Keep truckin’

Like a good truck brand,  a lot goes into naming a band.  I’m currently in the midst of such an endeavor.  A name says a lot about who you are, what you do, your style and how seriously you hope to be taken.  No pressure right?  Throughout my word perusings for the ideal name, here are some thoughts to consider:

1.  Band Names must be interesting yet easily recognizable.  Whether it’s a created word (the Lumineers) or the putting together of 2 different words or concepts (The Head and the Heart), it must catch the reader’s attention before it catches their ears and later their heartstrings.  It must be somewhat easy to say, since word of mouth will be an ideal marketing tool for you in this industry.

2.  Band names must have the ability to grow with your band.  Putting a number or utilizing a gender word can somewhat constrict your project (unless this is your long-term idea and you know you’ll keep the band the same always).  You have to keep it from being too narrow in concept but it also needs holding weight as well as wings to move in a direction that might later surprise you.

3. Considering connotation is imperative when choosing a name.  The words should give a feeling you want portrayed through your image and sound.  This, I believe, is the hard part.  Words evoke emotion, and it’s hard to get that just right.  It’s easy for me to write a list of words that have the same direction of feeling I want my audience to experience through song, but it isn’t so easy to create that feeling in a concise way through a name.  Here would be a list of connotation words that connect to me:

Farmouse

Southern

Home

Kinfolk

Wanderer

Tumbleweed

Harvest Moon

Seasons

Calico

Rose

Vintage

Fresh food

deserts, forests, valley, fields

Harmony

Traversing the globe

Lanterns

Imagery

Poetry, melodies

the Glow

Friends

Simplicity

Elsewhere

But finding that perfect name as well as one that hasn’t been snagged previously is a challenge.  So, my reader friends, here’s where you come in.  Kristen and I have a pretty lengthy list but we’d love to hear your ideas.  Feel free to post them in copious amounts on my music page, Leah Edwards Music over this lovely long weekend!

Thanks and we’ll keep you posted!

~lme