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Post by Kapitan on Aug 3, 2020 12:30:54 GMT
The thread title is, of course, a reference to the Eminem song “My Name Is,” and it was Slim Shady. However, Eminem’s name is actually Marshall Mathers. And that—name changes among rock stars, not anything about Eminem—is what popped into my head last night as I was watching the Bob Dylan interview I posted in that thread. I’ve always known of rock stars using stage names. But I started thinking last night: there are a LOT of them. Is it the norm, even, for people who have made it big? Whether massaging real names or throwing them out altogether, there are so many! Just a few coming to mind include those below. Let me know some who come to your mind, or anything else about rock and roll name changes you think is interesting. Jon Bon Jovi - John Bongiovi David Bowie - David Jones Cher - Cherilyn Sarkisian Peter Criss - George Criscuola C.C. DeVille - Bruce Johannesson Bob Dylan - Robert Zimmerman Eminem - Marshall Mathers Ace Frehley - Paul Frehley Elton John - Reggie Dwight Carole King - Carole Klein Tommy Lee - Thomas Bass
Madonna - Madonna Ciccone Paul McCartney - James McCartney Freddie Mercury - Farouk Bulsara Bret Michaels - Bret Sychak Ozzy Osbourne - John Osbourne Prince - Prince Rogers Nelson Gene Simmons - Chaim Witz Nikki Sixx - Frank Feranna
Paul Stanley - Stanley Eisen Vinnie Vinent - Vincent Cusano
Stevie Wonder - Stevland Morris
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Post by kds on Aug 3, 2020 12:39:06 GMT
Ringo Starr - Richard Starkey
Sting - Gordon Sumner
Alice Cooper - Vincent Furnier
Slash - Saul Hudson
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Post by Kapitan on Aug 3, 2020 12:54:50 GMT
That last one reminds me:
Axl Rose - William Bailey
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Post by kds on Aug 3, 2020 13:01:23 GMT
Your post reminded me of Elton's guest spot on The Simpsons.
Apu: "ELTON JOHN!!!!"
Elton: "That's my name......well, not really."
Here's another
Syd Barrett - Roger Barrett.
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Post by B.E. on Aug 3, 2020 13:41:56 GMT
Buddy Holly - Charles Hardin Holley Gene Vincent - Vincent Eugene Craddock Ricky Nelson - Eric Hilliard Nelson Gram Parsons - Ingram Cecil Connor III Elvis Costello - Declan Patrick MacManus Bono - Paul David Hewson The Edge - David Howell Evans
Then there's those who've doubled up...
Cat Stevens / Yusuf - Steven Demetre Georgiou / Yusuf Islam
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Post by Kapitan on Aug 3, 2020 13:47:33 GMT
Gram Parsons - Ingram Cecil Connor III Has there ever been a more perfect name for a trust fund baby?
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Post by B.E. on Aug 3, 2020 13:53:29 GMT
Gram Parsons - Ingram Cecil Connor III Has there ever been a more perfect name for a trust fund baby? Ha! Some (most?) of these guys had no choice but to create stage names. You've got to appeal to the most people!
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Post by Kapitan on Aug 3, 2020 14:05:49 GMT
Do we know how Gram Parsons came to choose his name?
Here's another one with multiples:
Captain Beefheart - Don Vliet, Don Van Vliet. While few would guess the man's birth name was Captain Beefheart, neither was Don Van Vliet: he added the "Van" in the mid '60s.
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Post by B.E. on Aug 3, 2020 14:06:06 GMT
Blondie Chaplin - Terence William Chaplin
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Post by jk on Aug 3, 2020 17:58:47 GMT
Both from Throbbing Gristle:
Genesis P-Orridge ~ Neil Andrew Megson Cosey Fanni Tutti [a reworking of the title of the Mozart opera Così fan tutte] ~ Christine Carol Newby
And if we want to dip into the blues:
Muddy Waters ~ McKinley Morganfield Howlin' Wolf ~ Chester Arthur Burnett
Or even further back:
Stovepipe No. 1 ~ Samuel Jones
Gosh... more to follow, no doubt.
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Post by Kapitan on Aug 3, 2020 18:45:39 GMT
I was thinking about how broad the range is in the types of name changes.
- Obvious "character names" like most rappers, the Magic Band, the Throbbing Gristle names jk posted, etc. - Nicknames, ranging from obvious (e.g. James "Jimi" Hendrix) to slightly unpredictable (Terrence "Blondie" Chaplin) - Abbreviations using part of their full names, e.g. Prince and Cher
- Wholly new names, e.g. Robert Zimmerman/Bob Dylan or Chaim Witz/Gene Simmons
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Post by jk on Aug 3, 2020 19:11:38 GMT
The UK band Dr. Feelgood was awash with stage names or nicknames:
Lee Brilleaux (lead vocals) ~ Lee John Collinson Wilko Johnson (guitar) ~ John Peter Wilkinson The Big Figure (drums) ~ John Martin Sparko (bass guitar) ~ John B. Sparks Gypie (later guitar) ~ John Mayo
Here are the first four in action:
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Aug 4, 2020 1:37:06 GMT
The Ramones
Joey Ramone - Jeffrey Hyman Johnny Ramone - John Cummings Tommy Ramone - Thomas Erdelyi Dee Dee Ramone - Douglas Colvin Marky Ramone - Mark Bell
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Post by Kapitan on Aug 4, 2020 11:53:04 GMT
Can't believe I forgot those!
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Aug 4, 2020 14:12:56 GMT
Blondie Chaplin - Terence William Chaplin Has anybody ever read how Blondie got his nickname? An inside joke?
Sandra Glantz AKA Ginger Blake:
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