7 Artists Influenced By The Simpsons: Fall Out Boy, Les Claypool, And More

To celebrate FXX's massive "Every Simpsons Ever" marathon, which I will be watching as much of as I possibly can, I've compiled a list of some artists who have been influenced by The Simpsons in some way, whether it's through their band name, a song title, or even the name of their home studio.

1. Fall Out Boy

By far the most famous band to name itself after a Simpsons reference is pop-punk band Fall Out Boy, which took its name from the sidekick of Bart Simpson's favorite superhero, Radioactive Man. The name was apparently suggested by an audience member at one of the band's early shows.

2. Yo La Tengo

Though you wouldn't know it from listening to their dreamy, somewhat experimental music, Yo La Tengo actually has a strange sense of humor. For their 2000 album And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out, the band wrote a song titled "Let's Save Tony Orlando's House," named after a telethon hosted by Simpsons movie star Troy McClure, voiced by the late great Phil Hartman.

3. Bloodhound Gang

In 2005, Pennsylvania alternative rock band Bloodhound Gang released a song titled "Ralph Wiggum," named after Lisa Simpson's dim-witted classmate and ex-boyfriend. This Simpsons homage goes further than just the song title, however: most of the lyrics are taken from Ralph Wiggum quotes, basically making the song one of those Youtube best-of compilations set to a pop-punk song.

4. I Voted For Kodos

One of the greatest satires of the American electoral system is "Citizen Kang," the final segment of the Simpsons' 1996 Halloween special Treehouse of Horror VII in which two aliens named Kang and Kodos disguise themselves as Bob Dole and Bill Clinton during the 1996 election in an attempt to take over the world. At the end of the segment, after Kang wins and humanity has been enslaved, Homer tells Marge, "Don't blame me, I voted for Kodos," which served as the inspiration for the name of Wisconsin ska punk band I Voted For Kodos.

5. Evergreen Terrace

I can understand ska and punk bands naming themselves after Simpsons references, but it seems like a metalcore band would want to go with something more dramatic or sinister. Nevertheless, Florida metalcore band Evergreen Terrace took its name from the street that the Simpsons live on in Springfield.

6. Les Claypool

Primus bassist/singer Les Claypool may never have named a song after a Simpsons reference, but he did name his California home studio "Rancho Relaxo," after a spa that Marge visits in the season 3 episode "Homer Alone" (which coincidentally happens to be on FXX right now as I'm writing this).

7. Arab Strap

In the spoken word track "The First Big Weekend" by Scottish duo Arab Strap, vocalist Aidan Moffat briefly mentions watching the Simpsons on a Sunday afternoon. Though he doesn't say exactly what episode he was watching, he does say that "It was a really good episode about love always ending in tragedy except, of course, for Marge and Homer," which to me sounds like the season 6 episode "Another Simpsons Clip Show."

Tags

Fall Out Boy, Primus, Les claypool, Yo La Tengo, The simpsons