How Rock Bands Got Their Names – 4

The Rolling Stones – It’s easy to picture the Rolling Stones offering a very hearty thank you to Muddy Waters when they sat in with the legendary bluesman at Buddy Guy’s Chicago-based Checkerboard Lounge in November 1981. After all, they took their now-iconic band name from Waters’ 1950 song “Rollin’ Stone.”

Rush : Rush’s original bassist and lead vocalist was replaced shortly after they formed in 1968 by Geddy Lee, a schoolmate of Alex Lifeson’s. Their first official incarnation – featuring Lee, Lifeson and John Rutsey – wouldn’t lock into place until May 1971. “Rush” was suggested by Rutsey’s brother, Bill.

Scorpions : It’s widely believed that the band initially chose the name Scorpions because it sounded particularly tough and dangerous. Still, they almost ended up being known as Dawn Road. In the mid-’70s, members from Dawn Road and an earlier incarnation of Scorpions combined and briefly considered using one name or the other. They ultimately decided to use the Scorpions because it was already well known in the German hard-rock scene. Unknowing fans often use “the” in conjunction with this band’s name (e.g. “The Scorpions”), but it’s simply Scorpions.

Styx : Styx is the river that runs into hell in Greek mythology. While it might seem like a more appropriate name for a metal band than the Styx you’ve come to know, be advised that A) they were rather more rocking at the time, and B) it was the early ‘70s.

Toto : The story goes that drummer Jeff Porcaro randomly scribbled the name on the then-unnamed band’s earliest demos just to have some kind of identifying mark. Seeing the name on the tapes, bassist David Hungate remarked that “in toto” was Latin for “as a whole” or “all encompassing,” and the band was sold on it.

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