Nine musical artists are named after the outfit
Always a painful task, my semi-annual journey to pay the insurance bill had pleasant results today. A conversation with my agent about music, prompted by the T-shirt I was wearing, was softened by the fact that nearly three thousand dollars would be deducted from my already meager savings.
Since recognizing the Elvis Costello album cover on my chest, the agent told me he liked most of the early records like My Aim Is True, Armed Forces, and Get Happy. He then explains that he once played drums in an Elvis Costello cover band, and he particularly liked playing Watching the Detectives.
That Long Extinct Band only lasted a few months, he said, and as far as he knew there were no other groups like that. When I got home, I did an unsuccessful Internet search for that band, which he had identified as The Red Shoes after one of Costello’s most famous properties.
This name made me think of other collections that referred to themselves as items of clothing or accessories. Here are the nine I went up with.
plain white t
The pop quintet had a huge hit with “Hey There Delilah” and they’ve been releasing power pop hits like Big Bad World ever since.
Boxers Joe
“Just Got Lucky” has held up as a hit, many of which have an ’80s new wave sheen.
Hollywood Argyles
Singles like the one about a caveman named Alley Oop made a star for this guy whose name is associated with socks.
Los Street jackets
These guys were the dominant guitar band of the ’90s, putting out albums that blended metal, rockabilly, and jazz.
short pants
Denim might seem likely the pantsuit material that inspired the band’s name, but this acid-jazz quartet had a heavier substance.
jackets
This Swedish band achieved steady chart success in the late ’90s, topped by Nina Persson’s “Lovefool.”
dope fur
PETA might not be a big fan of these “Pretty In Pink” musicians if their names actually refer to clothing or whatever to wear.
earring gold
“Radar Love” made the Top 10 but Dutch rockers had to wait another twenty years to reach that number again, when they scored with “The Twilight Zone”.
Randolph shoes
The saxophone was relatively unknown in country music before Randolph showed Nashville that brass could enhance honky-tonks.