Artful Dodger

British R&B/garage band from Southampton.

A much older American band operates under the same name, but it was temporarily discontinued in 1997.

The British Dodgers have been far from secretive about the source of their name.

As they were responsible for the production of quite a few bootlegs in their early days, the band members looked for a name that had a connection with the concept of 'theft'.

At first they chose Robin Hood, but because they wanted to go in a more southerly direction from a geographical point of view they ended up in Oliver Twist's London, described so strikingly by Charles Dickens.

The name of the pickpocket acting in it, The Artful Dodger (aka Jack Dawkins), was exactly right for them.

Active: 1997-present, GBR
Site: http://www.theartfuldodger.co.uk/relaunch.html

Bon Iver

Band built around American indie folk singer Justin Vernon.

As a matter of fact the full name of Bon Iver - they are from Eau Claire, Wisconsin — is Bon Hiver (French for 'good winter').

Could the name refer to Arctic conditions at the time of recording their debut album, entitled Bon Iver's For Emma, Forever Ago?

No, we will not warm to that, because that album was recorded in July 2007.

Active: 2006-present, USA
Site: http://boniver.org/

Bondi Cigars - Never judge a beach by the cover

Blues and R&B band from Sydney, way down under.

The band name refers to Bondi Beach, the beautiful sandy beach with the impressive surf Sydney is so proud of.

A tourist brochure: 'Bondi Beach, Sydney is well known for its great sandy beach, as well as its surf.'

So what about the cigars?

They refer to the other side of beach visitors: we have learned that Bondi Beach apparently is overrun by brown 'cigars' of a faecal kind.

It certainly does not highlight the bright side of beach life, but just imagine you really, absolutely …

Active: 1989-present, AUS
Site: http://www.bondicigars.com.au/

Bonerama - Anatomy of the trombone

Rock oriented band from New Orleans, Louisiana.

The formation, consisting chiefly of wind instruments, was founded by trombone players Mark Mullins and Craig Small, who earlier in their career played in Harry Connick's band.

Before your thoughts turn to different quarters (because after all we are talking about boners): in the world of wind instrumentalists, whenever there is talk of boners, trombones are meant.

Active: 1998-present, USA
Site: http://boneramamusic.com/

Area Code 615 - Yes it's what you think it is

Made up of mainly session musicians, Area Code 615 made perfectly palatable country rock for a short while. It resulted in two albums.

Part of the ensemble was involved in the musical accompaniment that can be heard on such major Dylan albums as Blonde and Nashville Skyline.

The band name simply is the area code of the telephone region where the band was active: at that time area code 615 covered Tennessee's middle and eastern parts.

Area Code 615 acquired some fame after British music TV show The Old Grey Whistle Test had ordered its signature tune from the band.

Active: 1969-1971, USA
Site: http://www.macgayden.com/MacMainPage_content.html

Blue Rondo a la Turk

British pop band, founded by Chris Sullivan.

Short-lived because at the release of their second album the band broke up, despite the long and rather grand name. They did leave two hit singles.

Blue Rondo a la Turk gets its name from a composition by Dave Brubeck (1960).

Brubeck in his turn took the name from someone else again, none other than prodigy child Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; only he called his composition Rondo alla Turca ('Turkish rondo').

It is the third and last part of Mozart's piano sonata no. 11; the sonata imitates the sound of a music corps accompanying Turkish infantry forces (Janissaries) to the battlefield with a snappy little ditty.

Active: 1981-1984, GBR
Site: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Rondo_%C3%A0_la_Turk_(band)

Arcwelder - Remelting

Indie rock band from Minneapolis.

The band name Arcwelder was only 'second choice': an instrumental by that title was followed on, to be found on the group's first LP.

Interestingly Arcwelder initially was called Tilt-A-Whirl, after a fairground attraction that is very popular in the US.

However, after the Sellner Manufacturing Co., owner of that name, had threatened with legal action, the name had to be remelted to Arcwelder.

Active: 1988-present, USA
Site: http://www.arcwelderband.com

Bobs - That's their middle name

New wave a capella group consisting of singers who all have 'Bob' as their middle name.

Started as employees of a telegram singing company in San Francisco.

In circles of dog and cat breeders the term BoB means Best of Breed.

Active: 1983-present, USA
Site: http://bobs.com/

Titanic Wash Hoose Band

Better well nicked than ill-conceived: on the fansite of the Titanic Wash Hoose Band the character of this Scottish skiffle band is inimitably described:

'Four alleged musicians who travel around Scotland in their own little world. They took a left turn when the rest of the world turned right, so the usual musical rules don't apply to them. In fact they don't know anything about rules. Or music. Or anything much really.' Right.

And now that band name.

The Scottish grandmothers of the band members still did the laundry in a so-called wash house (wash hoose).

Because part of the instruments used by the Titanic Wash Hoose Band could have come from such a wash house (think of the washboard, think of the washtub-bass) the band name actually was up for grabs and especially the adjective Titanic, that manages to express so excellently both the modesty of the individual band members as the disastrous end of their musical career.

Active: ?-2009, GBR

Speedball - Killer dope

The London band, made up of musicians who originally came from Southend-on-Sea, England, was a continuation of punk band Idiot, founded in 1977.

The punks chose a fairly vehement band name. Because those who want to play a game of speedballing the way it is meant by the band can leave their sports outfits in the closet.

Speedballing (also called powerballing) is a technique that is applied in the world of reckless drug users. Heroin or morphine and cocaine are blended together in a syringe. The one who injects himself with this cocktail combines - so claim the enthusiasts among the users - the best of two worlds: the cocaine has a stimulating effect, while the heroin (or morphine) brings about the exact opposite reaction.

The result is an extremely intense, euphoric high without the usual drawbacks, such as anxiety and dullness.

Despite all these advantages we definitely do not recommend speedballing. Among the more or less famous victims of powerballing are - just a random pick - John Belushi, Chris Farley, Zac Foley, Lowell George, Mitch Hedberg, Brent Mydland, River Phoenix, Eric Show, Hillel Slovak and Layne Staley.

Active: 1979-1980, GBR