Namesakes #33: Change

Many bands we've covered in this feature have been forced to change their name to avoid getting sued by another band that got to the name first. Many more appear to have got away with using the same names without ever having to change. Today's bands though all chose the name Change... without ever needing to change it.

CHANGE #1

We start in the year of my birth, 1972 (although the band in question had been going for a year prior to this release). Also known as Jimmy And The Soul Blazers, they released two singles, including this funky cover of a tune also recorded by Joe Cocker and Jose Feliciano. Hitchcock Railway was written by Dunn & McCashen. Make up your own punchline.

CHANGE #2

Icelandic musicians Magnús Þór Sigmundsson and Jóhann Helgason formed our next band named Change, also in 1972, although the band name was decided at the last minute and was not intended for long term use. It stuck with them throughout the next four years, accompanied by a smattering of success in the UK as well as in their home country. They're best known for the song Yaketty Yak, Smacketty Smack which was revived years later for use in an advertsing campaign.

(THE) CHANGE #3

Straight out of Salford in 1978, punk band The Change recorded four tracks at the legendary Cargo studios in Rochdale... but couldn't afford to get them pressed. The tracks were remastered from cassette many years later and received a limited vinyl release in the 21st century...

CHANGE #4

Probably the best-known band to use the name Change came from Bologna in Italy in 1979. Heavily influenced by Chic, they used American vocalists on many of their hits, notably a pre-fame Luther Vandross. Change had a number of hits throughout the 80s; this is the one I remember most, with Luther up front...

CHANGE #5

Our final Change came from Switzerland in 1988, and their lead singer has some kind of weird comb-over going on. That's as much as I know, but I like this track a lot more than you will...

There appear to be many other artists who have taken the name Change over the years, but these were the only ones I could find on the Tube of You. And that's before we even start on all the bands called The Changes, Changer, Changeling, Loose Change (including my particular favourite, Luce Change), Spare Change, Pocket Change and Chump Change... clearly, when Sam Cooke sang that A Change Is Gonna Come, he had no idea just how many there would be. 

But which is your Change of choice?