Viet Cong changing name

Is Joy Division going to go back and retroactively change their name, too?

What about I Am The World Trade Center?

Controversial band names have always been part and parcel of punk and indie rock. I'm all for Viet Cong changing their name if they want to, yet it's a proverbial slippery slope - artists having to change their band name because someone gets offended.

Kinda funny that Viet Cong would change their name because someone took offense. I would've thought that most people old enough to remember the significance of that name would be unlikely to worry about its potential to offend.

Of course, I'm old enough to know what the Viet Cong were, so perhaps I'm speaking out of turn.

The people who most offended were apparently Vietnamese immigrants...

Understandable. On the other hand, I'd prescribe a simpler solution. If the name offends you, then don't buy their music. That can apply to any band, from Anal Cunt on down. (Or from Anal Cunt on up, depending on your perspective.)

Gotta love that Anal Cunt.

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What about I Am The World Trade Center?

They did briefly shorten their name to I Am the World. Then they went back to their original name and recorded one more album in 2004, then promptly vanished, as near as I can tell.

I did stop wearing my Joy Division t-shirt in public once I had an encounter with someone who knew the name from its original context and was unaware of the band. They weren't offended - they just thought it was a really weird thing to commemorate with a t-shirt - but I figured I'd hate to be out somewhere and have a Holocaust survivor read me the riot act. So I wear it only to concerts now, where it's unlikely anyone will be unfamiliar with the band.



Post Edited (09-21-15 14:58)

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... it's a proverbial slippery slope - artists having to change their band name ...

A name change?

What? Who?

Even if the band wanted to keep the name and felt they were in the right it's at the point where no matter what the ethics are it's just too expensive to fight the bad publicity let alone a legal battle over a name some group finds offensive. A tiny brewery in Connecticut has for 10 years or so made an IPA called "Gandhi-Bot", but they decoded to change the name and beer can design after some Gandhi fans got all up their asses on social media and made a fuss over nothing.

I missed something. What are they changing their name to ?

[www.brooklynvegan.com]

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I missed something. What are they changing their name to ?

The Viet Cong are changing their name to ... The Brooklyn Vegans?

As a lifelong vegan and Brooklynite ... I'VE NEVER BEEN SO INSULTED IN ALL MY LIFE!

Morning Benders did this ... never to be heard from again. In fact, I don't even remember the new name. And I liked the band a lot.

They decided that the British slang "bender" (derogatory gay term) was not one they wanted to be associated with.

> A tiny brewery in Connecticut has for 10 years or so made an IPA called "Gandhi-Bot", but
> they decoded to change the name and beer can design after some Gandhi fans got all up
> their asses on social media and made a fuss over nothing.

Perhaps the brewers should be thankful that the "Gandhi fans" limited their indignance to social media. We're all aware of a certain religion whose members, in recent years, have objected fiercely to portrayal of their chief prophet in cartoons. Some of their objections have been lethal. Considering that this religion prohibits its followers from consuming alcohol, imagine the mayhem that a brewery would face if it used that prophet's likeness or name on its products.

As for me, I don't judge a person by race, color, religion, ethnic heritage, gender, sexual orientation, physical ability or lack thereof. I judge a person by whether or not that person is an asshole.

I'll say it again. A person shall not be judged by the color of their skin, the nature of their creed, or by the content of their character, but by the quality of their record collection.

Actually I think I Am The World Trade Center changed their name to either IATWTC or "I Am the World" shortly after 9/11, though they reverted back to their original name before too long. (Anthrax got some flak as well, even though they'd be trading under said name since the 80s).

i ain't never met a communist that wouldn't sell their soul for tobacco from virginia.