One of the most challenging aspects of forming a band can be The Name. I say it with all seriousness. Put four or five guys in a room together, tell them to choose a name they all think sounds cool and you’ll get some absolutely laughable names.

Don’t think so? Try it, please. It’s actually pretty funny.

I remember when a few friends and I formed a band back in high school. We weren’t too bad, by my own admission I was definitely the worst. We were full of angst and eager to show the world how unhappy we were with bedtimes and eating all your vegetables.

Some of the band names we came up with were, looking back, hilariously bad and still shockingly embarrassing. To save my friends from a lifetime of shame, and also manage to get myself out of it, I’ll refrain from mentioning any. However, I can’t leave you with nothing. The name we finally settled on was To The Grave. It did well for a time, there was a record deal with a (really) small label, but ultimately we discovered a rather popular band in the UK with the same name. Bugger.

Some incredibly awesome bands have horrible names. Off the top of my head, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, R.E.M, Smashing Pumpkins and Artic Monkeys all make really great music, but the names? No.

Ever been interested in how your favourite band finally settled on their name? Take a look at these lists, it might not have them, but if it does it’s rather cool to know. Can’t get enough trivia!

Origin of Rock Band Names

List of Rock Band Etymologies

And the guys at Cracked.com have put out another freaking awesome list, The 25 Most Ridiculous Band Names in Rock History. Mega-funny stuff.

If any of you have stories on how you chose your band’s name, let me know!

]]> http://www.guitarzzz.com/2008/whats-in-a-name/feed/ 1 http://www.guitarzzz.com/2008/rise-of-the-theme-songs/ http://www.guitarzzz.com/2008/rise-of-the-theme-songs/#comments Mon, 10 Nov 2008 10:11:30 +0000 Jason http://www.guitarzzz.com/?p=290

Theme songs are a tricky thing. Some theme songs are so annoying you contemplate a life as a hermit upon hearing them (or maybe that’s just me), while other theme songs are super catchy, fun and almost meme-like. Think of The Flintstones, who doesn’t remember that tune. Ninja Turtles! Power Rangers! Animaniacs!

Now, a classic equation is:
Something cool + something awesome + a dedicated Korean guy + Youtube.com = something so unbelievably, awe-inspiringly awesomely cool that it defies understanding in the everyday Joe’s brain.

Zack Kim is a South Korean guy, born in 1983, that has mastered the art of “Free Handing”. This is a technique pioneered by an Emmett Chapman in 1969. One has to see it to believe it, but for me, it’s as if someone is using the techniques for playing a piano on a guitar. In Zack Kim’s case, two guitars. Yes, two!

Here are two videos of Zack Kim playing theme songs. These are two of my personal favourites, but there are many more. I’d love to see someone upload something they’ve tried. If you can do this, you are a guitar god!

The Simpsooooons!

Who could forget Super Mario!

Think you’ve got what it takes to be a rockstar, the new Hendrix or a progressive god like Beck? Dreaming of doing stage jumps onto a crowd of adoring, beautiful Swedish girls? Don’t we all.

What you need first though, is a guitar! Yes, seemingly obvious though, isn’t it?
Well yes, but you need to get your hands on the right equipment. Buying some knock off piece of plywood that will warp in a month is not the way to go.

Three really easy steps that we all tend to skip on all make mistakes with, Patience! Control! Research!

• Patience – You really don’t have to buy the guitar on the spot, that day. Go home and sleep on it. Buyers remorse really sucks. Trust me.

• Keep your cool – Don’t let some snazzy salesman try and sell you a hunk of crap. If he or she is being pushy, tell them that. Commission does terrible things to a person.

• Research! – This is incredibly important. Read some blogs, guitar tech sites and general buyers guides. Make sure you know what it is you’re looking for and where to get it.

Here are five really great starter guitars.

1. Squier Fat Stratocaster
“Squier Strat”
This are one of several Squier models available that offer a pretty good product for a reasonably low price. The pick-ups and hardware are sometimes suspect, and the workmanship varies from instrument to instrument, but for the price, these are a very good beginner guitar choice. The look of the instrument is appealling – Squier Fat Strats are similar in appearance to the much more expensive Fender Stratocasters.

2. Epiphone G-310 SG
“Epiphone SG”
Modelled after the much more expensive Gibson SG guitars, the Epiphone SG G310 keeps it’s cost low by using cheaper hardware and lower quality humbucking pick-ups. The G-310 features an alder body, a mahogany neck, and a dot-inlayed rosewood fingerboard. The buzz on this guitar is it’s a very good value for the money.

3. Yamaha PAC012DLX Pacifica Series HSS Deluxe
Here’s another guitar many people feel is a great value. This Pacifica features an agathis body, maple neck, and rosewood fretboard, with two single coil pick-ups, and one humbucker. The consensus is the guitar is reasonably well made, and the quality of the wood tends to be high. Those who go on to become serious guitarists might want to consider upgrading the electronics of the Pacifica HSS.

4. Squier Affinity Series Telecaster
Guitarists like Keith Richards, Steve Cropper, Albert Lee, and Danny Gatton favor the look and sound of the Telecaster. If you’re a fan of any of those guitarists, this beginner guitar may be for you. The Affinity Telecaster features an alder body, with a maple neck and fretboard.

5. Epiphone Les Paul Special II
The Les Paul is perhaps the most famous guitar in rock and roll. Epiphone has done a good job of visually re-creating the Les Paul in this lower-cost guitar marketed towards beginners. The Special II features a laminated alder/maple body, a magogany neck, rosewood fingerboard, and two open-coil humbucking pick-ups.
These might be slightly pricier than basic entry-level guitars, but they’ll pay off in the long run. Just keep practicing those chords!

Stay tuned for a post on what amp to buy. Remember, you could have a great guitar but with a shoebox amplifier, you’re not going to get many bras thrown your way.