| artist's name |
named after... |
10,000 Maniacs
 |
... a B horror movie called 2000 maniacs!
thank you @ Tara |
3 Colours Red
 |
... Three Colours Red - Film by Polish director Krzysztof Kieslowski. This was the final film of a trilogy Three Colours Blue, Three Colours
White and Three Colours Red.
thank you, Robin! |
36 Crazy Fists
 |
... the English title of a 1977 Jackie Chan movie (the original
title is San shi liu mi xing quan) |
7 Year Bitch
 |
... a wordplay with the Monroe movie "The Seven Year Itch" |
Anajo
 |
...the 1982 Bud Spencer movie.
"Da wir alle Bud Spencer und Terence Hill Filme geil fanden und finden, und wir zufällig zu dieser Zeit "Banana Joe" auf meinem kaputten Fernsehen sahen, kamen wir auf "Anajo". Links und rechts war das Bild unscharf, somit blieb von BANANA JOE nur banANA JOe übrig." |
Babes In Toyland
 |
...a 1934 movie with Stan & Ollie
Plot:
Ollie Dee and Stanley Dum try to borrow money from their employer, the toymaker, to pay off the mortgage on Mother Peep's shoe and keep it and Little Bo Peep from the clutches of the evil Barnaby. When that fails, they trick Barnaby into marrying Stanley Dum instead of Bo Peep. Enraged, Barnaby unleashes the bogeymen from their caverns to destroy Toyland. |
Bad Company
 |
When Paul Rodgers (ex-Free) formed a band with Mick Ralphs (ex Mott the Hoople) in 1973, the first public warm up gigs were in Germany. Just prior to the gig they saw a Western film (movie) called 'Bad Company.' When asked what the band was called, they remembered the poster, and adopted the name.
thanks to Mark! |
Belle & Sebastian
 |
... a children's cartoon on French TV. |
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
 |
... from the 1954 movie "The Wild One" starring Marlon Brando.
The "Black Rebel Motorcycle Club", or short "Black Rebels", are a gang of 40 motorcyclists who gatecrash a legitimate motorcycle race. They are
eventually thrown out, but one of the gang steals the second prize trophy and gives it to their leader,
Johnny. The gang then ride into Wrightsville, where they cruise up and down the main street, and pile
into Bleekers - the local bar. The owner of the bar, the Sheriff, is happy to let the bikers spend their
money, so does nothing to break up any disturbances. Johnny falls for the Sheriffs daughter, and tries to
impress her with the trophy. When a rival gang ride into town, trouble is just around the corner. |
Black Sabbath
 |
... a 1963 horror movie starring Boris Karloff
Plot:
A trilogy of three horror stories. "The Drop of Water" concerns a nurse who steals a ring off a dead spiritualist, only to have the corpse seek revenge. "The Telephone" features a prostitute who is terrorized by phone calls from a dead client. "The Wurdalak" stars Boris Karloff as a vampire who feeds on the blood of his loved ones. |
Bratmobile
 |
a creation consisting of "brat" and "Batmobile" |
BMX Bandits
 |
... a 80's low budget Aussie movie of the same name starring a young Nicole Kidman |
Brock Landers
 |
Brock Landers was Dirk Diggler's partner in "Boogie Nights." Dirk Diggler was Wahlberg's character stage name.
thank you, |
Chekov
 |
Pavel Chekov, commander on the U.S.S. Enterprise crew in the original series.
starfleet identifies: 656-5827B
played by walter koenig |
Cornelius
 |
... one of the main characters in "Planet Of The Apes" (1968), a chimpanzee
(thank you, scott!) |
Cosmo Vitelli
 |
... the protagonist in "The Killing of a Chinese Bookie", a 1976 Cassavetes movie. His birth name is Benjamin Boguet.
Cosmo Vitelli, played by Ben Gazzara, owns the Crazy Horse West, a strip joint in California. He's laconic, a Korean War vet, and a gambler. When we meet him, he's making his last payment on a gambling debt. Then, he promptly loses $23,000 playing poker at an illegal local casino. The guys he owes this time aren't so friendly, pressuring him for immediate payment. Then they suggest that he kill a Chinese bookie to wipe off the debt. Vitelli and the film move back and forth between the double-crossing, murderous insincerity of the gamblers and the friendships, sweetness, and even love among Vitelli, the dancers, a dancer's mother, and the club's singer, Mr. Sophistication. (imdb.com) |
The Dismemberment Plan
 |
a line in the Bill Murray movie Groundhog Day - an insurance salesman keeps on insisting Bill Murray get the fire, auto, life and optional 'dismemberment plan'
thanks to Andy for this one! |
Doris Days
 |
Doris Day, a singer and actress (born in 1924). |
Drowning Pool
 |
... a 1975 thriller with Paul Newman and Melanie Griffith:
Harper is brought to Louisiana bayou country to investigate an attempted blackmail scheme. He soon finds out that it involves an old flame of his and her hellion of a daughter. What is more, he finds himself caught in a power struggle between the matriarch of the family and a greedy oil baron, who wants her property. Poor Harper! Things are not as straight-forward as they initially appeared.
[imdb] |
Drugstore
 |
... the movie "Drugstore Cowboy":
Matt Dillon and Kelly Lynch play a heroin-driven Bonnie and Clyde, knocking over drugstores in the Pacific Northwest. Ultimately, they must dispose of the body of one of their crew, sneaking it out from a motel where a sheriffs' convention is being held.
[imdb] |
Duran Duran
 |
... a villain in Barbarella (1968) directed by Roger Vadim
"She put the gal in galaxy..."
Plot:
The year is 40.000. Peacefully floating around in zero-gravity Barbarella (Jane Fonda) is suddenly interrupted by a call from the President of Earth. A young scientist, Duran-Duran, is threatening the ancient universal peace and Barbarella is the chosen one to find him and save the world. During her mission, Barbarella never finds herself in a situation where it isn't possible to lose at least part of her already minimal dressing.
Babarella gets caught by Duran Duran who puts her in his "Orgasmatron" which reminds us of a Motörhead song... |
Element Of Crime
 |
... a 1984 film by Lars von Trier
Plot
Fischer, an ex-cop, returns to his old beat somewhere in
northern Europe after a thirteen-year hiatus in Cairo. His
former mentor and role model, author of a treatise called
"The Element of Crime", asks him to solve a series of
murders involving lottery ticket sellers. Guided by the
theories put forth in the book, Fischer retraces the steps
of a suspect, Harry Grey, as recorded in a three-year-old
police surveillance report. |
Eve 6
 |
... an "X-Files" episode. |
Faster Pussycat
 |
... a movie by Russ Meyer.
thanks to Scott |
Fink
 |
The singer of this German band seemingly likes to tell cock and bull stories about their name:
Koppruch: "Einer meiner Lieblingsfilme ist "Thomas Crown ist nicht zu fassen" mit Steve McQueen. Die haben damals schon exzessiv mit der Bild-im-Bild-Schnitt-Technik gearbeitet. Jedenfalls hängt da so ein Plakat, auf dem "Be A Fink for $ 25000 " steht. Das meint, daß jemand einen Verräter sucht, also jemanden, der ein Geheimnis anderer preisgibt."
Münchener 09.98
Koppruch: "Der Fink ist ein Singvogel. Mehr wissen wir auch nicht. Im Amerikanischen gibt es dafür aber noch eine weitere Bedeutung: Verräter. Und solche sind wir vermutlich für die traditionelle Country-Szene."
Ticket! 09.99
Koppruch: "Die Finkenzüchter halten männliche Finken in verdunkelten Käfigen, damit sie sofort den Balzgesang anstimmen wenn sie wieder das Licht erblicken. Es werden da richtiggehende Wettkämpfe ausgetragen. So ähnlich fühlt man sich auch als Musiker. Erst stehst du hinter der Bühne, dann wird der Käfig aufgemacht und du mußt singen."
Nürnberger Nachrichten 09.99 |
Foxy Brown
 |
... a movie character in the 1974 blaxploitation movie of the same name;
played by Pam Grier ("Jackie Brown"). |
Fu Manchu
 |
... a mythical and dastardly Chinese doctor (played by Christopher Lee) who is hunted by Sir Denis Nayland Smith of Scotland Yard (a nephew of Sherlock Holmes).
(thanks one more, scott)
[more] |
Goldfinger
 |
... the james bond movie starring Sean Connery. See also: Pussy Galore
thank you, Tommy |
Gus Gus
 |
... a movie by Rainer Fassbinder (Fear eats the soul). where the center character is an oriental course (couscous), pronounced "gus gus".
thank you, Laurent |
Heaven 17
 |
... an album in a record shop visited by Malcom
McDowell's character in Kubrick's film "Clockwork Orange". see also Moloko!
thanks to Kate and Dominic for this one! |
Holly Golightly
 |
... the protagonist in "Breakfast at Tiffany's", played by Audrey Hepburn |
Huggy Bear
 |
... the black informant in "Starsky and Hutch".
Antonio Fargas was born Aug. 14,1946 in Bronx,NY and played Huggy Bear Brown, Starsky and Hutch's informant and friend and he is the owner of the pits. |
The Jessica Fletchers
 |
... Jessica Fletcher, the Miss-Marple-type detective in "Murder she wrote".
So, we just saw her on the telly. And I think one of us said, "How about the Jessica Fletchers?" and we laughed and said, "Yeah, let's do it!" And now, eight years later... I don't know why we did it. And you just have to keep the name. But I still like it. If you don't think of that old lady, you know? |
Killdozer
 |
... a science fiction story about a killer bulldozer written by Theodore Sturgeon in the 40's.
There was also a 1974 TV movie inspired by the story:
Plot:
Construction workers building an airstrip on a small Pacific Island during WWII encounter an ancient non-material lifeform which has lived in the ruins of an ancient temple for millenia. The entity is of course malevolent and comandeers the earthmoving equipment to the general detriment of all concerned. |
Living Colour
 |
Inspired by the opening to "The Wonderful World of Disney" when it would say "brought to you in Living Color" |
Man Or Astroman?
 |
....the 1969 "Space Zombies" by Ted V. Mikels
After being fired from the Space Agency, the disgruntled (not to mention crazy) Dr. DeMarco creates an Astroman from a criminal's dead body. However, he loses control of his creation, which goes on a killing spree, attracting the attention of an international spy ring and the CIA.
The astromen were hard to tell from real men - so "Man OR Astroman?" |
Ministry
 |
... a 1946 film noir named "Ministry Of Fear" by Fritz Lang
Plot:
Stephen Neale is released into WWII England after two years in an asylum, but it doesn't seem so sane outside either. On his way back to London to rejoin civilization, he stumbles across a murderous spy ring and doesn't quite know who to turn to. |
Mink Stole
 |
... an actress who has appeared in eleven films by
renowned director John Waters. Her best known roles in these
films have been Connie Marble in the recently re-leased PINK
FLAMINGOS, Peggy Grabel in DESPERATE LIVING, Dottie Hinkle in
SERIAL MOM, and Taffy Davenport in FEMALE TROUBLE. |
Misfits
 |
... a 1961 movie starring Clarke Gable and Marilyn Monroe.
Plot: Roslyn is a very beautiful woman who just got divorced. She meets two
friends, Cuido and Gay, who take her for a few days in Cuido's house
in the country, to relax and forget the difficulties of the past few weeks.
Everything goes nice at first, but soon the two men fall in love with
Roslyn, and start showing some bad aspects of their characters. Soon
they meet another friend of Gay's and the four of them go to hunt
some wild horses. This is when things just... explode! |
Mogwai
|
... the Gremlins movie (1984)
All Gremlins start life as Mogwai. Mogwai are cuddly, furry creatures about
one foot tall. They generally are quite mischevious, and will attempt to
become Gremlins if possible. |
Moloko
|
... the milk drink in Stanley Kubrick's "A Clockwork Orange" (1971)
|
Motorpsycho
 |
... a Russ Meyer Movie (1965)
Three bad boy motorcyclists get kicks raping other people's women and generally being a nuisance. When they rape a veterinarian's wife, he takes exception and pursues them, teaming up with a Cajun woman whose husband they killed. The leader of the gang, a Vietnam Vet, begins showing signs of being a few slices short of a loaf. |
Mr. Bungle
 |
... an old 1950's sketch about a boy who didn't fit in ("Winky-Dink and You"), featured on an early episode of Pee Wee's Playhouse
Also refers to an 70s porno character (thanks to John B!) There is a clip form this film in their debut album. |
Mudhoney
 |
... a Russ Meyer Movie (1965)
The movie is set in 1933, in the midst of the Depression and Prohibition. Calif, a stranger with a past walks into Spooner, Missouri on his way from Michigan to California. He hires on with Lute Wade to earn some travelling money, but gets entangled in a bad family situation: Lute's daughter is married to Sidney, a good-for-nothing drunk that frequents the rural equivalent of a whorehouse and beats his wife and is just waiting for Lute to kick the bucket to get his money. When Sidney and a local wacko preacher begin orchestrating a smear campaign against Calif, he finds it difficult to conceal his past and his growing affection for Sidney's wife. |
My Bloody Valentine
 |
... a 1981 horror movie by George Mihalka
Plot:
There's a big valentine-party planned in the little miningtown Valentine's Bluff. It is the first valentine party in 20 years, because then there was an accident in the mine, and the accident happened because the men responsible for the security was at the party. The sole surviving miner killed them, and told the town NEVER to arrange a valentine party again. The party begins, and so does the killing... |
Nerf Herder
 |
a line in "Empire Strikes Back" where Princess Leia calls Han Solo a "half-witted,
scruffy looking nerf herder." |
Pennywise
 |
... the clown in the Steven King movie "It". |
Phantom Planet
 |
... the 1961 sci-fi movie of the same name.
guitarist Jacques Brautbar said they
"spent every weekend
practicing, every day after school we practiced. We
were kinda out of the radar from everybody in our
social scene, and it was like we were on our own little
planet and nobody knew what we’re doing. The name
Phantom Planet we got from the movie Phantom
Planet, and it just seemed to fit." |
Pussy Galore
 |
taken from the sexy character in the 1964 James Bond movie "Goldfinger"
the role was played by Honor Blackman (born 1927)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pussy Galore: "My name is Pussy Galore."
James Bond: "I must be dreaming." |
Save Ferris
 |
... the 1986 teen movie starring Matthew Broderick who plays a very popular student who skips school. Kids and townsfolk think he is deathly ill, and paint "Save Ferris" on the water tower and other places. |
Seven Mary Three
 |
... Ross confesses: "People like to interpret it in a lot of different ways. My professors thought it was a reference to something medieval, that it had to do with the Trinity, the Virgin Mary and the seven deadly sins. But to tell you the truth, we came up with the name one day just sitting around watching [Seventies cop show] C.H.i.P.s. on TV -- 'seven mary three' was the blond guy's [John Baker] call sign!".
thanks to mm cannady |
Soilent Grün
 |
... the 1973 sci fi-movie Soylent Green in which people have to eat a food substitute named "Soylent" until somebody finds out what it is made of... (Soilent Grün was the first band of Die Ärzte members!) |
Spectre
 |
... the abbreviation for "Special Executive for Counter
Intelligence, Terrorism, Revenge, Extortion".
Dr. No (James Bond) is a part of Spectre. [more] |
T'Pau
 |
... a Star Trek character. T'Pau is one of Vulcan's most revered leaders, the only person ever to turn down a seat on the Federation Council. In 2267, T'Pau officiated over Spock's wedding ceremony that turned into a fiasco. She later saved Captain Kirk's career by telling Starfleet she requested his visit to Vulcan.
A Vulcan starship, T'Pau NSP-17938, was named for her. After its decommission in 2364 the T'Pau was used in a Romulan invasion plot.
In 2373 the U.S.S. Voyager's EMH created a holographic T'Pau as part of his personality-improvement project.(startrek.com) |
Texas
 |
... the movie "Paris, Texas" by Wim Wenders (1984)
see also -> Travis |
They Might Be Giants
 |
... a 1971 movie.
Plot: They Might be Giants chronicles the adventures of Sherlock Holmes and
Dr. Watson in modern day New York City. The fact that Sherlock Holmes
(George C. Scott) is a psychotic paranoid and Dr. Watson (Joanne
Woodward) is a female psychiatrist fascinated by his case is almost
beside the point. Dr. Watson follows Holmes across Manhattan and is,
against her better judgement, drawn into the master detective's world
of intrigue and danger. This is a sweet, goofy and fairly romantic film
that asks the questions "Who's reality is right...and does it really matter?"
The Name of the movie, and thus the name of the band, is a quote from Don Quixote by Cervantes. When asked why he was attacking
the windmills, Don Quixote replay "because they might be giants!". The movie is
obviously a modern adaptation of the novel, and even alludes to the novel itself
during the course of the film.
thank you, Ken! |
Thompson Twins
 |
... two chracters from "Herges Adventures of Tin Tin". They were spies. more here
Thanks to ebracher! |
Travis
 |
... the main character in Wim Wender's "Paris, Texas".
Travis wanders out of the desert not knowing who he is.
His brother finds him, and helps to pull his memory back
of the life he led before he walked out on his wife and son
four years before. As his memory returns, he makes
contact with various people from his past. |
Tura Satana
|
... the actress who played Varla in Russ Meyer's "Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!" (1965)
Tura started exotic dancing when she was only 13 years old. She integrated acrobatics, humor, and sensual beauty to her dancing art form. As a dancer, she started doing guest appearances in films such as "Our Man Flint" and "Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed?" Tura's skills as a martial artist landed her small roles in TV shows such as Hawaiian Eye, Man from U.N.C.L.E., Girl from U.N.C.L.E, The Greatest Show on Earth, and Burke's Law. |
The Unbelievable Truth
 |
... a film by Hal Hartley (1990)
After serving time for murder, Josh Hutton returns to his home town where me meets Audry Hugo. No one can remember exactly what Josh did, but they are all wary of him, especially Audry's father. |
Weakerthans
 |
Quote by singer John Samson:
"It comes from a movie adaptation of a novel by Margarite Durat called The Lover. The scene is, this man's in a restaurant and someone challenges him to a fight. He says "Go ahead, I'm weaker than you can possibly imagine."
I always thought that if I was looking for a band name I would use that. Band names in general are pretty dumb. So that's the least dumb we could come up with at the time."
(The Peak) |
White Zombie
 |
... a movie by Victor Halperin (1932)
Plot:
Young couple Madeleine and Neil are coaxed by acquaintance Monsieur Beaumont to get married on his Haitian plantation. Beaumont's motives are purely selfish as he makes every attempt to convince the beautiful young girl to run away with him. For help Beaumont turns to the devious Legendre, a man who runs his mill by mind controlling people he has turned into zombies. After Beaumont uses Legendre's zombie potion on Madeleine, he is dissatisfied with her emotionless being and wants her to be changed back. Legendre has no intention of doing this and he drugs Beaumont as well to add to his zombie collection. Meanwhile, grieving 'widower' Neil is convinced by a local priest that Madeleine may still be alive and he seeks her out. |
Xiu Xiu
 |
... a movie directed by Joan Chen (1998)
Plot:
Young teen girl Xiu Xiu is sent away to a remote corner of the Sichuan steppes for manual labor in 1975
(sending young people to there was a part of Cultural Revolution in China). A year later, she agrees
to go to even more remote spot with a Tibetan saddle tramp Lao Jin to learn horse herding. |
