10 Bands Who Had Terrible Names Before They Were Successful

10. Def Leppard

Well, where better to start than with the notoriously misspelt Def Leppard?

Don't worry, we're not suggesting the name "Deaf Leopard". Despite that being a suggestion at one point, the band was actually previously called Atomic Mass.

Atomic Mass formed in Tapton School, Sheffield in 1976 with Pete Doubleday on guitar, Rick Savage on bass and Tony Kenning on drums, with Pete Willis also joining on guitar, Andy Nicholas on bass and Nick Mackley on lead vocals.

A handful of other members came and went, before an 18-year-old Joe Elliott auditioned to become a guitarist following a chance meeting with Pete Willis after missing his bus. It was decided Elliott would become the band's vocalist instead, and he proposed a name change to Deaf Leopard - which he'd thought of when drawing band posters in art class.

Drummer Tony Kenning suggested a modification to Def Leppard so as to not be confused for a punk band, however he left the group abruptly before the recording of 'The Def Leppard E.P'.

A 15-year-old Rick Allen joined shortly thereafter and the band's big break came from 'Getcha Rocks Off' getting major airplay before debut album On Through the Night saw the outfit become one of the most polarising in rock.

Of course, what followed was more line-up changes as Phil Collen entered the fray, and seminal albums 'Pyromania' and 'Hysteria' sky-rocketed the band to success. Almost 40 years after their breakthrough, those spots haven't changed with Def Leppard remaining one of the biggest bands in rock!