The reaction to the first edition was considerable, with more than 50 radio interviews, seven national TV features, more than 15 paper/magazine articles, a number of glowing reviews and two newspaper serialisations. Plus the work was picked up by a direct-marketing book club.

John Peel: “It’s absolutely indispensable – it should always be in print.”

Jono Coleman: "The sort of book which should be re-published and re-read every few years… like Halliwell's - an absolute goldmine!"
 

From the reviews

"The A-Z shows there are plenty of bizarre tales behind names: would The
Beatles have dominated the sixties as Johnny and the Moondogs? Would Bryan
Ferry have seemed as sophisticated fronting The Gas Board rather than Roxy
Music? And would Mel B have been as scary singing in The Sugar Girls?" -
Adrian Thrills, Daily Mail.

"Completely fascinating and bizarre." - Michael Hellicar, Daily Star.

"In a song called Jackson, Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazlewood confirmed their
love was hotter than a "pepper sprout". Mishearing it. Paddy McAloon took
the name and called his group Prefab Spout. From such legends do the facts
in this book emerge." - John Clarke, The Times.

"An enjoyable exploration of pop nomenclature. Beech reveals that William
Burroughs was a fertile source of band names from Steely Dan to Thin White
Rope (don't ask)." - Christopher Hurst, The Independent.

"Where did you get your name/" is the question all bands grow to hate.
Interesting, amusing and occasionally startling: beware of K for Korn!" -
Carol Clerk, Uncut.

"We should be extremely grateful to Mark Beech. the only way to find out the
origin of the names of Steely Dan, the Lightning Seeds and Radiohead.." The
Tatler.

"A wide-ranging directory.. (Fave fact:) Madonna Louise Ciccone is an
anagram for Occasional Nude Income."  - Ruth Morris, Top magazine.

"Fascinating for trivia fans and members of pub quiz teams alike." - Sunday
Post.

"The book overall is absolutely compulsive - you've just got to look up your
favourite bands (and after that any old band you've heard of and eventually
all the others too)." - South Wales Argus.

"Intriguing. a flick through its pages reveal some fascinating finds. Did
you know, for instance, that Eric Clapton was born Eric Clapp? How about
Hitlerz Underpantz, precursor of Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark? A fun
book." - Manchester Evening News.

"Absolutely invaluable for music fans." - Robert Colbeck, Yorkshire Evening
Post.

"What's in a fame name? - Here's the way to find out. A book with 2,400
references - amazing research." - Birmingham Evening Mail.

"Invaluable, comprehensive - it will satisfy most fans of any era of pop
music. If it's charted, it's most certainly in here. Bang up to date too,
although as new bands come along there will obviously be regular updates." -
Lancashire Evening Post.

"Mark has done an immaculate job with this work which is a pub quizzer's
paradise in print." - John Philpott, Worcester Evening News.

"An alphabet of rock which covers everything from the obvious to the
obscure." - Evesham Journal.