Controversial Band Names & Why Kinky is Motherrocking Famous in Mexico

When in doubt, thou shall name your band in foreign language.

By Sun Jung

Last weekend the Internet went on an op-edshit craze over Viet Cong’s decision to give up their name. And someplace in the Land of Freedom and Fastfoods, the Asian indie band The Slants are fighting to preserve their name. Meanwhile in Mexico, nobody gives a fuck that the bread monopoly is called Bimbo and there’s an alternative pop-rockish group named Kinky. Unlike the everything-sensitive US, Mexico seems to show a cooler composure towards “potentially” offensive/perverted labels. If Viet Cong or The Slants had launched their careers down there, they wouldn’t have run into any legal restraint.

When it comes to band names politics/acceptability, we Bimbo it – meaning remain neutral. We know Bimbo breads are there in the counter, but we don’t toss them into our carts. As multi-cultural listeners, we have different stances when it comes to “appropriateness” in music. From an American listener’s perspective, “Kinky” is offensive and sounds like a username straight out of offendersmeetup.com. But from a Mexican listener’s POV, it sounds teasing and playful – ¿qué tiene? Si está chido, le damos un like.

Check out Kinky below:

Maybe the reason why Kinky’s butt-naked famous despite the sexual connotation has to do with the fact that it’s an English word (aside from, of course, producing motherrocking music). Perhaps bands in the US who want to use controversial names should do it in foreign language. Hence we are giving away a list of potentially insulting band names in another language that you can use to start your own:

Pende-hoes

The Imbecillus Duo (reserved for 2-piece groups only)

Putos (if it receives controversy, say that you are named after the Filipino dessert, not Spanish word)

The Merde de Lorde

Le Tetos de Fetos

Pinche Peña Nieto