I am not a pop band from Seattle

I am not a pop band from Seattle

by Garrison Frost

Ah yes, the important stages of life: the first day of school, high school graduation, your first love, your first house, and … the first time a band from Seattle names itself after you and takes your name as its url.

Readers of this site might recall a post of mine from some months ago noting the existence of a band of youngsters using my name. I also noted that the band had taken out the url www.garrisonfrost.com. Since then, the group has also created a Myspace page.

While I was blasé about all this at the time, I’ve come to be a little creeped out by it. Really, what is up with their using my name? It’s not as though I’m famous, or the name is particularly rock. If my name were Ripping Rock or something like that I would not have been surprised. But Garrison Frost? Who names their band that?

The band’s original website offered something of an explanation about the name (I can’t find it anymore). It went something along the lines of how the band members used to attend a school called Garrison Middle School, or something like that, and that they used to walk to school in the snow. And it was the combination of the school name and the snow that led them to the name Garrison Frost.

With apologies to Devin Anderson (drums), Justin Bruce (bass) and Trevor Larkin (other stuff), that just sounds like crap. But at the same time, I find it impossible that these three dudes in their early twenties would somehow feel the need to not only name themselves after me, but also make up such a ridiculous lie about it.

It’s perplexing.

No one, so far, has ever come to me asking about the band. Which is surprising, given that we share the same name, and that any simple Google search would lead one to me. Plus, I’ve been in more than a few bands in my day (none of them named after me), so it wouldn’t be nuts for someone to think that I’m associated with them. Although the group seems to have developed a few fans (as evidenced on its MySpace page), I would guess that their lack of real radio penetration has kept their influence from me. Truth is, I’ve never heard their music. But at some point, I guess, I should. Right now, they’re kicking around towns in Washington, places like West Seattle and Kirkland. I’m down here in the South Bay of Los Angeles County. But hell, they could be doing stadium shows next year for all I know, and I’ll have to be able to answer questions.

Beyond the whole band thing, I guess I’m a little bothered that someone else has the url www.garrisonfrost.com. Really, shouldn’t I have that domain? Not that I was ever planning on building a website there, it would have been nice to have the option. Now, anyone looking for a quick shortcut will come upon these guys. And hopefully, they won’t think I’m in the band.

(June 27, 2007)