Let the Wookiee name the band
Decider's primer on Star Wars-referencing band names
Band Of Wookiees
From Black Sabbath to Say Anything, bands have long used movies as a quick and easy grab-bag for names. With the Star Wars franchise's ubiquity in pop culture, it’s no surprise that there are probably more groups named after settings or characters in the George Lucas franchise than any other film. Now that two new Denver outfits have tapped into the Force—TaunTaun (which is playing the Hi-Dive tonight) and Chewbacca Bukkake—Decider drew up a list of some of the most notable Star Wars-referencing band names. Now let’s blow this thing and go home.
(-o-)
Base: Chicago, Illinois
Years active: 2007-on
Behind the name: With a moniker meant to resemble the actual appearance of an Imperial TIE Fighter, (-o-)—pronounced, you guessed it, “TIE Fighter”—is a droning, vaguely emo-ish three-piece that doesn’t sound anywhere near as menacing as its name would imply. In other words: Darth Vader wouldn’t be caught dead flying around in this wussymobile.
Strength of the Force in this one: Half a padawan.
Base: Chicago, Illinois
Years active: 2007-on
Behind the name: With a moniker meant to resemble the actual appearance of an Imperial TIE Fighter, (-o-)—pronounced, you guessed it, “TIE Fighter”—is a droning, vaguely emo-ish three-piece that doesn’t sound anywhere near as menacing as its name would imply. In other words: Darth Vader wouldn’t be caught dead flying around in this wussymobile.
Strength of the Force in this one: Half a padawan.
Band Of Wookiees
Base: Kashyyyk, Mytaranor Sector
Years active: 2008
Behind the name: The Wookiees, The Wookies (sic), Green Wookiee: Lots of go-nowhere bands have been inspired to name themselves after Chewbacca and his fellow alien apes. What makes Band Of Wookiees stand head and hairy shoulders above the rest? First of all, they actually list Kashyyyk—the fictional homeworld of the Wookiee race—as their point of origin on their MySpace page. Even better: Instead of vocals, the group uses samples of Chewbacca’s trademark, incomprehensible growl throughout their songs. Yes, every fucking song.
Strength of the Force in this one: Enough to bust a bowcaster in your ass.
Base: Kashyyyk, Mytaranor Sector
Years active: 2008
Behind the name: The Wookiees, The Wookies (sic), Green Wookiee: Lots of go-nowhere bands have been inspired to name themselves after Chewbacca and his fellow alien apes. What makes Band Of Wookiees stand head and hairy shoulders above the rest? First of all, they actually list Kashyyyk—the fictional homeworld of the Wookiee race—as their point of origin on their MySpace page. Even better: Instead of vocals, the group uses samples of Chewbacca’s trademark, incomprehensible growl throughout their songs. Yes, every fucking song.
Strength of the Force in this one: Enough to bust a bowcaster in your ass.
Chewbacca Bukkake
Base: Denver, Colorado
Years active: 2008
Behind the name: Chewbacca? Yeah, we all know him. Bukkake? Uh… Let’s leave it to Google to educate those who don’t know the meaning of that term. Just make sure your boss or mom isn’t standing around. Put the two words together, and the resulting image isn’t exactly appetizing; neither is Chewbacca Bukkake’s willfully remedial rock. Still, the local group—the brainchild of former Hate Fuck Trio member Jonny DeStefano—kicks up a demented, catchy weirdness that has a way of, you know, sticking on you.
Strength of the Force in this one: One laughing fuzzball’s worth.
Base: Denver, Colorado
Years active: 2008
Behind the name: Chewbacca? Yeah, we all know him. Bukkake? Uh… Let’s leave it to Google to educate those who don’t know the meaning of that term. Just make sure your boss or mom isn’t standing around. Put the two words together, and the resulting image isn’t exactly appetizing; neither is Chewbacca Bukkake’s willfully remedial rock. Still, the local group—the brainchild of former Hate Fuck Trio member Jonny DeStefano—kicks up a demented, catchy weirdness that has a way of, you know, sticking on you.
Strength of the Force in this one: One laughing fuzzball’s worth.
Dagobah
Base: Nottingham, England
Years active: 1994-on
Behind the name: While dagobah is a Buddhist term of Sri Lankan origin, it’s better known in certain parts of the world—like, apparently, England, home of the punk act Dagobah—as the swamp planet where Luke Skywalker received Jedi training from Yoda. There’s nothing remotely meditative or educational, though, about the group’s raw, brain-hemorrhaging assault. Then again, a little cranial trauma can do wonders for the attainment of a state of enlightened calm.
Strength of the Force in this one: Jedi summer school.
Base: Nottingham, England
Years active: 1994-on
Behind the name: While dagobah is a Buddhist term of Sri Lankan origin, it’s better known in certain parts of the world—like, apparently, England, home of the punk act Dagobah—as the swamp planet where Luke Skywalker received Jedi training from Yoda. There’s nothing remotely meditative or educational, though, about the group’s raw, brain-hemorrhaging assault. Then again, a little cranial trauma can do wonders for the attainment of a state of enlightened calm.
Strength of the Force in this one: Jedi summer school.
xDEATHSTARx
Base: Redlands, California
Years active: 2004-on
Behind the name: When naming a Christian straightedge metalcore band, what could be more logical than taking the designation of Star Wars’ hulking symbol of evil and destruction? As if xDEATHSTARx’s message wasn’t mixed enough, its music utterly blows. Quick, let’s get some X-wings up in here.
Strength of the Force in this one: Strictly stormtrooper.
Base: Redlands, California
Years active: 2004-on
Behind the name: When naming a Christian straightedge metalcore band, what could be more logical than taking the designation of Star Wars’ hulking symbol of evil and destruction? As if xDEATHSTARx’s message wasn’t mixed enough, its music utterly blows. Quick, let’s get some X-wings up in here.
Strength of the Force in this one: Strictly stormtrooper.
The Force
Base: Grass Valley, California
Years active: 1995-1998, 2008
Behind the name: The old hardcore project of AFI bassist Hunter Burgan made only a brief, small splash in the ’90s scene. But taking its name from Lucas’ “force that binds the universe together” was a bold move; thankfully The Force’s punk purism lives up to it. And now that the Burgan and crew have recently reunited and released a discography of their scant but awesome output, The Force might just prove to be eternal.
Strength of the Force in this one: Off the chart.
Base: Grass Valley, California
Years active: 1995-1998, 2008
Behind the name: The old hardcore project of AFI bassist Hunter Burgan made only a brief, small splash in the ’90s scene. But taking its name from Lucas’ “force that binds the universe together” was a bold move; thankfully The Force’s punk purism lives up to it. And now that the Burgan and crew have recently reunited and released a discography of their scant but awesome output, The Force might just prove to be eternal.
Strength of the Force in this one: Off the chart.
Jedi Mind Tricks
Base: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Years active: 1996-on
Behind the name: As with The Force, it took a lot of balls for the Philly hip-hop collective Jedi Mind Tricks to recycle one of the coolest things in all the Star Wars movies: the ability of Jedi knights to cloud minds with a form of subtle, instant hypnosis. JMT has managed to build and maintain respectability among a broad range of music fans over the years—although surely that’s all due to the group’s music, not any form of insidious mind control.
Strength of the Force in this one: Whatever they say it is.
Base: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Years active: 1996-on
Behind the name: As with The Force, it took a lot of balls for the Philly hip-hop collective Jedi Mind Tricks to recycle one of the coolest things in all the Star Wars movies: the ability of Jedi knights to cloud minds with a form of subtle, instant hypnosis. JMT has managed to build and maintain respectability among a broad range of music fans over the years—although surely that’s all due to the group’s music, not any form of insidious mind control.
Strength of the Force in this one: Whatever they say it is.
Luke Skyywalker
Base: Miami, Florida
Years active: 1986-on
Behind the name: Luther Campbell is a founding member of the infamously raunchy and controversial rap group 2 Live Crew—and he sure didn’t make help matters much by choosing to adopt the name Luke Skyywalker, a barely misspelled riff on Star Wars fans’ favorite Jedi-in-training. An inevitable lawsuit from Lucas forced Campbell to change his handle to Luke or Uncle Luke on his post-Crew solo releases.
Strength of the Force in this one: Lower than the belly of the Sarlacc.
Base: Miami, Florida
Years active: 1986-on
Behind the name: Luther Campbell is a founding member of the infamously raunchy and controversial rap group 2 Live Crew—and he sure didn’t make help matters much by choosing to adopt the name Luke Skyywalker, a barely misspelled riff on Star Wars fans’ favorite Jedi-in-training. An inevitable lawsuit from Lucas forced Campbell to change his handle to Luke or Uncle Luke on his post-Crew solo releases.
Strength of the Force in this one: Lower than the belly of the Sarlacc.
The Medic Droid
Base: Phoenix, Arizona
Years active: 2006-on
Behind the name: The 2-1B Medic Droid might be the ugliest, most pointless, and least desired Star Wars toy ever released. Seriously, an action figure of the rock Luke Skywalker tried to levitate in The Empire Strikes Back would be more exciting. Accordingly, the sassy synth-pop act known as The Medic Droid is everything the original Star Wars isn’t: cruddy, boring, and utterly soulless.
Strength of the Force in this one: Bad. Like, Jar Jar Binks-bad.
Base: Phoenix, Arizona
Years active: 2006-on
Behind the name: The 2-1B Medic Droid might be the ugliest, most pointless, and least desired Star Wars toy ever released. Seriously, an action figure of the rock Luke Skywalker tried to levitate in The Empire Strikes Back would be more exciting. Accordingly, the sassy synth-pop act known as The Medic Droid is everything the original Star Wars isn’t: cruddy, boring, and utterly soulless.
Strength of the Force in this one: Bad. Like, Jar Jar Binks-bad.
Nerf Herder
Base: Santa Barbara, California
Years active: 1994-on
Behind the name: Best known for providing the theme song to the TV series Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Nerf Herder are in no way short of nerd credentials. The goofy pop-punk outfit swiped its name from a snarky, flirty putdown leveled by Princess Leia against Han Solo in The Empire Strikes Back. The band’s music ain’t exactly as stirring as John Williams score, but as far as mid-level, Star Wars-inspired entertainment goes, it’s pretty fun.
Strength of the Force in this one: A geeky farmboy with dreams.
Base: Santa Barbara, California
Years active: 1994-on
Behind the name: Best known for providing the theme song to the TV series Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Nerf Herder are in no way short of nerd credentials. The goofy pop-punk outfit swiped its name from a snarky, flirty putdown leveled by Princess Leia against Han Solo in The Empire Strikes Back. The band’s music ain’t exactly as stirring as John Williams score, but as far as mid-level, Star Wars-inspired entertainment goes, it’s pretty fun.
Strength of the Force in this one: A geeky farmboy with dreams.
TaunTaun
Base: Denver, Colorado
Years active: 2008
Behind the name: In one of the Star Wars series’ few truly gruesome scenes, Han Solo guts a dead tauntaun—a creature native to the ice planet Hoth that looks like a cross between a mountain goat and a kangaroo—and stuffs an injured Luke Skywalker into the corpse to keep him warm. And sure enough, local metal band TaunTaun lays down a thick layer of visceral sludge. Featuring members of Colorado acts Uphollow, The Gamits, Sleeper Horse, and Drag The River, the quartet couldn’t have dreamed up a better lineup—or picked a more fitting name.
Strength of the Force in this one: Twenty-one lightsaber salute.
Base: Denver, Colorado
Years active: 2008
Behind the name: In one of the Star Wars series’ few truly gruesome scenes, Han Solo guts a dead tauntaun—a creature native to the ice planet Hoth that looks like a cross between a mountain goat and a kangaroo—and stuffs an injured Luke Skywalker into the corpse to keep him warm. And sure enough, local metal band TaunTaun lays down a thick layer of visceral sludge. Featuring members of Colorado acts Uphollow, The Gamits, Sleeper Horse, and Drag The River, the quartet couldn’t have dreamed up a better lineup—or picked a more fitting name.
Strength of the Force in this one: Twenty-one lightsaber salute.
Vader
Base: Olsztyn, Poland
Years active: 1986-on
Behind the name: Perhaps the first band of international renown to purloin its name from Star Wars, Vader broke out of Poland in the early ’90s to show that Scandinavia wasn’t the only part of Europe that could produce lethal, laser-precise death metal. But is it on par with Darth Vader, the fallen Jedi Anakin Skywalker who's held together by cyborg bits, total mastery of the Dark Side, and a consuming hatred of all things sweet and light? Hell yes.
Strength of the Force in this one: Megatons of planet-crushing malevolence.
Base: Olsztyn, Poland
Years active: 1986-on
Behind the name: Perhaps the first band of international renown to purloin its name from Star Wars, Vader broke out of Poland in the early ’90s to show that Scandinavia wasn’t the only part of Europe that could produce lethal, laser-precise death metal. But is it on par with Darth Vader, the fallen Jedi Anakin Skywalker who's held together by cyborg bits, total mastery of the Dark Side, and a consuming hatred of all things sweet and light? Hell yes.
Strength of the Force in this one: Megatons of planet-crushing malevolence.
