Matthew Yglesias » Bands Whose Names Reference Books I Like

Sep 18th, 2008 at 7:57 pm

Bands Whose Names Reference Books I Like

This week is the first time I’ve learned of the existence of the following bands:

Airborne Toxic Event
The Strange Death of Liberal England

Thus far, I’m liking them both. Here’s some toxicity:

White Noise and The Strange Death of Liberal England are both highly recommended. Indeed, at one point “The Strange Death of Liberal Internationalism” was under consideration as a Heads in the Sand subtitle.

Comments
35

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35 Responses to “Bands Whose Names Reference Books I Like”

Freddie Says:
September 18th, 2008 at 7:59 pm
White Noise is fantastic, a favorite of mine as well.
burning flock Says:
September 18th, 2008 at 8:31 pm
SPLUTTER! But–but Pfork gave it a 1.6!!

And here I was thinking you were hip. I feel cheated.
Trevor Says:
September 18th, 2008 at 8:51 pm
*Airborne Toxic Event is right out of DeLillo’s “White Noise”.
Jon Says:
September 18th, 2008 at 9:04 pm
“President George W. Bush was enjoying a brief holiday on Air Force One, bound for Texas on some pleasant excuse of brush-clearing. He had stopped at Phoenix to celebrate the sixty-ninth birthday of Arizona Senator John McCain, and his reception in this Sun Belt city had been very gratifying. The 747 then took off for Crawford, and had brought its valuable political flier about halfway there when news was received that his ignoring the hurricane then flooding New Orleans was going over badly with the voting public.”

Here’s hoping that some enterprising journalist writes “The Strange Death of Reagan’s America” a couple decades from now.
darryl Says:
September 18th, 2008 at 9:04 pm
As of about two years ago, being hated by Pitchfork is the new being loved by Pitchfork.
scott Says:
September 18th, 2008 at 9:23 pm
Matt,

I haven’t the time to listen right now, but I will.

The odd thing: The Strange Death of Liberal England
is the title of a very famous book by George Dangerfield that we all had to read for PhD prelims. Can’t recall the precise date of publication.

Did someone let the copyright expire, or are they violating some arcane law?
Scott Brown Says:
September 18th, 2008 at 9:42 pm
Gatsby’s American Dream?
cleek Says:
September 18th, 2008 at 9:43 pm
Pitchfork : where expressing snark in sub-par prose = CU+Tn1g Ed9E!
GiantDuck Says:
September 18th, 2008 at 10:05 pm
I saw one the Airborne Toxic Event’s first shows in Echo Park. The band didn’t impress me, but it really reminded me of how much I loved White Noise. I was disappointed that “The Strange Death of Liberal England” didn’t have a song about Lloyd George selling out on Ulster.
sbg Says:
September 18th, 2008 at 10:26 pm
I like the Klaxons a bit more than I otherwise would because of their literary referencing – Pynchon, JG Ballard etc.

Here’s to pretension!
Mike Says:
September 18th, 2008 at 11:20 pm
Had one of my absolutely best college academic experiences reading White Noise. It was in an English class, not Hitler Studies, but all the same… Cheers!
Neil Says:
September 18th, 2008 at 11:58 pm
Jon Stewart just had Tony Blair on and forced him to defend going into Iraq. For some reason Blair did not see this coming and Stewart destroyed him. So much so that Stewart clearly felt bad after. Blair said some things about a global struggle against Al Qaeda, Hamas and Hezbollah that should really disqualify him from being the Quartet representative in Israel-Palestine.
John Says:
September 19th, 2008 at 12:36 am
I don’t think titles are copyrightable. The Strange Death of Liberal England is a pretty awesome title for a band, but perhaps I’m biased, being a grad student in European history.
Emartin Says:
September 19th, 2008 at 1:36 am
Dangerfield’s SDLE was published in 1935. A great book.
mulcahy Says:
September 19th, 2008 at 2:07 am
you probably know this, but “better than ezra” is both a band and a phrase that appears in “a moveable feast”
Andrew Fly Says:
September 19th, 2008 at 2:21 am
Eh, kinda emo-y, but I don’t expect any less from MY. Don’t you ever listen to any dancy stuff? Also that song is fairly reminiscent of “All My Friends” by LCD Soundsystem, especially John Cale’s cover. Just add a beat and some synth and it’s damn near a copy.
Tim Says:
September 19th, 2008 at 5:35 am
Straylight Run.

….from Gibson’s Neuromancer.
Derek Says:
September 19th, 2008 at 11:43 am
There’s a band called “Stinking Lizaveta”

The music pretty much sucks. But, the book they’re referenced on (which I think you like) is fantastic!

If you don’t know which book that is, shame on you.
samba00 Says:
September 19th, 2008 at 1:27 pm
Hey Matt,

I pointed you towards Airborne about 6 months ago (they’re friends of mine).
Richard Steven Hack Says:
September 19th, 2008 at 6:06 pm
Well, The Corrs are named after…their name…Appropriate!

The Corrs – Breathless – Live in Trafalgar Square on South African Freedom Day
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuI1BdUayJE

The Corrs – Only When I Sleep – Unplugged
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CC_8g_QRTLY&feature=related
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Matt Yglesias

Bands Whose Names Reference Books I Like

35 Responses to “Bands Whose Names Reference Books I Like”

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