme.com
The Las Vegas quartet named their band after the faux band from the New Order video for "Crystal" from 2001.
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The Velvet Underground
Photo: via genius.com
The term refers to a 1960s study on the weird sexual proclivities of consenting adults in and around that time period.
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Foster the People
Photo: Billboard
The band was originally Foster & The People, but through a coincidental miscommunication, the band became Foster the People, conveniently as they were set to play for a charity.
