[beckylucythomas]

hi mystic dreamer

from what I remember from ip law, you can't claim copyright in a name. you could potentially register it as a trade mark. and even if you hadn't registered it as a trade mark, you might be able to claim "passing off". if you have a logo designed, you should be able to claim copyright in that as an artwork.

so if someone else is already using the name and has registered it as a trade mark, and then you start using it, you could have a problem (presumably there is some way to search the UK trade mark register or multiple registers around the world, but I can't remember much about this). And even if they haven't registered it, they might be able to claim you are passing your product off using the name they have built up. As there's no register for passing off, it's virtually impossible to know for sure that you're not using something someone else is already using. The more you search, the more comfort you can take though. and i'm very hazy on this, but i think that passing off is quite difficult to prove - what makes it a bit easier is if the person/organisation already using it has built up a lot of public recognition and good will in their name - which hopefully ought to mean that if you do a little bit of diligent searching and don't find anything, hopefully you shouldn't have too much to worry about.

You might find this helpful http://www.copyrightservice.co.uk/copyright/p18_copyright_names


cramer, loving the new name. I was going to suggest something with aristocracy in the title like a duke or an earl... 

[beckylucythomas]

cramer, loving the new name. I was going to suggest something with aristocracy in the title like a duke or an earl... 

....a king or a count would work for alliteration.... I like King Cramer 

[diademgrove]

I preferred Thelonious Cramer, had a touch of brilliance. There are too many Kings and Viscounts around. 

[Viscount Cramer & His Orchestra]

The trouble is there's only one Thelonious that anyone's ever heard of so I would be inevitably associated with him and I'm really not very good at playing the piano.

King Cramer isn't bad but for some reason it sounds more like a variety of pear or something. I'm not 100% sold on a 'title' (thanks Becky for the suggestion!) but it will have to do for now......

[Neil C]

Well I shall call you 'the Count'


But what if I met you?
Would I need to call you M'Lord, I hate to
you address you incorrectly, what with you being gentry and all that!
 
Neil

[nooms]

brilliant !

'monty christo'

[Viscount Cramer & His Orchestra]

I've dragged this thread back out of obscurity because I need a new name. Viscount Cramer & His Orchestra has done fine as my 'jazz' name but after my blues/rock sortie with 'Life Looks Good In Blue' I've been working on some blues stuff - mostly in my dreams so far.

My real name has let me down again as far as this goes. It obviously has to be cool, not necessarily as 'blues' as Slim Harpo' or Lightning Hopkins....

Initials are usually good (JJ Cale, BB King - double ones seem to be the best!) or The (eg. J Geils) Band, which would give the impression that it isn't just me and a bunch of free loops.

Descriptive prefixes seem pretty popular. Slim Harpo, as I said earlier, Fats Domino, Lazy Lester, Big Joe Turner, Little Walter.....

Any thoughts?

Not too long because Soundcloud doesn't like it. I couldn't put my full title on there....all that fitted was Viscount Cramer & His Orc.

[GuyBarry]

The trouble is there's only one Thelonious that anyone's ever heard of so I would be inevitably associated with him

Didn't seem to discourage Elvis Costello 

(Sorry, nothing to do with you recent post!)

[Paulski]

I suppose "The Artist formerly known as Viscount Cramer and His Orchestra" would be too long?

How about:

The Loopy Blues Band  

or just

The Loopy Blues

Half serious!
Paul

[Skub]

Little Floyd Pinkerton

Magic Odie Osborne

Blind boy Ozzie

Big Donnie Delta

Chicago Ian

Lemon Osborne II

Clearwater Borne

Jeremiah Bullfrog II

Copyright Skub. 25% of the takings! 

[adamfarr]

Don't bluesmen also tend to be "reverends"?

I stumbled across "Noise Baron" (Ian Osborne anagram)... Not very inspired today...

[tina m]

I do love thinking up names ...it was often the best part of being in a band
I told you how much I loved viscount kramer & his orchestras so a new one has got to be just as special...
you know.. I love how youve got everyone here calling you viscount kramer like you are better than all of us! ...& I almost  have to keep reminding myself you are not nobility something special just comes with that name! you make me wish id registered as Lady Poshfrocks
But now you want to be a poor lowly bred blues man!.....its a riches to rags story you realise?
People may now look down on you & run you off  of there songs with a shotgun  
anyway I could think of loads of funny ones but that wouldnt help you ...so heres some that would pique my interest if I came across them  ...scuse crumbs im having a early lunch!

damn fine dixon
two heads tate (& the better than ones??)
Frank Lee Mydear  
John with the wind (sorry about that one)
deluxe tucker
Moonshine Brightly
whole hog harris
leatherbound dupree (dont know why that fascinates me so!)
unstoppable watson


will you be a solo artist or will you have a band who need a name.. like you had a orchestra?

[PopTodd]

I have long lost my actual "band." And, although I do collaborate with other musicians in the studio, I am, for all intents and purposes, a solo artist.
Still, I record under the band name "Hop On Pop."
I think that there is something to be said for a band name instead of your own name.... a band name is more memorable, as you pointed out in the first post, than a common given name. You can have more fun with it. And, also, you can better shape an image for your musical persona than you can with your given name.
It makes sense.

[Viscount Cramer & His Orchestra]

Thanks for the suggestions so far folks. I'll think on it.

My wife thinks I'm being ridiculous.

As I said recently, some kind chappie played one of my songs on an internet radio station so there we were waiting to see how he was going to announce me. She would have groaned loudly if he had said 'Here's Viscount Cramer with........' but he used my real name fortunately.

However, 'Here's Ian Osborne with.......' still doesn't do it for me!

I will of course still be using the Viscount thing if I do any jazz stuff and perhaps Cramer ought to be incorporated in the Blues name too.

I can't see Archbishop Cramer though Adam.

The trouble is I'm not Big or Fat or Leatherbound or Blind.....somehow Long-sighted Cramer doesn't quite cut it either.

I did have (have still got a bit) curly hair but Curly Cramer doesn't appeal to me. Balding.....

I was in a bar a few years ago with some Irish fellows and we were talking about another mate of theirs who had next to nothing on his head but a skinny three inch ponytail.

One of the lads piped up, "We've got a word for that in Ireland. Long-haired baldy man."

[adamfarr]

"No baronies" (also an anagram: http://www.wordplays.com/anagrammer)

(Unfortunately you can also make "A nosier nob"  )

Blues Ninja? (http://www.savagechickens.com/tag/music)