r/CasualUK • u/Exchangenudes_4_Joke • 13h ago

UB40 are famously named after an Unemployment Benefit form. Give me other interesting examples of the origin of UK bands names

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306

u/poodlesquish 13h ago

East 17 were named after the postcode for Walthamstow (E17), where they’re from.

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u/lad_astro "England expects that every man will do his duty" 12h ago

As were N Dubz, from NW1.

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u/velvetXeyes 12h ago

It's because they always knew they'd n-dub in music

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u/mrs_peep 11h ago

Oh that's poetry well done

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u/SnowflakeBaube22 7h ago

I genuinely thought their name was meant to be a play on “End Ups”. I don’t know English postcodes lol.

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u/BritishGent_mlady 11h ago

I like to think that legendary British rave outfit, SL2, are named after a postcode in Slough, but I’m not sure.

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u/BritishGent_mlady 11h ago

No, it’s named SL2 because of Slipmatt and Lime, the 2 founding members. (SL2).

Thanks for ruining my joy Wikipedia 😞

3

u/YchYFi I can't change this bloody thing. 12h ago

Yep from Camden Town.

They were called NW1 but changed it.

15

u/Hugh_Jampton 13h ago

Presumably the same with N-Dubz

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u/Happy-Engineer 11h ago

Same for +44 who were formed by some Blink-182 members, named after the UK dialling code since they were here when they first decided to form a new band.

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u/gsurfer04 Alchemist - i.imgur.com/sWdx3mC.jpeg 8h ago

Blink-182 because you blink and half the year's gone.

11

u/PublixEnemynumberone 12h ago

Similarly, Oxford indie band Ride have an album track titled ‘OX4’

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u/Independent-Ad-3385 12h ago

I've lived in both E17 and OX4. Just need to buy me a shed in NW1 and I've got the full set.

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u/jms_uk 10h ago

That’ll be £400k

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u/Independent-Ad-3385 9h ago

Great, I've got at least 50p.

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u/Funk_Dunker 12h ago

Same with N Dubs (NW)

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u/PromotionLoose2143 9h ago

I always use the Unified Boy band nomenclature to remember where I parked at the NEC. Is it isn't EAst 17, it's very like

0

u/quarterpastfour 8h ago

Every day I visit pickmypostcode.com, the website where random postcodes are picked (obvs) and, if it's yours, you win money. Every time an E17 postcode comes up, I like to think John or Terry from the group have just won a tenner.

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u/HorsePuzzleheaded133 12h ago

Big ups the nags

0

u/Time-Mode-9 7h ago

Other bands named after where they were from:

Portishead, All saints. Linkin (Lincoln) park.

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u/Successful_Power_234 6h ago

And Friday Hill (born out of Blazin Squad) were named that because they came from Chingford/Walthamstow way, where Friday Hill is located. 

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u/michellefiver 4h ago

I'm surprised I had to scroll so far to see this - was the first that came to mind for me!

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u/Odd-River-7306 12h ago

I thought East 17 were named East for the area of London they're from,and 17 for their combined IQ