Turns out there is a science to coming up with a great band name.
"Think like a four year old," says Sleater-Kinney's Carry Brownstein. "Take two disparate words and Frankstein them together. Or just come up with a good pun."
[seealso slug="post-punk-rockers-marvel-superheroes"]
When it comes to naming punk bands, Brownstein is a pro. Her band Sleater-Kinney critically shaped the punk music scene in the '90s and early 2000s. Though she's been starring on IFC's Portlandia for the past few years, Brownstein is currently returning to her punk roots. She just released a new book, Hunger Makes Me A Modern Girl and announced a new tour with Sleater-Kinney. She even gave us a crash course in punk music for new punk listeners.
We wanted to put this naming theory to the test. To see how her formula holds up, we asked Brownstein to rename some of pop culture's most iconic top 40 artists as punk bands. Then we illustrated the results.
Attention, Beyonce: We have great idea for your next album.
1. Backsteet Boys
"How about the 'Back Alley Beat Boys?' That makes it sound like they are a really good hip hop group. Or 'Back Alley Street Beat Boys.'"
2. One Direction
"Well, that already sounds like a punk band that could have already existed. You’d just have to pronounce it different. “ONE DIRECTION!” You’d have to say their name much more forcefully. Let’s see...Maybe one 'One Objection.'"
2. Taylor Swift
"Let’s see. That’s a nice word, 'Swift.' There were punk band names like Trusty and Swiftie. So her band name would be something like 'Swiftie Taylor.' Or something like that. Or also, like, “Taylor Rift!”"
4. NSYNC
'Out of Sync.'
5. Beyonce
