SlipLive

What do you all think? Nathan was saying they were down to 4 or 5... can't remember any of them at the moment, I need to listen to my recording of the Yankee.

I am about 60% against it... I don't think it's the worst idea ever but I think there are some real pitfalls and have some fondness for the old name.

i really like SMMD but if they think of a new cool name that doesn't take as long to say then i'm all for it

oh lordy...

maybe it's just sentimentality, but i don't think so... smmd is so unique, and has such a cool story behind it, and they have Years behind them, and...

i can't necessarily recall their options at the moment either (one that's been around awhile was The Pages, but don't know if that's still on the table)... there's one nathan's been using lately that has two words with two D's... ugh, i can't remember, but it's like a name (and no it doesn't include davis). i honestly can't take that one seriously...

it would have to be really REALLY good for me to be for a name change, but nothing i've heard so far has any of the appeal davis does. my opinion of course.

Just my thoughts...so many people indeed know SMMD and the name is cool because of the history and definitely its uniqueness. I'm curious to know *why* the desire to change the name at all? Too long?

I thought The Slip already changed their name to Surprise Me Mr. Davis? [ha ha]

-Phrazz

So long as they still like making music - then I don't really care. That being said, they better come up with a good name. The names that nathan mentioned at the yankee were both bad (sorry! )...one was what brad wanted (I think this is what you heard Magpie....), which was the name of some indian booze...wish I could remember. The other was nathan's top choice - something with 'hearts' in it. Either way, the two of us wished that someone would talk them out of those particular choices. Had the feeling of being too thought over.

I am just worried that they are going to be stuck as "Formerly Surprise Me Mr. Davis" in a lot of billing. If this were 2005 and Davis was at that point in the evolution I think it would be easier but even though they haven't toured that much they have really built up quite a bit of word of mouth over the last 5 years. I mean how many famous bands change their name that far into their careers? The Grateful Dead were the Warlocks for a brief time and a lot of bands change their name but it is generally pretty early on in the evolutionary process.

Like lumpy and magpie said if the name really grabbed me I might feel differently but it says something that none of us can remember most of the choices...

Of course I would go see the guys and buy their records even if they changed their name to "The Monkey Diarrhea Breakfast Shake Diet"... the music is obviously what is most important but then that makes me wonder, why change the name? I can get that they conceived of the name kind of as a joke for a maybe one-off spur of the moment project and now they are thinking of getting more serious with it they want something they really like. I just worry that will be confusing to the clubs and the fanbase.

p.s. don't forget to vote above, folks!!!

i don't care at all. obviously, they need to do it before this album comes out.

well this is interesting. i guess i couldn't care less, their band their choice. just make some music.

Yeah I don't care that much personally. Surprise Me Mr. Davis was never my favorite name (though it is a good story!) but I never really hated it or anything either. More than anything else I have gotten used to it but I don't think I would be very sad to see it go. What I am more concerned about is how it would affect them. It just seems a little late to do so...

I guess on the upside it would give people a reason to talk about them. "Oh did you hear Surprise Me Mr. Davis changed their name to 'Obama's Toenail Clippings', cool, eh?"

i don't really see them losing out on much. if they feel like it's in their creative and or business interest to do so, have at it. at the end of the day slip/smmd fans are a diehard bunch. i don't see too many people being left out of the loop. even if we're not talking we're still paying attention and word will get around by the time they're ready to drop the album and hit the road. it'll be interesting to see what they change it to though i always though six syllables in a band's name was pushing it. seems like most established bands just tweak their name to make an f'ing awful name less shitty (see umelt and the breakfest). but there's also the rare occasion that a band changes it's name and makes one of the best rock anthems ever (jefferson starship 'we built this city'), maybe that'll be the case for SMMD.

tim, are you saying that SMMD is about to release their own "we built this city"... I mean frankly, I don't know that the boys can compete with such deep lyrics..

"We're the Mr. Davis Jazz Oddyssey....hope you like our new direction!"

jefferson airplane to jefferson starship is a completely different situation, they were completely different bands! (and not to mention a few decades between). starship couldn't hold a candle to the airplane... rock anthem or no... but i digress...

my understanding (which i'm sure is limited) is that they feel (in a nutshell) smmd is too long for a serious publicity push. that no one would get it.

i, on the other hand, feel that it's the uniqueness that grabs attention! once you get it, you Get It and you Won't Forget It. i LOVE the name. i'm not ambivalent about it in the slightest.

if they change it, i'll obviously still love them, but they'll always be davis to me...

oh and phrazz... i do believe that's the shortest post i've ever seen from you!

What about just "Davis"? That's what we all call them anyway.

p.s. I just noticed that I am now a 'Dissident' on the board... am I speaking out too much?