Jay Lewallen
Band Names
Band names sure are a lot of fun and should tell something about the band, the music and the culture that hatched them. They seem to be easy to think up when you don't really need them and difficult to come up with when you really need one! And sometimes a friend will come up with it for you. But, usually the tag means something special to you. In best case scenarios, a good band name will provide a unique brand and inspire followers to take up the lifestyle that goes along with being a fan of the music. It makes the experience about more than just the music.
Here are some of the band names that I can remember being in (chronological order): Van and Jay (or Vay and Jan, depending on the level of party!), Crash Landing (named after a Jimi Hendrix album), The Pre-Existing Conditions (can you tell we were all working in the health insurance business?!), Benz Frenz (Tahoe band named after our bass player and local impresario Ben Martin), The Retrocats (name given by a friend which immediately stuck), Rochambeaux (dreamed up by wife Barb), The Fly By Knights (reflective of a bygone lifestyle), The Holdouts (a natural) , Bro (can you believe it?!), Lucky Lew (band with brother David) and Chime Travelers (partner Rick Kelly's idea and it's a good one).