Transcript for the Piece Audio version of What's in a (band) name?

Bower/What?s in a Name?

3/13/08
[Flosstradamus Music
]
R&B musicians and DJ's Josh young AKA J2K and Curt Cameruci (kam-uh-RUE-chee) make up the group Flosstradamus (floss-truh-DAHM-us) The two mix beats to keep the crowds dancing. Cameruci explains where Flosstradamus comes from.

Flosstradamus/Curt Cut 1: So yeah the nineties like the whole like word like FLOSSIN? came out like you know wearing fly gear and stuff like that so like around then I think it might have been like closer to like 2000 like 98 that's when the conjunction came together of Flosstradamus so its like we?re seeing the future keeping it fresh, fly for the nineties, you know for the ladies. (0:17)

Band members sometimes struggle to come up with a name. David Uskovich (YOU-skuh-vitch) is a lecturer in media history at the University of Texas at Austin.

Uskovich Cut 1: You've got at least you know two people, I think two people makes a band you know but two people and up and if you're at all collaborative then all of you are like constantly arguing over the band name. No that sucks dude I don't wanna do that one. (0:15)

But the process of naming can prove less stressful when an outside source tosses in its two cents. Members of the band Necropolis say a fan suggested a name change from its original vulgar title. And NO, I'm not gonna say those words on the radio! The name El Jesus (HEY-seuss) de Magico (MAH-hee-koe) came from a mix of a philosophy and mysticism.
Uskovich says sometimes musicians find inspiration in visual art.

Uskovich Cut 2: By combining words that are sort of you might say out of syntax from each other you know there's sort of a you create sort of a new meaning or new associations you know and that process this sort of taking things that don't really go together and jamming them together recalls of course surrealism you know from the mid 20th century. Which I think also the psychedelic bands of the 60's were evoking as well (0:24)

[El Jesus de Magico Music]
Anthony Allman is the keyboardist in El Jesus de Magico. He says his band?s name can mean whatever the fans want it to mean.

Allman Cut 2: Kind of a empowering name because it doesn't make any sense and you can twist it pretty much to whatever you want it to be. (0:10)

Josh Young says Flosstradamus' name has allowed its members to gain global notoriety.

Flosstradamus/Josh AKA J2K Cut 1: We don't want you know any kind of negative association with anything. Like we?re really like this whole thing that's happened to us because we didn't expect it we see it as kind of a blessing and Curt and I aren't very religious people but you know it's something that's fortunate you know we feel very fortunate to be in this position and so you know we wanna share and it feels awesome. (0:20)

Not all bands worry about making a lasting impression. Necropolis singer and keyboardist Emily Davis says, she doesn't really care about being remembered by her band's name.

Davis Cut 1: I want people to think God they should've changed their name? seriously. (0:08)

Some people say a band will rise or fall on its name. Others say the music makes the band.
The Sex Pistols grabbed the world's attention with its name. The Peanut Butter Conspiracy fell off the map.

For Next Generation Radio I?m Roxanne Bower.