Indie Rock’s 5 Most Overused Animal Names
By Adam Tod Brown
Bands named after animals are nothing new. Some of the greatest bands of all time took their name from the animal kingdom. And The Eagles did too! But in recent years, indie bands in particular have shown a special sort of fascination with beastly band names. And when it comes time to pick those names, they turn to these five animals more than any others…
5. The Deer
As Used By: The Deer Tracks, Deer Tick, Deerhoof, Deer Hunter
While not nearly as prevalent as other animals, the wolf for example, the deer is currently enjoying a new found popularity in the indie rock band name market. Noise-pop masters Deerhoof have been around since the mid-90’s, but recent releases by Deer Tick and the 2008-best-of-list topping Deer Hunter have propelled the antlered automobile destroyer into the indie rock spotlight. Expect an onslaught of deer named bands any second now.
Most Rock Friendly Characteristic: Self destructive tendencies – with their penchant for bounding wildly into oncoming traffic, the deer is the animal kingdom embodiment of the “live fast die young” stereotype that has been a staple of rock music since the dawn of time.
Most Inspired Band Name: The Deer In Your Headlights
Band Name I Can’t Believe Doesn’t Exist: The Deer John Letter
4. The Wolf
As Used By: Sea Wolf, Wolf Parade, We Are Wolves, Wolf Eyes, Turbowolf
With the wolf, we dive headlong into indie rock royalty. For the better part of 2008, it seemed like you couldn’t read a single paragraph on most music blogs without the mention of a wolf popping up. The Los Angeles based band Sea Wolf even went the extra mile and released a single called “You’re a Wolf.” I’m pretty sure I’m not, but not having “wolf” somewhere in my name does make me feel like a bit of an outcast these days.
Most Rock Friendly Characteristic: Traveling in packs – like any good DIY band traversing the country in a beat up van, wolves travel in packs. And just like most bands end up doing at some point, wolves all wear extravagant fur coats and eventually one of them goes solo. That’s nature for you.
Most Inspired Band Name: AIDS Wolf
Band Name I Can’t Believe Doesn’t Exist: Deer Wolf – but there is a song out there with that title, so just give it time.
3. The Horse
As Used By: Band of Horses, Horse Feathers, Night Horse, An Horse, Toy Horses
Majestic, gallant, powerful, bearded, signed to Sub Pop Records. Wait, all of those things actually do not describe real horses. But these days, you could forgive a person for getting things confused. Like any good rock and roll snowball effect, Band of Horses released a breakthrough album, and now no fewer than seven horse named bands will be galloping their way through the SXSW Festival this year.
Most Rock Friendly Characteristic: Beer endorsements
Most Inspired Band Name: The Donkeys, Stereo Pony (tie) – way to break the mold.
Band Name I Can’t Believe Doesn’t Exist: Delta Horse
2. The Bear
As Used By: Grizzly Bear, Panda Bear, Bear In Heaven, Angry vs. The Bear
Is there a hotter animal in indie rock right now? Put your hands down, I’m not actually expecting you to reply. The answer, of course, is no. Panda Bear is in Animal Collective, and people have officially lost their shit over that new Animal Collective album. Throw Grizzly Bear and the much read blog Gorilla vs. Bear into the fray and you have a full on cultural movement taking place. A “bearevolution,” if you will. Sorry.
Most Rock Friendly Characteristic: Violence – in its earliest days, rock music was threatening. Bears? Still threatening.
Most Inspired Band Name: Minus the Bear
Band Name I Can’t Believe Doesn’t Exist: Bear Arms!
1. The Bird
As Used By: The Bird and The Bee, Birds of Tokyo, Birds of Wales, Wallis Bird, The Late Birds, Seabird, Andrew Bird (ok, maybe that last one doesn’t count)
The bird has a long and storied history in rock music. The Byrds, The Eagles, The Black Crowes, The Fabulous Thunderbirds… stone cold legends, some of them. And like the mythical phoenix (also a bird, fyi) it is rising once again in the world of indie rock. It may not be rampaging through the scene like the wolf or the bear, but with the recent, albeit mild, success of The Bird and The Bee and a slew of bird named bands set to strike in the coming months, 2009 could go down in indie rock history as the year of the bird. Or the snake, the tiger, the domestic house cat, the mouse. Who the hell knows?
Most Rock Friendly Characteristic: The gift of flight – nothing rocks harder than that.
Most Inspired Band Name: Eagles of Death Metal
Band Name I Can’t Believe Doesn’t Exist: The Byrds of the 21st Century
What about you? Have you noticed any animals slipping into band names?
Friday, February 6, 2009 9:44AM
Not sure if he qualifies but hey house of the rising son was a classic eric burdon and the animals! still recording and still touring
Friday, February 6, 2009 10:46AM
Also, for Deer, Dear and the Headlights.
Different spelling, same meaning.
Dear and the Headlights are playing Coachella this year.
Friday, February 6, 2009 10:49AM
fleet foxes, frightened rabbit
Friday, February 6, 2009 11:16AM
well put. There should be a band called Wolf Wolves. or Deer Wolfhorsebirds.
Friday, February 6, 2009 3:47AM
You left out one of my favourites: Use All the Parts of the Deer….
Friday, February 6, 2009 12:26PM
you forgot Horse The Band and Bear vs Shark
Friday, February 6, 2009 5:59AM
and along with sea wolf and seabird, there’s also a seabear.
Friday, February 6, 2009 2:27PM
you forgot the Mouse dude…
Modest Mouse and Mouse on Mars are two bands off the top of my head that have a mouse
Friday, February 6, 2009 2:38PM
Some others off the top of my head… Peter & The Wolf, HORSE The Band, Bear Vs. Shark, Panda & Angel, Thunderbirds Are Now!
Friday, February 6, 2009 7:44AM
For Bears, I'm surprised Iwrestledabearonce wasn't the most inspired name. I certainly love it.
Friday, February 6, 2009 3:34PM
Wolfmother anyone?
Friday, February 6, 2009 8:46AM
I have been noticing a lot of bees in band names and song titles too.
Friday, February 6, 2009 4:07PM
The Dodos, of course.
Friday, February 6, 2009 4:31PM
Minus the Bear anyone?
Friday, February 6, 2009 5:41PM
Minus the Bear
Friday, February 6, 2009 6:06PM
Don't forget Drunk Horse!
Friday, February 6, 2009 6:33PM
wolfmother, minus the bear
Saturday, February 7, 2009 12:31AM
Er hello? What about Wolfmother??
Saturday, February 7, 2009 12:34AM
I'm surprised 'Tiger' isn't on this list.
Saturday, February 7, 2009 1:48AM
dccx, Donuts, merty…I don't want to harp on it, but Minus the Bear is totally mentioned in the article.
Friday, February 6, 2009 7:00PM
[...] Indie Rock’s 5 Most Overused Animal Names [...]
Saturday, February 7, 2009 4:36AM
And Sparklehorse
Saturday, February 7, 2009 7:13PM
Elvis Perkins in Deerland
Saturday, February 7, 2009 10:03PM
too bad you missed "dear and the headlights" which is more inspired than "deer in your headlights"
Wednesday, February 11, 2009 3:08PM
Lipstick Liontigers!
Thursday, February 12, 2009 8:00AM
Also, Danger Mouse and Eek-A-Mouse? Plus the Cranes, Swans, Cat Power & Stray Cats, Creatures, Fruitbats, Flock of Seagulls, Pet Shop Boys, T. Rex & Dinosaur Jr., Tigra and Bunny, Wolfsheim, Gram Rabbit. Okay, i'm extrapolating a little here.
Friday, February 13, 2009 8:01PM
[...] Indie Rock’s 5 Most Overused Animal Names [...]
Friday, February 20, 2009 10:45AM
theres cut wolf aswell.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009 10:09AM
what do you mean the most inspired bear name is 'minus the bear'??
have you not heard of 'ursine nausea' which means 'bear sick' in latin, thats pretty inspired
Thursday, March 12, 2009 2:25PM
As a member of Rock 'n' Roll Monkey and the Robots I fully admit that the monkey belongs on this list.
Sunday, March 22, 2009 11:08PM
cobrastarship, artic monkey, pussycatdolls ? teeheee
Thursday, March 26, 2009 4:01AM
Huey Lewis and the News
Wednesday, April 8, 2009 8:27AM
[...] Rock Stars, launched in 1991, is home to artists like Marnie Stern, the Gossip, Deerhoof and the Decemberists, and will now distribute through Redeye alongside other indie labels like Warp [...]
Tuesday, May 19, 2009 2:44AM
this is a great post!
Wednesday, May 20, 2009 10:00AM
[...] them as our BeatCrave Favs. A fun little game is to count how many of the bands have some sort of animal in the name. There are quite a [...]
Monday, September 21, 2009 12:26AM
The Dear Hunter,
Bear Hands,
Seabear,
Peter and the Wolf
Fleet Foxes
Hold your horses!
Owls,
Bowerbirds,
Brown Bird,
MimicKing Birds
Counting Crows,
Foals,
Frightened Rabbit
Fruit Bats,
Cat Empire,
Modest Mouse,
Dr. Dog
The Mountain Goats,
Patrick Wolf
Pegasus,
Phoenix.
Plants and Animals,
Sharks Keep Moving,
Tortoise,
White Rabbits,
The Snake The Cross The Crown
Sunday, November 22, 2009 10:06AM
more more: STRAY CATS, ARCTIC MONKEYS
Monday, December 7, 2009 12:14AM
you forgot wolfmother on the list
Wednesday, February 10, 2010 3:29PM
the UK band wolfhound…
and what's up with the Rabbits!!!
Frightened Rabbits, White Rabbit and now Bad Rabbits!
Thursday, June 17, 2010 9:18AM
DEER, its like SOAD song, nice
Wednesday, August 11, 2010 10:59AM
Wolf Mother, and Los Lobos also have that wolf thing going on.
Sunday, February 20, 2011 7:39PM
does anybody know the name of the band with the lead singer who has that crazy curly hair hes also a lil husky in size and sound like a pitcy girl voice
Thursday, April 28, 2011 4:37PM
^ The Mars Volta singer fits that description
Thursday, July 7, 2011 11:38AM
Real clean internet site , thanks for this post Indie Rock’s 5 Most Overused Animal Names.
Saturday, February 18, 2012 4:01PM
Number one should be rabbits. Hands down. White rabbit, frightened rabbit, bad rabbit, gram rabbit, pepper rabbit. They don't even have variations, just ___ rabbit.