Naming a band is an act of concentrated creative expression. Square Pig in a Round Hole exists to reward five favorite band names each week. Winners are (usually) listed alphabetically.

Selection is wholly unscientific and subject to whim, with a bias toward wordplay, humor, and local flavor. In most cases, I won’t know anything about the bands at the time of selection. Thanks to the Seattle Times nightlife listings for abundant source material!

(Until live music returns, I am curating retrospective posts from past material. Dates indicate when the band was originally featured.)

SQUARE PIG IN A ROUND HOLE PANDEMIC EDITION #34

I try not to get too political in this space but will admit to a sense of giddy relief. The week hasn’t been all doom and worry, though. On Wednesday, I was delighted to read in the Seattle Times about 10-year-old Jude Evans and his new book BANDS (An Alphabet for Music Lovers). This was peculiarly appropriate because, as it happens, Square Pig in a Round Hole is 10 years old, too! Read the first post from November 6, 2010 here.

Meanwhile, it’s a new month and time for a new theme for these retrospective posts. November is National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) and I’m taking part in my usual undercover way, so how about a literary theme? There are more than enough suitable band names in the vault for the whole month. Everybody, wash your hands, wear your mask, maybe read a book or ten (or start writing one!), and if you are able, please buy these bands’ music and merch while we wait for a better day.

Author & Punisher
(September 1, 2012) One of the least pleasant parts of writing fiction is being cruel to your characters. Then again, sometimes they deserve it.

About the Author
(December 28, 2013) I’m a writer — how could I not choose this one? My bio in HEATHERS [the anthology that included my first published fiction] reads “Karen Eisenbrey was saved by rock and roll and fantasy novels.” Perhaps I should change that “was” to “is being.”

Being as an Ocean
(October 4, 2014) I’m taken with the philosophical/literary affect here. Every being is vast and complex, loud and wild. (And as it turns out, they set wordy, poetic lyrics to loud, thrashing music. It all fits!)

Bevelers
(March 23, 2013) I see this one as a literary reference: “I made it on the bevel. 1. There is more surface for the nails to grip . . . 13. It makes a neater job.” (From As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner)

Captain Ahab’s Motorcycle Club
(May 4, 2013) Love the goofy literary reference! Probably would have been safer than the obsessive whaling voyage.

One last thing before you go: I share highlights from this blog in my quarterly author newsletter, The Storypunk Report, as well as news of what I’m writing and reading, upcoming events, and other goodies, including “Wizard in the Mosh Pit,” an exclusive short story just for subscribers. Click the link to check out the first eight issues and subscribe here for future issues. (Or just follow the blog for your weekly dose of band names.)