ksdaddy Posted June 25, 2023 Share Posted June 25, 2023 The Animals, The Beatles, The Clovers, The Del Vikings, The Eagles, The Four Aces, and so on. Band names came up in conversation today and I pondered when might be the first instance of a group using a name other than THE Belmonts or THE Rolling Stones. I’m speaking about Chicago, Free, Led Zeppelin, Bread, Cream, etc. Who was the trailblazer? The earliest I can think of is Cream but I’m sure there are others. Setting aside the possibility that a garage band in 1954 Puyallup Washington called themselves Dog Dish, what was the first famous or at least recognizable example? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merciful-evans Posted June 25, 2023 Share Posted June 25, 2023 I never thought about it. Its curious. MC5 predate Cream I think. Others early on might include Them Spirit Buffalo Springfield Blind Faith Steppenwolf Moby Grape Love 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gearbasher Posted June 25, 2023 Share Posted June 25, 2023 (edited) Actually, if you look at the Eagles albums, it just has Eagles with no "the". Same goes for the band Ramones. Edited June 25, 2023 by gearbasher Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparquelito Posted June 25, 2023 Share Posted June 25, 2023 (edited) Interesting question. I just reviewed the Top 100 Hits for the years 1960 thru 1968. In 1960, most of the popular songs were attributed to a single artist by name. (Brenda Lee, for instance. Elvis Presley, Bobby Rydell, etc.) All of the band names for that year had a 'The' in the band name except for an act called Bill Black's Combo. And by 'The', I am including artists like Dion and the Belmonts, or Joey Dee and the Starliters. In 1961, all the hits were produced by artists by name, or by bands with a 'The' in their name. There was one hit by 'Kokomo', but that turned out to be the singer's nickname or stage name, and not the name of a band. In 1962, more of the same. No band names without a 'The'. In 1963, same-same. I did find a duo called Los Indios Tabajaras and got all excited until I realized that that translated to "The Tabajara Indians". So I'll score that as a 'The' band name. In 1964, still the same state of affairs, though the act listed that year as Manfred Mann was technically a band name, even though the keyboard player went by that name. Hard to score that one. There is movement of the needle in 1965. We had bands named We Five, Herman's Hermits, Ramsey Lewis Trio, Sounds Orchestral, and Sir Douglas Quintet break the Top 100. 1966 is interesting. What I always thought of as The Four Tops had their first hits that year, but they were technically Four Tops, without the 'The'. Count Five was a garage band with a hit that year as well. Ray Conniff Singers and Bobby Fuller Four had hits. Again, I couldn't score a band called Los Bravos, since that loosely translated to "The brave ones". 1967 brought us and explosion with Every Mother's Son, Strawberry Alarm Clock, Buffalo Springfield, Jefferson Airplane, Procol Harum, Five Americans, and Blues Magoos, Finally, 1968 saw Cream hit the charts. The flood gates were wide open, as also charting that year were Classic IV, Steppenwolf, 1910 Fruitgum Company, Ohio Express, Friend & Lover, People!, Status Quo, Blue Cheer, Vanilla Fudge, and Creedence Clearwater Revival. A fun bit of research. Good memories.🙂 Edited June 25, 2023 by sparquelito 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted June 25, 2023 Author Share Posted June 25, 2023 Ima say 1967 was “the year”. On our drive yesterday I mentioned if I ever started a group it would be called Hot Dog Water. Any press is good press. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted June 25, 2023 Share Posted June 25, 2023 Jefferson Airplane were pretty early. How about "It's a beautiful day". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merciful-evans Posted June 25, 2023 Share Posted June 25, 2023 My previous refs to MC5 & Them according to wiki MC5 1963 Them 1964 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted June 25, 2023 Share Posted June 25, 2023 2 hours ago, ksdaddy said: Hot Dog Water. Is that Vienna Beef? Or Nathans? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted June 25, 2023 Author Share Posted June 25, 2023 55 minutes ago, Murph said: Is that Vienna Beef? Or Nathans? I’m in Maine so it’s gotta be red dogs. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OrdinaryNimda Posted June 25, 2023 Share Posted June 25, 2023 These guys prolly don't qualify? 🤡https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_The 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitefang Posted June 25, 2023 Share Posted June 25, 2023 (edited) There was Bill Haley & His Comets Canned Heat, Bubble Puppy, Three Dog Night, Savoy Brown, Spooky Tooth, Emerson, Lake and Palmer, Ultimate Spinach, Foreigner, Pearl Jam, Alice In Chains, Local Detroit band Toby Redd I remember getting in a bit of a tiff in another forum with a guy who insisted on calling them THE Cream. 🙄 Whitefang Edited June 25, 2023 by Whitefang Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larsongs Posted June 25, 2023 Share Posted June 25, 2023 Santana, Iron Butterfly, Staus Quo, C,S,N &Y, Three Dog Night, Fleetwod Mac & Foreigner… Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitefang Posted June 25, 2023 Share Posted June 25, 2023 I already mentioned a couple there, Lars. 😉 Whitefang Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted June 25, 2023 Share Posted June 25, 2023 1 hour ago, ksdaddy said: I’m in Maine so it’s gotta be red dogs. So not only lips and a-holes but red dye #5 too. Oh the carcinogens on that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted June 25, 2023 Share Posted June 25, 2023 (edited) Wishbone Ash BOC Spirit Little Feat How about if "The" is not the first word in the band name - Frank Zappa And The Mothers Of Invention. Is that a loophole? Montrose Santana Jethro Tull Be-Bop Deluxe Pink Floyd Edited June 25, 2023 by Sgt. Pepper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merciful-evans Posted June 25, 2023 Share Posted June 25, 2023 (edited) The given names of artists in the band title have always been there, right through, so I don't think the likes of CSN, WBL etc count. Otherwise you need to go back to Spike Jones & his City Slickers or Flanagan and Allen. Edited June 25, 2023 by merciful-evans oversight Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted June 25, 2023 Share Posted June 25, 2023 (edited) And if my "The" loophole is correct. Derek And The Dominos King Crimson Roxy Music ELP Jethro Tull We could be here a while. Thats not a band but a statement. Edited June 25, 2023 by Sgt. Pepper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted June 25, 2023 Author Share Posted June 25, 2023 4 hours ago, Sgt. Pepper said: So not only lips and a-holes but red dye #5 too. Oh the carcinogens on that. And damn tasty! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted June 25, 2023 Share Posted June 25, 2023 1 minute ago, ksdaddy said: And damn tasty! I’ve had red dogs. I’m a Nathan’s or Sabrette’s guy. I probably spelled Sabrett’s wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdgm Posted June 25, 2023 Share Posted June 25, 2023 Yes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tx-ogre Posted June 25, 2023 Share Posted June 25, 2023 9 hours ago, Murph said: Is that Vienna Beef? Or Nathans? Gotta be Lucky Dogs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted June 25, 2023 Share Posted June 25, 2023 9 hours ago, ksdaddy said: I’m in Maine so it’s gotta be red dogs. That one exploded and I think the rest are ready to go. Does red have a taste? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted June 26, 2023 Author Share Posted June 26, 2023 God’s honest truth, I haven’t eaten any hot dogs other than red dogs in so long, I can’t comment on the difference in flavor between types. I know “non red” skinless franks n such are less than palatable because of the texture. It’s like eating a Vienna sausage or rolling up a piece of bologna. Red dogs have got a good snap when you bite into them. I generally boil them just enough to heat them through when I eat them with beans. As to the grill, I burn them and let them split. It’s like burning your marshmallows, you either like them that way or not. And yes, that red dye stains everything it touches. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted June 26, 2023 Share Posted June 26, 2023 1 hour ago, ksdaddy said: God’s honest truth, I haven’t eaten any hot dogs other than red dogs in so long, I can’t comment on the difference in flavor between types. I know “non red” skinless franks n such are less than palatable because of the texture. It’s like eating a Vienna sausage or rolling up a piece of bologna. Red dogs have got a good snap when you bite into them. I generally boil them just enough to heat them through when I eat them with beans. As to the grill, I burn them and let them split. It’s like burning your marshmallows, you either like them that way or not. And yes, that red dye stains everything it touches. Comes out red too on the other end, huh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted June 26, 2023 Author Share Posted June 26, 2023 Nah, if I saw that, I’d be scheduling a colonoscopy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.