Guest Post: 5 Terrible 80’s Band Names
By
Jason Kane
People who grew up in the 80’s have tons of nostalgic memories about the music that was popular then. The 80’s gave birth to massive stars like Madonna and Michael Jackson, leaving a lasting impression on us and changing the music scene forever. However, the 80’s also gave birth to some of the worst band names that music has ever heard. Here are 5 of the tackiest band names of the 80’s.
Kajagoogoo
If you heard the song “Too Shy” on the radio you’d probably instantly recognize it and start singing along but would you remember the name of the band that sings it? Formed in 1979, Kajagoogoo saw success during their height in the 80’s. Before lead singer Christopher Hamill (better known by his stage name Limahl) joined the group they were known as Art Nouveau- a name that’s a bit boring but still less ridiculous than Kajagoogoo. The meaning of the name is a bit silly as well; they are quoted as saying they got it from spelling out the sound a baby makes.
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
Am I the only one who thinks this band sounds like it could be the title of a children’s picture book? British sensation Frankie Goes To Hollywood apparently got their name after seeing a photo of Frank Sinatra in The New Yorker with the headline “Frankie Goes To Hollywood”. Good thing band names don’t necessarily have an effect on your success- their debut single “Relax” remains the 7th highest single of all time in the UK.
Bananarama
Like most bands with funny names, Bananarama probably didn’t imagine that they’d go on to sell millions of records under such a silly moniker. The name supposedly comes from combining two things- the banana part came from the tropical association the girls made with “Aie A Mwana,” a single they had sung that was in Swahili. The ‘rama’ portion came from the Roxy Music song “Pyjamarama”, of which they were huge fans.
Kid Creole and the Coconuts
I guess this group didn’t get the memo that using alliteration doesn’t necessarily make a good band name. Kid Creole and the Coconuts were relatively big in the 80’s, winning Americans over with their Latin Big Band style of music. Although he originally went by August Darnell, ‘Kid Creole’ eventually adopted the stage name from the Elvis Presley movie King Creole. ‘The Coconuts’ was simply the name of Creole’s trio of backup singers.
Hans Naughty
Of all the cringe-worthy band names I’ve ever heard, Hans Naughty has got to be one of the absolute worst. It’s bad enough that Hans Naughty was a hair-metal band; add in that their name conjures the image of a German Pornstar with a handlebar moustache and you’ve got yourself one terrible band name.
Jason Kane is a vinyl record collector and avid music blogger. Jason buys his vinyl from SoundStage Direct, an online vinyl record retailer.
