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Global News
08-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Global News
The tortuous process of finding a name for your band
In 2007, a couple of listeners asked me if I would do another Ongoing History of New Music program on the origins of band names. I'd done a few in the past, but I was happy to accommodate. This time, however, I was struck with a question: What do you call the study of the names musical groups choose? In the decades since the birth of rock 'n' roll, someone must have come up with a term. As it turns out, no. The study of word origins is etymology. If you're looking at place names — known as toponyms — then you're into toponomy, toponymics or toponomastics. We get a little closer with the word for the study of personal names, which is onomastics or anthroponymy — unless you're just concerned with surnames, which is patronymics. But, much to my surprise, there was no official term for 'how did a band get their name?' Story continues below advertisement This struck me as a massive oversight in the field of linguistics, so I called up a few academics, who then roped in other language experts, including a branding and marketing guy in California who had coined the terms Swiffer and Blackberry. They returned with a suggestion: bandomynology. Since then, I've been on a mission to see that the word spreads into the common vernacular so that one day, it'll end up in the Oxford English Dictionary. Disappointingly, the OED people still haven't called despite my best efforts, including a column in this space in 2021. The Urban Dictionary, however, has been most kind by adding bandomynology to its list of searchable words. It's again time to put the word out there with a little more bandomynology. Big Wreck: They were known as Still Waters until they had a really bad rehearsal one day, something that one of the members categorized as a 'big wreck.' Blink-182: The most common story is that the group was originally named Blink, but was forced to change it when they were informed that there was already an Irish band by that name. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Why the 182? Unclear. Stories speculating on its origins include the number of times Tony Montana drops the F-bomb in Scarface; the number of the ship that bassist Mark Hoppus' grandfather served on during the Second World War, and the number Mark believes his ideal weight should be (in pounds, of course). The most intriguing is that it's code for a rival high school from guitarist Tom DeLonge's school days. The '18' stands for the letter 'R' (the 18th letter of the alphabet) and the '2' is for 'B' (the second), short for Rancho Bernardo High. This means, according to Tom, that the correct pronunciation of the band's name is 'Blink Eighteen-Two.' Story continues below advertisement The Dead Milkmen: First, don't judge — the name choice is a lot more literary than you might think. There's a character in a Toni Morrison novel called Milkman Dead. Garbage: An insult that backfired. When Butch Vig, Duke Erikson, Steve Marker and Shirley Manson were demoing material for their debut alum in 1993, a 'friend' commented that the material 'sounded like garbage.' That turned out to be perfect because the band was looking for something irreverent. Hoobastank: No one is really certain, although legend says it may have come from a mispronounced German word or just a joke name from high school. King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard: This was a compromise. Someone wanted to call this Australian group Gizzard Gizzard, but someone else wanted to honour Jim Morrison, who had the nickname, 'The Lizard King.' So, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard met everyone in the middle. Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark: Easy. They were looking for the most pretentious name possible. It's certainly better than their original choice: Hitler's Underpants. Paracoccidiodomicosisproctitissarcomucosis: A real metal band from Mexico specializing in a particular type of grindcore. This is a combination of various diseases and medical terms. Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs: The English band was originally just Pigs, but they kept adding Pigs as they strived to be obnoxious. Pigs x 7 is an acceptable substitute. Portugal. The Man: This is convoluted. It's the mix of two concepts: A country of many people (like a band), and an individual (a specific person). The period designates the 'many' from the 'one.' Rage Against the Machine: The phrase comes from the title of a song by Inside Out, a pre-Rage band fronted by Zack de la Rocha. Since RATM appeared in 1992, conventional wisdom says that the 'machine' they're raging against is soulless corporations pursuing profit at the expense of humanity. Given Rage's political stance, that makes sense. However, it may refer to the group's persnickety 1979 Chevy van. Zack: 'I can't tell you how many times that van broke down in 1991 when we were starting out and how many gigs we lost because it would quit working. When we finally had enough money to buy a new van to house our equipment, the first thing we all did was take sledgehammers and beat the crap out of the thing.' A stretch? Maybe. Still, it does fit. Story continues below advertisement The The: When Matt Johnson formed the band in the late '70s, 'The' bands were fashionable (The Clash, The Cars, The Ramones, etc.) He simply decided to take the trend to its logical extreme. At one point, The The was practically impossible to Google as the search engine used to ignore definite articles in any search query. Wet Leg: Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chamber found the name by combining random emojis on a keyboard. XAVLEGBMAOFFFASSSSITIMIWOAMNDUTROABCWAPWAEIIPPOHFFFX: No, really. This 'gore grind' band released a debut album in 2016. I can also tell you that this is an acronym that stands for … well, be careful before you click here. You can listen to their work on Spotify, starting with the hit song, Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilivolcanpconosis. And finally, !!!: This Sacramento band was inspired by the lead actor in the 1980 movie, The Gods Must Be Crazy, which followed an Indigenous man on his travels through Southern Africa. He spoke the Jul'hoan language, which uses a series of clicks. In written form, that click is represented in English by an exclamation mark. If you want to say the name out loud, the band prefers 'Chk Chk Chk.' See? Isn't bandomynology fun?
NDTV
07-06-2025
- Automotive
- NDTV
Musk To Mattis: How Trump's List Of 'Derangement Syndrome' Critics Keeps Growing
Quick Read Summary is AI generated, newsroom reviewed. Trump accused Musk of "Trump derangement syndrome" after previously praising him. This follows critiques from former aides who labelled Trump as divisive and authoritarian. Many Republicans now oppose him, highlighting a significant rift within his own party. US President Donald Trump said that billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk was suffering from 'Trump derangement syndrome', just days after praising and celebrating him in the Oval Office as a farewell. He even gifted him a golden key as a gift which he reserves for 'very special people'. Trump cited Musk's opposition to the Republican agenda and said that he is 'not the first', which might suggest that he is aware that people who had been once close aides have become 'hostile', as he says. He added, 'I don't know what it is.' The president also said at the Oval Office on Thursday, "He (Elon Musk) hasn't said bad things about me personally, but I'm sure that will be next.' In Urban Dictionary, it has been defined as a "mental condition" wherein a person has been driven effectively insane due to their dislike of the US President "to the point at which they will abandon all logic and reason.' According to a July 2018 report by CNN, Trump Derangement Syndrome goes back to the early 2000s when the idea of having Trump as US President was a "punch line for late-night comics". Members of a presidential team work closely together, and even more closely with the president. Many officials who have witnessed his leadership style up close, have all been part of this club. John Kelly Kelly was the retired Marine general who was Trump's former chief of staff. He said that the latter fits 'into the general definition of fascist', he also said that the president spoke about the loyalty of Hitler's Nazi generals. He also told the New York Times that Trump 'certainly prefers the dictator approach to government.' Kelly told the Times that Trump 'never accepted the fact that he wasn't the most powerful man in the world — and by power, I mean an ability to do anything he wanted, anytime he wanted.' In response to criticisms from Kelly, Trump wrote on his social media platform, 'Thank you for your support against a total degenerate named John Kelly, who made up a story out of pure Trump Derangement Syndrome Hatred! This guy had two qualities, which don't work well together. He was tough and dumb.' Mark Esper Esper served as the Secretary of Defence for Trump for only 18 months. He said that the president wanted to use the military in ways he thought was inappropriate and they often clashed. Finally, Trump fired Esper in November 2020. He also made a shocking revelation that Trump inquired about shooting people who took part in the protest after George Floyd's murder in 2020. "We need leaders of integrity and character, and we need leaders who will bring people together and reach across the aisle and do what's best for the country. And Donald Trump doesn't meet the mark for me on any of those issues', he said, per NPR. Donald Trump has said that he did not want recommendations for staff associated with some of his political enemies. 'In order to save time, money, and effort, it would be helpful if you would not send, or recommend to us, people who worked with, or are endorsed by, Americans for No Prosperity (headed by Charles Koch), 'Dumb as a Rock' John Bolton, 'Birdbrain' Nikki Haley, Mike Pence, disloyal Warmongers Dick Cheney, and his Psycho daughter, Liz, Mitt Romney, Paul Ryan, General(?) Mark Milley, James Mattis, Mark Yesper, or any of the other people suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome, more commonly known as TDS,' Trump posted on Truth Social. Mark Milley Pete Hegseth, US Defence Secretary, had revoked the personal security detail and security clearance for Mark Milley in one of his first acts in the job, according to Reuters. Milley was the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for Trump. He, too, said that Trump was 'fascist to the core' in 'War', a book by journalist Bob Woodward. In his 2023 farewell speech, he said that the military does not swear allegiance to a "wannabe dictator", referring to Trump. James Mattis Retired Marine Corps Gen. James Mattis served as President Trump's first defence secretary. 'Donald Trump is the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American people—does not even pretend to try. Instead he tries to divide us,' Mattis said in a statement obtained by CNN. 'We are witnessing the consequences of three years without mature leadership', he added. Mattis criticised the president after long refusing to do it. His remarks are one of the strongest to date by a former Pentagon leader. Mike Pence Pence, Trump's former Vice President, has now become a prominent Republican critic. 'I've never been a fan of American presidents criticizing America on foreign soil,' he said on NBC. 'And particularly giving that speech in Saudi Arabia, where 15 of the 19 9/11 hijackers hailed from, not including Osama bin Laden, I thought was unfortunate,' he continued. Stephanie Grisham Trump's former White House press secretary condemned Trump after working with him and also urged the public to vote against him at the Democratic National Convention. "I saw him when the cameras were off, behind closed doors. Trump mocks his supporters. He calls them basement dwellers," she said, adding that he had "no morals and no fidelity to the truth". She was one of the few Republicans to address a Democratic gathering. 'I never thought I'd be speaking at a Democratic convention,' Grisham stated. 'But, after seeing firsthand who Donald Trump really is, and the threat he poses to our country, I feel very strongly about speaking out.' Replying to Grisham's statement, Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung said in an email, 'Stephanie Grisham is a stone-cold loser who clearly suffers from Trump Derangement Syndrome and many other mental issues'. Moreover, there are other Republicans too who have left Trump's side or criticise him, whom the latter has labelled 'disloyal', such as Mitch McConnell, Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski and Rand Paul. Trump had called them "extremely difficult" and wrote "Why are they allowing Fentanyl to pour into our Country unchecked, and without penalty. What is wrong with them, other than suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome, commonly known as TDS?" in aTruth Social post. Now Musk has unexpectedly joined them. The opposition that Trump has faced from members from his own team is unprecedented in the history of America.
Buzz Feed
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
Millennials Share Their Most Epic Yolo Decisions
If the Gen-Zs have DIFTP (Do It For The Plot), then millennials have yolo: You Only Live Once. According to the Urban Dictionary, "It practically makes you believe you can do ANYTHING," a user wrote. For any dear readers who WEREN'T in the know circa 2011-2013, it's the mantra you say to yourself to self-soothe when you send that risky text, book a tropical vacation on credit, or order a round of shots when you know you have brunch with your boyfriend's parents the next day. It's the headspace of: not exactly responsible — but hey, here for a good time, not a long time. So, in honor of #YOLO, someone in the r/Millennials subreddit recently asked, "Is the millennial 'yolo' movement still alive? What's the most irresponsible thing you've done lately, financially or otherwise?" Here's what people had to say: "A girl I was messaging on a dating app asked me to go out with her at like 10 p.m. on a Wednesday. She was already out. I got home around 3 a.m. and had to get up for work in less than 4 hours." "But I got a girlfriend now."— Short-While3325 "I moved to Europe, lol yolo." — SomthingClever1286"May this type of yolo energy find me."— Celesteven "Paid an extra $300 to get heated seats in my very boring and safe new car because I've always wanted them." — PhysicalMuscle6611"It's just so soothing to relax in a nice warm seat."— P0ETAYT0E"It's not about warming up anymore, it's about soothing the back pain."— Longjumping_Suit_256 "Bought a $7k guitar, then got fired three days later. Yolo." — PhallusTheFantastic"Now you have time to play!"— astoriaboundagain "Mine is a house, got laid off nine months later 💀." — timid_soup "I ate dairy." — LateDaikon6254 "Still riding the adrenaline high from buying full price New Balance 990s two days ago." — neercatz "On a similar note, I just bought sparkly jelly shoes today. My 10-year-old self is very happy." — lifesok "Flying to London just to see Beyoncé." — LucilleLooseSeal123 "$200 Lego set. I literally said 'yolo' as I put it in the cart, lol." — hold-up-a-sec "I went to Nashville over the weekend, Saturday-Monday. I spent over $100 per day, but don't worry, I'm going to Italy in two weeks." — Serraph105"Same, but I spent way more than that. My friend was going and I was like 'sign me up' #yolo #girlstrip."— ElkHot5818 "I buy concert tickets a lot. I have not regretted a single one." — Moneymovescash "Shit, I buy a energy drink and say yolo." — feelinit9 "I stopped paying medical bills. What are they gonna do, re-break my back? Fuck 'em." — Snicklefraust "Bought 24 eggs." — Bluemink96"Big spender right here."— tawnywelshterrier "Paid $6,000 for donor sperm when I'm not even sure I want kids." "I got about 14 days to change my mind and ask for a partial refund."— MariMada"I love that you can get a partial refund on jizz."— black-kramer "Vasectomy — yolo!" — Justasillyliltoaster "I just bought a $1,000 bean bag chair." — ignatzami"Lovesac?"— whoooocaaarreees"Yep!"— ignatzami "We sprung for a suite hotel room." "We're taking the kids to Japan for three weeks in October and said fuck it, let's get some elbow room while we're there."— dnvrm0dsrneckbeards "Pregnant AND eating out? What am I, a Rockefeller?!" — cleois "Bought a house in this economy and these times." — Bubbly_Seat742 "I stayed up past 10 this weekend. Yolo." — sortahuman123 "I'm eating potato chips and scrolling on Reddit while on a diet. Yolo." — Greedy-North Will yolo ever come back? Is it too ~cringey?~ Whatever, yolo! Fellow millennials, what's the most yolo thing you've done lately? Share it in the comments!
NDTV
06-06-2025
- Business
- NDTV
Donald Trump Says Elon Musk Has "Trump Derangement Syndrome". What It Means
New Delhi: In the middle of what's been a never-seen-before public fallout between arguably two of the most powerful men in the world, US President Donald Trump said that billionaire Elon Musk was suffering from "Trump derangement syndrome." On Thursday, the two trained guns on each other, with Trump saying he was "very disappointed in Elon" after his criticism of the "Big Beautiful Bill" on tax cuts and spending plans. Musk, among other things, suggested Trump should be impeached. Musk spearheaded the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a cost-cutting initiative, until May 31 before leaving his role in the Trump administration to focus on his business commitments. "He (Elon Musk) hasn't said bad things about me personally, but I'm sure that will be next," Trump said at the Oval Office on Thursday. Noting he helped Musk "a lot," Trump said the two of them "had a great relationship," but does not know if that will happen anymore. Brushing aside Musk's financial support to get him elected during the 2024 US presidential election, Trump asserted he could have claimed the closely contested Pennsylvania even without the tech billionaire's help. This came after Musk attacked Trump's signature bill, warning the legislature would only increase the federal deficit. He termed it a "disgusting abomination." What Is Trump Derangement Syndrome? In Urban Dictionary, it has been defined as a "mental condition" wherein a person has been driven effectively insane due to their dislike of the US President "to the point at which they will abandon all logic and reason.' According to a July 2018 report by CNN, Trump Derangement Syndrome goes back to the early 2000s when the idea of having Trump as US President was a "punch line for late-night comics". Some reports have even traced its roots to the 'Bush Derangement Syndrome,' coined by late conservative columnist Charles Krauthammer in 2003. Mr Krauthammer defined it as an "acute onset of paranoia in otherwise normal people in reaction to the policies, the presidency – nay – the very existence of George W. Bush." The CNN report states that the "truth" here is that this is just the "preferred nomenclature" for Trump defenders, who see people who oppose the US President as "nothing more than the blind hatred of those who preach tolerance and free speech." 'Mental illness' bill in Minnesota Earlier this year, a bill was introduced in Minnesota that sought to revise the state law and name Trump derangement syndrome as a form of mental illness, according to The Hill. The legislation was introduced by five Republican state senators. It defined it as the "acute onset of paranoia in otherwise normal persons that is in reaction to the policies and presidencies of President Donald J. Trump." 'Symptoms may include Trump-induced general hysteria, which produces an inability to distinguish between legitimate policy differences and signs of psychic pathology in President Donald J. Trump's behaviour,' read the bill.
The Age
04-06-2025
- Business
- The Age
From the NRL to Bachelor to BookTok influencer and a romantasy book deal. Meet Luke Bateman
On April 22, Bateman posted his first TikTok setting himself up as a book lover who wanted to chat about his favourite genre, fantasy, and in particular, romantasy. 'I love fantasy…but I've never had anywhere to talk about it or share those things because, obviously, being a male…from the country,' he told his followers. Why has he gained a Booktok following on TikTok? If you view the comments on any of his posts, it's obvious his audience is predominantly female. In his first post, Bateman even comments 'There's a lot of females here, and you all love smut and spice…I think I may have to have a little delve into it myself and see what all the fuss is about.' The followers lapped this up and he played up to it, his greeting quickly going from 'Hello BookTok' to 'Hello besties' which has become his trademark address. His posts are almost always filmed in a truck or in the fields, the dirt and sweat from a hard day's work still visible on him, along with his well-worn Akubra. But he's not shy to show his softer side, even crying when he posted about his new book deal. Loading And he has embraced popular romantasy books, like A Court of Thorns and Roses, which decreed him somewhat of a unicorn in the BookTok community – a rugged young man who is passionate about reading genres usually embraced by young women. What is romantasy? The term is a melding of two genres: romance and fantasy. But it's the romance side of it that is central to this sub-genre. The term was added to the Urban Dictionary in 2008 but has gained particular traction in the last decade thanks to authors like Sarah J. Maas of A Court of Thorns and Roses fame – the hashtag ACOTAR has had almost nine billion views on TikTok - and Rebecca Yarros, author of Fourth Wing. Bateman is a new but enthusiastic consumer of romantasy, even donning a cap sent to him by Dymocks which reads 'romance reader'. Who has signed him up for a book deal? Bateman has been signed to a two-book deal by Atria, a brand-new imprint of Simon & Schuster Australia. In the US, where Atria has been around since 2002, it has published bestselling authors like Taylor Jenkins Reid, Colleen Hoover and Fredrik Backman. Bateman's first book will be out in early 2027 and he says it will be a coming of age story about a young boy battling hardships and set in a fantasy world. It's a story he says he has carried with him since childhood and now it's time to get it out of his head and onto the page. Why sign him if he has no book yet? While you don't have to have written an entire book to nab a book deal, Atria publisher Anthea Bariamis says the publishing house would never sign an author for fiction without seeing whether they can actually write first. '[Luke] and I had a long meeting where he went over the scope of the series he was working on, detailing the magic system and the journey of the protagonist across the series. These are the two things that, in my opinion at least, are most important for assessing fantasy submissions,' she says. 'He then submitted a writing sample, a thorough chapter outline for book one, and a synopsis for the series. In total, we had almost 10,000 words to assess his commercial and literary potential.' Why has this sparked debate? The debate was sparked by one post made on May 26 – in which Bateman announced he had been signed by Atria – and in particular one line in that post in which he said 'I can't wait to write this book'. Loading The comments section blew up. TikTokkers could not understand how someone who had not even written a book could be signed by a major publisher. 'I'm so confused – how did you get a book deal with no book written?' one asked. But angry comments soon focused on race, gender and privilege. 'This opportunity is the intersection of white privilege, male privilege, and pretty privilege,' a TikTokker wrote. Another added: 'There are so many talented and skilled authors from marginalised communities who HAVE put in the effort, who HAVE worked to refine their skills, who HAVE worked to build their platform, and yet this is what publishing prioritises. Yikes!' And from another: 'Firstly, congratulations, I'm happy for you! I also want to acknowledge that had you been a woman (especially of colour) this probably wouldn't have happened.' But for every negative comment, there was a positive one. 'Why the hate?' one user asked. 'Why is it about race? Why is it about gender? We made him famous. Now we are tearing him down? He did nothing wrong.'
