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Far From Home: Bands Named After Places They Aren't From

Of MontrealPolyvinyl

Naming a band is hard work. Pick the wrong one and you might toil in obscurity forever while the right name might net you attention from the right people. So why not take some inspiration from what's around you?

There's plenty to be said for the civic pride of naming your band after your hometown, especially if it evokes something of your music -- say, the jazzy rock of Chicago or the down-home twang of Alabama. But adopting the name of a place you've never even visited? That takes some real imagination and a little bit of guts.

So we did some research to find out why a whole slew of bands -- from Asia and Beirut to Of Montreal and Portugal, The Man -- have done just that.
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crazy ray

So, how pretensious is that?

November 27 2011 at 8:01 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
ehbinwv10

Todays music=YAWN!

November 27 2011 at 7:31 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
James

Shameful, and so unlike those other band names that have deep significance.

November 27 2011 at 3:53 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Matt

This band is actually talented, unlike most popular musicians these days. Yahoo's homepage of course won't pay this fact justice, though.

November 27 2011 at 2:54 AM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
Nilda

berlin anyone?

November 27 2011 at 2:11 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
JocelynGhanime

Hey Beirut is a beautifull name of a very beautifull city. I like it very much.

November 27 2011 at 1:30 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
marcsmpsn

The band is El Stinko, so is most of these bands today......

November 27 2011 at 12:41 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
toms314162

How completely stupid!!!! It's just the name of a band. It doesn't need to have any kind of significant meaning.

November 26 2011 at 11:49 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
dal

DEVO = de evolve

November 26 2011 at 10:35 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Juyhkuyhj

OMG,I want to share a mews to you. My best fríènd ,she just has annóuncéd hér wēddīng wīth a rich mān who is a cèlèbrìty !They mèt via~~~~SéêkSúɡárDαd.Сσм ~~~~ ..it is the lārgēst and bēst clúb for rich man with yung and beautiful woman and theìr àdmirèrs to chát ōnlìnè. …You do nǒt hávè to bê rīch ór fāmóùs. ,bùt yōu cān meēt yóùr trùē lòvê , It’s wòrthy ǎ try!
It takes a lot of balls to call yourself "The worlds greatest rock and roll band". And still after 50 years of rocking the house the Stones are right.....They are the greatest!

November 18 2011 at 4:41 AM Report abuse -4 rate up rate down Reply