Steely Dan

This jazzy rock group is named after a dildo from the William Burroughs novel, Naked Lunch. Which gives us an idea for a bedroom enhancement product called the "Jimi Hendrix Experience."

Foo Fighters
Named after WWII pilot slang for a UFO. One day, long after the aliens have landed, we'll look at the name "Foo Fighters" as an example of intergalactic racism.

Black Sabbath

Derived its moniker from a 1963 Boris Karloff flick of the same name. This makes us ponder the future existence of a band named, "Saw 3D."

10,000 Maniacs

The band got its name from the horror film 2,000 Maniacs. Which just shows the astronomical rate at which maniacs are reproducing.

Savage Garden

This band took its name from Anne Rice's "Interview with a Vampire," which makes us a bit afraid for the groupies.

Heaven 17

Heaven 17 is a band mentioned in A Clockwork Orange. They should have gone all out and forced their entire audience's eyelids open for their whole set.

The Mekons

The long-running punk band is named after villains in the Dan Dare comic strip. What is it with punk bands and comic strips? We blame Blondie.

Question Mark and the Mysterians

The authors of "96 Tears" got "the Mysterians" from a 1957 Japanese sci fi film. The true sci-fi mystery is how this little-known band managed to drop a #1 hit.

Aiden

Aidan was the litte, creepy boy in The Ring. The band took their name after him, although they spelled it differently for reasons that can only be fathomed by rock stars.

Big Drill Car

Its name was inspired by the machinery in Journey to the Center of the Earth. What is the obsession of rock bands with sci fi films? It certainly can't all be due to drug use.

Klaxons

This band took its name from Filippo Marinetti's Futurist Manifesto. Which makes us wonder how much better Ben Franklin's musings would have been with aliens and future-speak.

Opeth

Named after a Wilbur Smith fantasy novel. That's a great way to get confused shoppers to buy your album at a book and music store.

Shai Hulud

This band got its name from the sandworms in Dune. We imagine their live shows involve giant mechanical worms coming out of the ground to swallow fans.

Level 42

The group wanted to name themselves after Douglas Adams' popular solution to the universe. They couldn't copyright "42" so they added "level," instead. We shudder thinking about the day when numbers can be copyrighted.

The Orb

This popular electronica band is named after a ball that turns people on from Woody Allen's Sleeper. Of course, they'll have to forever live with the knowledge that their band name turns people on less than Steely Dan's.

Sleeper

Named after a Woody Allen sci-fi sendup. We would've chosen, "The Woody Allen Sci-Fi Sendup Experience," but to each their own.

Duran Duran
The '80s rockers took their name from Barbarella's Dr. Durand-Durand. Although Duran Duran's performances are a bit different than Barbarella's.

Marillion

Originally, the Silmarillion, the band had to change its name due to copyright issues. Middle-earth lawyers are sharks.

The Human League

The '80s popsters took its name from a fictional empire in the board game "Star Force." We told them, if they're going to pick their name from a board game, pick "Pop-O-Matic," but they didn't listen.

White Zombie

Took its stage name after a 1932 Bela Lugosi horror film. And just like at Thanksgiving, some prefer white meat and some prefer dark ... but to us it all just tastes like rotten flesh.

AtreyuAtreyu was the summoned warrior who helped Bastian complete his quest. We always wondered if Atreyu's horse was jealous of that enormous, flying dog thing.