5 Band Names from the 1960s Based On People, But Not the Way You’d Think

Once again, 1960s band names can be a little bizarre. We’ve covered bands named after the word “love” and random inanimate objects, but what about bands named after people? Here are five bands that take their names from people, but with a little bit of a twist you might not see coming.

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1960s Band Names Based on People, With a Twist

Every Mother’s Son

This 1966 pop group had their roots in Greenwich Village folk rock before making a shift to sunshine pop. They scored a Top 40 hit with “Come On Down to My Boat,” but failed to make more of a dent after that. Still, they were signed to MGM records and worked with songwriter Wes Farrell, who had composed the songs “Hang On Sloopy” and “Come a Little Bit Closer.” Truly, the group was comprised of every mother’s son, as they were clean-cut young adults with a wholesome image.

Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich

This zany five-piece rock band from Salisbury formed in 1964 and had moderate success in the U.K. They dabbled in freakbeat, pop, and mod during the Swinging London 60s, making a name for themselves with singles like “Hold Tight!,” “Bend It!,” and “Zabadak!” While this oddly named band was active during the British Invasion years, they didn’t find much success in the U.S., finding more fans in their home country and in Canada.

The Flower Pot Men

The Flower Pot Men were a selection of session musicians who came together in 1967, gathered by songwriters John Carter and Ken Lewis. Carter and Lewis wrote and recorded songs for the group, but had no desire to go on the road and tour. So, they put together a collective of musicians under the band name The Flower Pot Men, mainly comprised of Neil Landon, Pete Nelson, Robin Shaw, and Tony Burrows. Notably, this band provided backup vocals for the Who’s early work.

The Five Americans

Formed in 1962 and originally a band named The Mutineers, the Five Americans started out as a cover band of Bo Diddley, Duane Eddy, and Beatles tunes. What set this band apart from others at the time was their use of a Vox Continental electronic organ. Their biggest hit was “Western Union,” released in 1967, which peaked at No. 5 on the U.S. Billboard chart.

Manfred Mann

Manfred Mann was a 1962 band actually named after a specific person—keyboardist Manfred Mann, who later formed the 1970s group Manfred Mann’s Earth Band following his former band’s breakup. The original group had hits like “5-4-3-2-1,” which was their breakthrough hit in 1964, along with “Do Wah Diddy Diddy,” which topped the U.S. charts also in 1964. They were prominent in the Swinging London scene and during the British Invasion, but they split in 1969 after becoming disillusioned with the scene and failing to chart their albums.

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