Image: Mortar Town
…And you will know them by their extended trail of syllables, ladies and gentlemen. Bands, that is. Groups of musicians who, when tasked with inventing a name for themselves, decided to forgo a more traditionally succinct and descriptive moniker for a seemingly nonsensical one that goes on…and on…and on. You’ve gotta hand it to the following five bands, though — they sure got artistic while assembling their appellations!
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
To kick things off, we’ll start with the band name that possesses the least amount of syllables. And, frankly, their name’s not all that bizarre. Anyone who’s seen the old biker flick, The Wild One, starring Marlon Brando, will get it.
Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin
This chipper indie pop band hails from the town of Springfield, Missouri, which, as we all know, lies well within the boundaries of the United States. So, why they named their band after the first popularly elected president of Russia remains a bit of a ‘modern mystery.’
Kid Congo & the Pink Monkeybirds
Despite sounding like it came out of left field in a baseball stadium on Mars, this one’s not too difficult to explain. Kid Congo Powers was the stage name given to Brian Tristan by members of The Cramps, which was just one of the many underground bands this Mexican-American rock guitarist has been a member of. And the ‘Pink Monkeybirds’ part? Well, that’s just a clever reference to a lyric in a David Bowie song.
I Love You, But I’ve Chosen Darkness
Oh yeah? Well, we probably would have chosen a shorter name. So, take that! We’ll admit, though, that this Austin, Texas band’s title at least somewhat reflects their brand of chilly, gothic-inspired, indie rock.
The Presidents of the United States of America
Coming in at a whopping fifteen syllables is this alternative rock band from Seattle, Washington! Often just referred to as ‘The Presidents’ or the acronym ‘PUSA,’ this trio gained notoriety in the 1990s with songs like “Lump,” and “Peaches.” Since, as far as we can gather, no member has ever even run for political office, one can only speculate that their name came from the fact that they all met in their hometown while attending The Bush School!
What are your favorite long-winded band names? Let us know!
2 loves 
Love the selection!
Godspeed, You Black Emperor
Oh yes, I’m so glad you featured Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin! They are most definitely my favorite long-band-name-that-I-always-abbreviate-but-everyone-should-listen-to!
I liked Cheeky Cheeky and the Nosebleeds. But they’ve changed their name to The Cheek. Not as fun to say now…
Things of Stone and Wood
Barry Jive and the Uptown Five
Does it offend you, yeah?
Dogs die in hot cars
Rage against the machine
*thanks for providing an outlet for my procrastinatory soul*
I Can Make a Mess Like Nobody’s Business
The Original Rabbit Foot Spasm Band!!
Casiotone for the Painfully Alone
Everything Everything
Tim and Sam’s Tim and the Sam Band with Tim and Sam
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
April Smith and the Great Picture Show
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Margot and the Nuclear So and So’s
unouomedude
The Vermicious K’nids
:]
Some of ‘em are more just senseless than they are long…
Honest Bob and the Factory-to-Dealer Incentives: http://www.honestbob.net/
Right Away, Great Captain!
Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
Big D and the Kids Table
Straight Outta Jr High
The Airborne Toxic Event
We Were Promised Jetpacks
Oh emily I love I Can Make a Mess Like Nobody’s Business’ music!!
Yey Alyssa for Big D!!!
other ones:
The Dillinger Escape Plan
Edie Brickell and the New Bohemians
Billie the Vision and the Dancers
From A Second Story Window
The Snake the Cross The Crown
And Then There Were None
Ascension of the Watchers
Flowers from the Man who Shot Your Cousin
The bewitched hands on the top of our heads (!!)
The Hillbilly Moon Explosion
The Most Serene Republic
Two Door Cinema Club
Medi & the medicine show
Dr Sassafrass and the Miracle Cure Alls
Can I just say that this is an amazing post? Because it is! LOLs for days.
Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band
Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society
Eli “Paperboy” Reed and the True Loves
The Good, The Bad and the Queen
Me First and the Gimme Gimme’s
Samantha Crain and the Midnight Shivers
edward sharpe and the magnetic zeros
does it offend you yeah?
frankie lymon and the teenagers
red hot chilli peppers
you me and everyone we know
My all time favorite local band is called, Stubborn Tiny Lights vs Clustering Darkness Forever Ok?. It gets shortened to Stubborn Tiny Lights.
Oh, upon seeing this post I was just hoping that SSLYBY would be included, and they were! They’re fantastic, really great.
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club has been my favorite band for years now, super original, super badass, rock n roll at its finest.
Adam and the Ants
Eatmewhileimhot!
Flight of the Conchords
They Might be Giants
The Velvet Underground
Kid Congo Powers! Yeah!
One of my faves, Amelia!
Nice one, Richard!
May I add:
Behead the Profit, No Lord Shall Live
The End of the Century Party
Under the Influence of Giants
Working for a Nuclear Free City
The Math and Physics Club
Tacks, the Boy Disaster
I love Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin!
The Birds and the Bees
EveryInchAKing
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart <3
Blair Crimmins and the Hookers! An Atlanta based band that stole my heart!
The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza
The Good, the Bad, and the Queen
hooray for prez’s of the usa (seattle represent) love them.
some favorites that haven’t been said
the apples in stereo
architecture in helsinki
be your own pet
boards of canada
fountains of wayne
bomb the music industry!
cute is what we aim for
tiny masters of today
mt. st. helen’s vietnam band
you say party! we say die!
colonel claypool’s bucket of bernie brains
No ! You forgot the unforgettable “godspeed you! Black emperor”…
Tony Moonlight and the Heartbreak Brigade
(The Heartbreak Brigade includes fanbase, too! How encompassing!)
Youth Pictures Of Florence Henderson!!
Death cab for cutie
Casiotone for the painfully alone
i think bonus points have to go to danananananakroyd… for having a long name with only one word…
and one that hasn’t already been mentioned… eddy current suppression ring…
tony danza tapdance extravaganza! Not a favourite of mine byt it’s a pretty long name for a band!
Mine aren’t very long but…
The Two Man Gentleman Band
The Flying Burrito Brothers
Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Actually lots of “So and so & the such n such’s”
Now I want to find the longest song name I can.
Someone already mentioned Margot and the Nuclear So & So’s, I think, but I wanted to mention them again because I LOVE THEM!
Also, “Throw Me The Statue” is a longish one.
Chapi Chapo & Les Petits Musiques Des Pluie
MT ST HELENS VIETNAM BAND!!!
I you’re searching for long song names look no further than to early Liars’ songs.
Long album names too!
examples: They Threw Us All in a Trench and Stuck a Monument on Top, Fins To Make Us More Fish-Like, etc.
here are a few moree :)
1. the morning benders
2. the all-american rejects
3. 30 seconds to mars
4. new kids on the block
5. the whitest boy alive
6. frankie valli and the four seasons (personal favv)
7. buena vista social club.
all might i add..decent bands…well maybe not new kids …
When People Were Shorter and Lived Near the Water !!!
it’s really long as well (:
Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly. <3