14 bands who performed under different names

Who doesn’t like a good band pseudonym? Think about it. When it comes to live shows, is there anything better than discovering the unknown opening act is somebody kickass and awesome? Here are 14 bands who performed under different names, sealing their fate in fans’ memory banks in the process.

There are a lot of reasons why bands perform under different names. Sometimes there are moments when people leave bands and the new lineups don’t want to deal with the saber-rattling and legal threats. Maybe a group makes such a big artistic decision on their new work, they want to test the waters a little more carefully. Usually though, it’s just because they’re doing it for fun and glory than adulation and ticket sales.

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We hope you enjoy this list of 14 bands who have performed under different names. Really big bands should do this kind of thing more often. The only drag is that once the internet gets a hold of something, it’s hard for anyone to keep a secret.  Sure, the charm is taken away, but to see the collective thrill of an audience witnessing it is priceless. Then again, did anybody see Young And Doomed open for Thursday last year? Or did you wait until we put their lead singer on the cover of AltPress?

And one last message to bands looking to throw some mystery into the mix: Try harder. It’s ironic and detatched but Special Guests isn’t that great a pseudonym. Nine Inch Nails once secretly recorded an album, booking studio time under the name the Stunt Popes. And do we even have to remind you about the time Goat Punishment rolled into Los Angeles?