Depiction - Bad Band Name?

[nickguz]

This is my current band name (pretty obvious) but I've been wanting to change it for a while, but can't think of anything. I feel like it's a weak name and kind of sounds like a teenage metalcore band.

Can I get some honest opinions about this name?

Thanks

[Opus Antics]

Sounds like a metalcore band. If that's what you are then it's great.

[FitchFY]

It doesn't do anything for me, but it doesn't NOT do anything for me.

 

Ultimately, I saw it and said "depiction of what?"

[SLScott86]

Fitch's words exactly. I don't think it's great. I think it's fine. If you can think of something that everyone agrees is better, it will depend on what kind of brand and/or following you've built. If your following is friends and family, they'll be there through the name change. If there are a lot of other regulars, the change will be a little more risky.

 

Our band name is the one that nobody hated. I cringe a bit when I go to Prog Archives or The Metal Observer and we're like the thirtieth "Silent" band. And when people ask the name of the band and more often than not I need to repeat it unless they've heard of us already. But we've yet to come up with anything better, and wouldn't change anymore even if we did.

[Kevin T]

This is a bad name

Her Sweet Remains

It used to be Hard Scrabble Rd.

We do melodic classic rock. Folks think we are a death metal goth act and the band refuses to change it.

[jeff42]

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Kevin T wrote:

This is a bad name

Her Sweet Remains

It used to be Hard Scrabble Rd.

We do melodic classic rock. Folks think we are a death metal goth act and the band refuses to change it.

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Yes it does sound like a melodic death metal band name. Say what you will about Ostrich Hat... sure its silly, some think its the worse but no one forgets it... And no one else has it!

Unlike our last band "There & Back Again" That was something no one could remember and sometimes we were called There & Back, This & That, Then & Now, and so on... We talking we used to shorten it to TBA but that had its own problems (to be announced wouldnt look good in the newspaper)

Although I feel that was a good name for when we were 90% classic rock. When we became a dance rock party band and kept our 70s rock to a minimum eh... not so much... 

 There are some good band names in my area but so many awful ones.

So Depection? hmm. what kind of band are you cuz if you are a prog band ala Dream theater, fates warning I'd say: Sure its fine.

[BlueStrat]

A band name should first and foremost make people who have never heard you want to come and see you, or at least curious. In my area, there are tons of bands with generic names- Mojo, Strictly Business, Armed and Dangerous, Buckshot,  Trestle Creek, Whiskeyjack, etc etc. The names are adequate, but don't show a lot of creativity. If they can't be bothered to come up with a  memorable and creative name, why would I not think their music might be the same way?  On the other hand, we have of have had bands like The Rub, Charlie Butts and the Filter Tips, Bakin' Phat, Big Mumbo, Five Foot Thick, The Fat Tones, Too Slim and the Taildraggers, The Bucket List, The Swirling Eddies, and lots of others that were quirky or memorable in some way. 

 

A name should be well thought out to reflect the character of the band and what they're about. Take some time to work it out rather than seeing it as a chore to cross off the list. 

[Vito Corleone]

 

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SLScott86 wrote:

 

Fitch's words exactly. I don't think it's great. I think it's fine. If you can think of something that everyone agrees is better,

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I think that's the problem with the name.  It sounds like one of those generic "it's the only name everyone didn't hate" group decisions that often get made when you're in a band.

Give everyone a list of 20 names, let each pick 5, and no doubt a name like "Depiction" will be the only one that is on everyone's list.  Not a bad name, but it doesn't say anythng either.

A lot of it depends on what sort of band you're trying to be and what you want that name to do for you.  In my band's case, we really needed our name to be outfront and help sell the band.  So, cheezy and un-original name that it is, I think it accomplishes that goal to a large degree.

Sometimes you just want a name that stands out and can be easily remembered, even if it leaves your head scratching a bit.  I think Jeff42's band name "Ostrich Hat" does that.  You may not have a clue what that band does, but you're pretty sure they GOTTA be fun with a name like that!

So yeah...I think you could do a lot worse that "Depiction", but you could probably pretty easily do a lot better as well.

[nickguz]

I know what it means, I know that it makes no sense but was all we could come up with at the time lol. And we just play rock/hard rock stuff. Not metalcore. And thanks for all the feedback, I'm definitely gonna try to come up with something better!

[Lee Knight]

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nickguz wrote:

I know what it means, I know that it makes no sense but was all we could come up with at the time lol. And we just play rock/hard rock stuff. Not metalcore. And thanks for all the feedback, I'm definitely gonna try to come up with something better!

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Of course you know what it means. Clearly you have a brain. I just meant the name itself projects that. That's my reaction to it. No to you.

[stangconv]

My bands name is Half Step Tuesday... So I have no good input on this discussion

[joshmac]

pretty generic and unmemorable

[Tullsterx]

It's fine. The name is what you make it. It would only be a problem if there's another band called Depiction that you might get confused or conflicted with. . . http://www.bandmix.com/nickguz/. . . is that you guys?

[nickguz]

Yup that's us, we're the only depiction

[n9ne]

 

I've always been of the opinion that band members spend waaaay too much time worrying about finding "the perfect band name".   Bleah.

Generally speaking,  nobody except the band is really going to care about the name....and the unfortunate truth is, the band will probably be gone in a year or two, and nobody but the members will care enough to remember it anyway.

Just pick out something in the room or pull a word out of the dictionary, pluralize it, throw "THE" in front of it, and there ya go:  instant band name, and appropriate to almost any genre except death metal.

 

The Forks.

The Flats.

The Brown Bags.

 

Whatever.

 

My only caveat is this:  don't get too cute or complicated with it.   At least make it something people can remember.  My last band was called "The Most Important Band in the World".....(yeah, I know).....and we were actually a pretty good band for our market.   But in three years of gigging around town, I literally never met a single person who could correctly remember the band's name until they'd seen us a half-dozen times or more.   People almost always referred to us as "The Greatest Band in the World" or "The World's Greatest Band", or a  variation thereof.   We'd show up to load in for a gig, and the name would be screwed up on the marquee.   Nobody could remember the name.

 

In retrospect.....the band name is only as good as the band itself.   No matter what the name is, it's up to the band to make people remember it.

[New Trail]

OP, are you asking for band name suggestions?  If so, what kind of music do you play?  Maybe post a song list?

[JailTime]

 

Not a big fan of Depiction.  But...

...there are lots of great bands with bad band names.  I have a personal interest in this topic, too, because I'm not fond of my band's name:  Robbing Mary.  But a few years ago when I believed there was an opportunity to change it, we had a band discussion and decided to keep it.  And now, for no other reason than having it for nearly 10 years, people in the region are starting to become familiar with us.  The problem for us is that it's meaning isn't immediately forth coming.  So people always ask, 'what does your band name mean?'  I've given a lot of answers but none of them good. 

But think of some of these stinkers:

Toad and Wet Sproket

Teenage Fanclub

The Gourds

Phish

Goo Goo Dolls

Flaming Lips

The Raspberries

moe.

Pearl Jam

Meat Puppets

Mudcrutch

Dr. Dog

 

Of course whether you like any of these names or the OP's or whatever, it's subjective.  A great song - and more, a great album or a great catalog of music will make the band name a minor, irrelavant topic.

 

Edit: typo

[Tullsterx]

Thinking more about it. . . If you've settle on Depiction then go with it. It's such a hassle to come up with band names.

 

I was with this ridiculous group of guys that could never settle on a name for a short while. I was trying to organize it and come up with a democratic strategy and it just got so ridiculous. We would all agree on a process, and then one or more guys would object to the name(s) we were left with for various reasons. That happened twice then I said screw-it and found some reasonable people to play with. Damn, I wish I had reacted more violently. It was **** insane. 

 

Anyway, if you have a name, stick with it.

 

 

 

[nickguz]

Yeah I don't know. Any other name we have come up with was already taken. At least Depiction isn't taken, and it would cause no confusion. But it's not a catchy name or anything.

[1001gear]

 

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FitchFY wrote:

 

It doesn't do anything for me, but it doesn't NOT do anything for me.

 

 

 

Ultimately, I saw it and said "depiction of what?"

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Hi bored as usual.

Does sound like a movie title which, even a bad one would have content depicting promised depiction. So good name if the material is consistent and dum name if it's just a cover band.