Fun. After playing four consecutive gigs as “The Fun Guys,” Nate Ruess decided to ditch the band’s trippy, Psilocybin mushroom-themed sound and shorten the name to “Fun.” At least, while Phish was in town.
The Strokes. Julian Casablancas was on the swim team in high school, before getting kicked off for masturbating in the pool.
Band of Horses. Originally a coked-out Phil Spector’s idea for a novelty hit machine, the band name was passed down to some desperate guys from Seattle years later, when the courts finally decided it was inhumane to make Palominos sing, wear a dress, or stay locked in a house.
The Rolling Stones. Mick Jagger once fell down a hill after he smoked too much pot during an adulterous trip to Iran.
Mott the Hoople. Tomm the Hoople became a registered sex offender.
Bright Eyes. Conor Oberst really misheard that Hall and Oates song.
Hall and Oates. John Oates really misheard Daryl Hall’s response to “We should start a band.”
Sonic Youth. Shawn Kemp gave an eleven-year-old Thurston Moore his game-used jersey after collecting six rebounds in front of a capacity KeyArena crowd.
The Beatles. “The Simpsons” reference.
The Paul Simon Blart Garfunkel Mall Cops. You decided to join me in the greatest musical endeavor since DeadMau5 proposed over Twitter.