MY GREAT BAND NAME

Have you ever wondered where rock bands get their names from? Because I keep worrying they're going to run out now, there have just been too many artists with wacky names. Already, music artists are twisting the spelling in on itself - Dizzee Rascal, Def Leppard - or making up words that simply don't make any sense outside of Tellytubby land - Tinchy Stryder, anyone?

Meanwhile, on the internet, people are wont to say "Hey, that would make a great band name" at an innocuous turn of phrase. "I almost lost my gatorade"... "Hey, 'Lost My Gatorade' would be a great band name*, dude." (*actually, it would, but that's not the point)

Wouldn't it be easier if we just named music artists the same way they name legal firms? McCartney, Lennon, Harrison & Starkey. Morrissey, Marr and Associates. Tony Hadley and Partners. That would work out fine and save on all the Lady GaGas and Lynyrd Skynyrds we're coping manfully to file in our music collections just now.

Of course, Hall & Oates are ahead of the curve on this one. They could switch from being musicians to lawyers without missing a beat.

"I'm out of touch, you're out... in 8-10 with good behaviour. Case closed."