Results: "Media" Bands

After Ray Parker, Jr. had a lengthy run of playing guitar for other acts in concerts and studios, but before he was billed as a solo artist (probably best known by his theme song for the first Ghostbusters movie), he had several soul and pop radio hits in the late 1970's and early '80's leading a band with that made a pun of his name: Raydio. Clever or corny name for a band, that?

Television were part of the the same 1970's scene at the CBGB's nightclub on New York City's Bowery which spawned bands including Blondie, Talking Heads, and The Ramones which was an early flashpoint for U.S. punk and new wave rock Unlike the aforementioned groups, though, they weren't as much about being loud, fast, snotty and reinterpreting the detritus of '60's rock styles being eclipsed by what would later be known as classic rock. Television were instead more interested in more meditative, discursive compositions, though still rooted in rock 'n' roll like their CBGB's peers. BUT, the first time I saw their name in a music magazine, I wasn't sure I was reading about a band or something else! If you'd never heard of Television before this, does the name seem a strange one for a band?

Comic books are printed media, yes? And The Comic Books were a mid-'60's male soul vocal group with only two 45's to their name. One side of one of them has a wild dance tune based on Batman--or specifically, his Batmobile--called "The Bat-Mo." Since the song was issued in 1966, it's fair to assume that it was recorded in response to the popularity of Batman because of the TV show starring the character that premiered the same year. Beyond that, though, I thinks it's funny that a group named The Comics Books would sing a song about Batman, a comic book character,. Does that amuse you, too?

The Internet were--or still are?--a soul band consisting of former members of Southern California hip-hop collective Odd Future (full name: Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All), the best-known of are Frank Ocean, Earl Sweatshirt, and Tyler The Creator. None of those guys is in The Internet, but isn't that still a great name for a music group?

To end with the same medium with which this survey began, there are numerous other bands with "Radio" in their name. But Australian punk band Radio Birdman--their name seemingly based on the mishearing of as lyric in Iggy Pop & the Stooges' "1970"--are possibly my favorite. Seeing them on a reunion tour in an enthused club setting was a highlight of my life's concert-going, too. Have you ever seen one of your favorite bands who'd broken up perform a reunion date?