What's in a name?

[seagullplayer]

I have a small problem, maybe you guys can give me some advice here.

Myself and three teenagers started a "band" last week to play at Church. Sunday night was our monthly "Youth Service", so we played our first song. Everything went pretty good for a first time. The whole Church was encouraged by seeing these three boys playing Christian music in Church. And the boys are ontop of the world right now. I am very excited to see God at work in these kids too. I got to admit, it was a blast. :mrgreen:

Now to the problem?

The guys want to name the band. I guess you can't go to school and tell everyone your in a band, if it doesn't have a name... Anyway, so the name they came up with was the "Soggy Waffles". When asked why, they said it was a cool name. So I thought I would get the Senior Pastor to help me out of this, so I told them to go ask him. He said the name was "unique". That was not the answer I was looking for. I talked the boys into waiting until we have played together three times before we come up with a name, it bought me a couple of weeks. I would rather we came up with a name that would let people know just what type music we would be playing and Who we would be playing for.
So what do you think? Should it matter, should I let the boys have their freedom on this, is there a way to put a "Christian spin" on "Soggy Waffles"? :crazy

[reverbbb]

Soggy Waffles.

I like it in a way. But I can see where you are coming from. Many of the Christian oriented bands these days give some clue as to what type of music they play. On the other hand, there are bands like P.O.D., Superchick, Stellar Kart, subseven, The Afters, Spoken, Faded Me, Exit East, By The Tree, Relient K and Kutless. These are popular Christian band names, yet you would not be able to establish what they did by the name in of itself.

There are many more listed in the PowerFM playlist:

http://www.897powerfm.com/playlist.html

Now unless there were some questionable alternate meanings in the band name they pick, I don't see it much of a problem. After all, it is their culture they want to create. Frankly, in my experiences, these first band attempts at naming, usually don't stick around forever, especially after a few member change ups. But they will always be able to remember and reflect on "do you remember when Soggy Waffles . . . ?".

Soggy Waffles - umm, perhaps it could refer to Jesus walking on water - as in wet sandles (I know, that is a stretch for sure).

[kewlpack]

Hmmm... if the band lasts, I would encourage the guys to think about a name that gives people an idea of what they are about...

Funny historical note: Now my very first band was a group of my high school buddies and me. We struggled for a long time to figure out what name to go by (we weren't Christians at all). We initially settled on Toast! :rofl: :rofl: How wild is that... Teenage boys must be hooked on breakfast food. Our first album was going to be "With Jam", so it would read "Toast With Jam". :popcorn I know - silly and dumb.

After awhile we realized just how idiotic Toast really was and all agreed to come up with a better name. One that reflected who we were and our message... the new name (which will live on in infamy): "A Buncha Guys".
:mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

My opinion: Let your guys name the band what they will (as appropriate) and have fun with it. At the same time encourage them to think about selecting something that will bring glory to Jesus rather than Eggo Brand® waffles and Aunt Jemima® Syrup. ;)

At the end of the day, the band may not last long enough to have to worry about a soggy reputation... OOOHHHH the funnybone! OOHHHH stop it. :crazy :crazy

Have fun!

[stephen]

:lol:

:ROFL

:rofl:

Ahem. OK I feel better now.

How about "No Soggy Waffles" ?

[reverbbb]

Kewl,

We should not be to presumptuous and condem this band to a short existance. They could be the next long running Rolling Stones, except with a Christian basis. :cool:

I would hate to be "soaked" in embarassment on this "soft" issue. Hey, did you realize that waffles are basically toast with square crators? OK, I know I'm leaving a "deep impression" on this subject now, so I will just run off now.

[kewlpack]

Augh..... :shock :shock :shock :ROFL :ROFL :ROFL

[stephen]

Hmmm,

regular, or Belgian?

:dunno :popcorn

[seagullplayer]

I think the idea of this being a short term project are valid. I figure the chances of us going a month are 50/50. This "problem" may very well take care of itself. That is another reason I talked them into waiting until we had played three times...

I think this might be one of those stories you tell at the Youth Pastor workshop in years to come... :-)

[Teleguy]

Sounds like a take-off on "The Soggy Bottom Boys," from "Oh Brother Where Art Thou?"

I'm gonna r-u-n-n o-f-t!

[seagullplayer]

Well, as the Lord would have it, the booking for our upcoming Youth Revival night fell though. So at last weeks board meeting, it was decided that our new youth "band" should play. We had practice last night (went well), and the name topic came back up. Now the Church is talking about hand bills and putting up a few signs around town. Of course I'm going to get asked this week what name we "picked". The boys are still stuck on the "Soggy Waffles".

I did come up with a spin of sorts;

We are as useless as "Soggy Waffles" without the Lord's help.

I know, it's a reach...

Any words of wisdom?

[tom grossheider]

I suppose its better than "Stale Waffles"..... Must be a youth thing, so if they are the driving force, I say let them have majority creative input. Even the world had to get used to "The Beatles".
P.S. The new Superchick CD is pretty good, got an advance copy from a band member. (Got a mention in the credits too....lol)

[TheViking]

.....from the Great Waffle makers hand.

[wishus]

Tell them it sounds too much like a rip-off of "Limp Bizkit" (which it does) and they should come up with something original. Nobody, especially teenagers, wants to be seen as a rip-off.

How about:
Waffleiron
Awful Waffle
Wafflemaker
Syrup
Manna

[Ravindave_3600]

Tell them it sounds too much like a rip-off of "Limp Bizkit" (which it does) and they should come up with something original.

You may have hit it! It wouldn't surprise me at all if "Soggy Waffles" is a play on words (kind of like Beatles was for Crickets).

I like the "waffles" idea - it's a group of united squares. And what is the church but a bunch of individuals united into a common delicious substance?

"Soggy", I like not so much. I prefer mine "Crispy" (well-done!)

[tom grossheider]

Syrupy Waffles? The Waffle Irons? could get interesting, what's their favorite breakfast food? lol

[ptrallan01]

Their Name. Let it go. I think that it is an unpretentious name and their music can speak for them. Its not so much what you call a thing as what it is that matters!

Peter

[seagullplayer]

We where all together when they came up with the name. There was no mention of "Limp Bizkit". I see where you might come to that conclusion I would not have made that connection. After two or three other ideas where spoken and rejected by one or all of use, one of the kids just said what about "Soggy Waffles"? They all thought it was really funny and really cool, something no one would forget soon. I'm not sure I can explain why. :crazy

[Crunchyriff]

As far as the issue of band name itself goes, nothing chaps my butt faster than all the cutsie, cliche' (or whatever adjective you choose) "Christianese" things that are mandated as some sort of qualifier to pass the "Christian sniff-test". Over half of the vanilla titles on the CHR roster and in the stores I think are extremely pretentious. Quite frankly, it makes me want to blow chunks.

You know, it takes nothing to put on a badge of anykind. Nothing whatsoever. Anybody can don a badge of their own choosing. But does it STICK? Is it more than just an external label, or nothing other?

Personally, and stay with me here on this, in some respects I detest labelling myself "a Christian". Again, stay with me here...

You look at a tiger- he has no placard, no collar or nametag; yet it knows it's own kind, and the rest of the jungle knows full well who and what he is.

So it is with mankind, and its spiritual state. Jesus is within my heart, indelibly imprinted with His name. It's real. If I have to wear that "badge" externally, that the world might identify what I am and WHO I serve, then something is dreadfully wrong.

IMHO, there are too many people in the "Christian CountryClub" of life that have all the external qualifiers, perks, trinkets and labels of apparently being earmarked for the Kingdom of God. But, hear the way they speak, watch they way they live, the way they treat each other, the way they regard the lost; and their actions tell a far different story.

I like my waffles cripsy too, but in this case I'm for Soggy.

[seagullplayer]

As far as the issue of band name itself goes, nothing chaps my butt faster than all the cutsie, cliche' (or whatever adjective you choose) "Christianese" things that are mandated as some sort of qualifier to pass the "Christian sniff-test". Over half of the vanilla titles on the CHR roster and in the stores I think are extremely pretentious. Quite frankly, it makes me want to blow chunks.

You know, it takes nothing to put on a badge of anykind. Nothing whatsoever. Anybody can don a badge of their own choosing. But does it STICK? Is it more than just an external label, or nothing other?

Personally, and stay with me here on this, in some respects I detest labelling myself "a Christian". Again, stay with me here...

You look at a tiger- he has no placard, no collar or nametag; yet it knows it's own kind, and the rest of the jungle knows full well who and what he is.

So it is with mankind, and its spiritual state. Jesus is within my heart, indelibly imprinted with His name. It's real. If I have to wear that "badge" externally, that the world might identify what I am and WHO I serve, then something is dreadfully wrong.

IMHO, there are too many people in the "Christian CountryClub" of life that have all the external qualifiers, perks, trinkets and labels of apparently being earmarked for the Kingdom of God. But, hear the way they speak, watch they way they live, the way they treat each other, the way they regard the lost; and their actions tell a far different story.

I like my waffles cripsy too, but in this case I'm for Soggy.

:cool: Point taken.