All in a name

Sometime to Return · Post by **Sometime to Return** » Fri Feb 29, 2008 10:25 am

It appears everyone on this board is a Soul Asylum "nut;" I thought I was until I came here, now I question that. The knowledge on this board is incredible.

With that said; I am sure someone knows the story behind the name. How to you take two words; "Soul" and "Asylum," combine those two words into a band name?

I have never really thought of this before; but I am amazed "they" picked these two words. Anyone?

Post by **Monolith Maniac** » Fri Feb 29, 2008 11:10 am

From what I know, the name Soul Asylum came to Dave in a dream. He later wrote a song titled Soul Asylum* (I'm not sure if it was about the dream). The other members in the band didn't like the song, but liked the name. When Loud Fast Rules was looking for a new name for the band, they went with Soul Asylum. The rest is history.

*Note: The song Soul Asylum on Time's Incinerator is NOT the song that Dave had wrote. It is part radio interview/part impromptu "song" by the Minneapolis band Mecht Mensch.

philipgar · Post by **philipgar** » Fri Feb 29, 2008 11:14 am

Sometime to Return wrote:It appears everyone on this board is a Soul Asylum "nut;" I thought I was until I came here, now I question that. The knowledge on this board is incredible.

With that said; I am sure someone knows the story behind the name. How to you take two words; "Soul" and "Asylum," combine those two words into a band name?

I have never really thought of this before; but I am amazed "they" picked these two words. Anyone?

I'm not 100% sure there really is a reason to it. I think there's somewhat of one, and I've read it before, but it never really struck me as a good one. I want to say that if you go through the records at the minneapolis historical society they have some papers on when they first came up with their name (do you happen to remember Todd?) , although I don't remember it too well.

I think the consensus was that the name Loud Fast Rules sucked, and they needed something better. It would be interesting though to hear the real story. Anyone know more about this?

Phil

Post by **Homesick** » Fri Feb 29, 2008 11:35 am

If you're looking for a "real" source on the "Dave had a dream" thing, check out this (incredibly short) story on VH1.com.

I would post an excerpt, but it really isn't long enough for excerption so I'll just post the whole story:

VH1 wrote:Pirner talks about how he came up with his band's name.

"I had a dream, then I wrote ['Soul Asylum'], and nobody liked the song, but they liked the title. It was better than 'Loud Fast Rules.' " -- Dave Pirner, Soul Asylum singer/songwriter

All in a name

All in a name

Re: All in a name