what's in a name?
how your favorite northwest band got their name.

764-HERO Named after a hotline to report carpool lane violators on Interstate 5.

Crackerbash Name was a word singer Sean Croghan made up as a response to a racist acquaintance, who said he liked to "nigger bash".

Daddy Hate Box Name is a parody of Mother Love Bone.

Green River Named after a river south of Seattle, where a serial killer used to dump his victims after he killed them. (related fact: the father of Alice in Chains drummer Sean Kinney was on the task force for the infamous Green River serial killer, who was never apprehended.)

Hole Name from a line in Euripides' Medea, "There's a hole burning deep inside me."

Love Battery Name from a song off the Buzzcocks' debut album, Love Bites.

Mad Season Named after a English term for the time of the year when shrooms are in bloom.

Mr. Epp and the Calculations Named after a math teacher at Mark Arm and Jeff Smith's high school.

Melvins Named after a hated ex co-worker of singer Buzz Osborne.

Mudhoney Named after a Russ Meyer soft-core movie.

Pearl Jam Named after a hallucinogenic jam, Peyote, that singer Eddie Vedder's part-Native American grandmother, Pearl, used to concoct, hence the name, Pearl Jam. Others say the name is a semen reference. (Before the band was called Pearl Jam, they were known as Mookie Blaylock, then a New Jersey Nets basketball player, now plays for the Golden State Warriors.)

Soundgarden Named after a sculpture in Seattle called "A Sound Garden", which makes music as the wind blows through the pipes.

U-Men Named after a Pere Ubu bootleg LP.

Willard Named after the '70s killer rat movie of the same name.

back to more noise please.