Book Digs Up Roots for Names of Bands

Dave Marsh and Kevin Stein, in their book “The Book of Rock Lists,” take a look back at the origins of some 1960s and ‘70s band names:

Dave Marsh and Kevin Stein, in their book “The Book of Rock Lists,” take a look back at the origins of some 1960s and ‘70s band names:

Alice Cooper--supposedly from a Ouija board reading that revealed that Vincent Furnier, the band’s lead singer, was actually the reincarnation of a 17th-Century witch, Alice Cooper.

The Beatles--in honor of Buddy Holly and the Crickets.

The Doors--from quotations of Aldous Huxley and William Blake concerning “the doors of perception.”

Jethro Tull--from the 18th-Century inventor of the seed drill.

Led Zeppelin--from a joke made by The Who’s John Entwistle, who proposed that Jimmy Page’s new group would go over like the world’s largest lead balloon--a lead Zeppelin.

Pink Floyd--in honor of the Georgia bluesmen Pink Anderson and Floyd Council.

Three Dog Night--from an Australian aboriginal term for an especially cold evening. They bed down with their dogs, adding more animals as the weather grows harsher. A three-dog night is the coldest of the year.

“A little inaccuracy sometimes saves tons of explanation.”

--H. H. Munro (Saki) (1870-1916)