Why Did These Rock Veterans Name Their Band Missoula?

Multiple times a week, I receive messages from our friend Shawn (host of the Rockstar Radio Show). He always seems to be on a quest to find the end of the internet. Especially when it comes to music news. I was beside myself when I saw a message from Shawn talking about a new band that shares a familiar name. A band named Missoula had just released its debut single, Crimson.

I quickly clicked through to verify all core information and learned that this is an instrumental rock project founded by two famous veteran rock musicians with long careers in the industry. I'm talking about Brooks Wackerman, who has served as the drummer for Avenged Sevenfold and Bad Religion, and John Konesky, whose resume includes producer and guitarist for Tenacious D. Yeah, Jack Black's band.

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Missoula's first full-length album, Death Doula, will be officially released later this month on June 26th.

After combing through all official promotional materials, I found no official explanation from the band for their choice of name. I could not help but raise the core question to myself: why Missoula? I came up with four possible guesses: either the two founders had visited the southwest Montana region, they had once performed a show in Missoula, they picked the name at random by pointing at a map, or they both are fans of the Salish language.

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Some of us may remember there is a chain of nightclubs in the UK that shares our name too. In fact, the internet almost broke in Missoula, MT when reports of Justin Bieber being spotted at Missoula "in Scotland" were released on the internet.

Read More: Justin Beiber in Missoula or Local Bieber Freaks Can’t Read Maps?

Whether the band's name was inspired by Missoula, Montana or not, I have to admit it's pretty cool seeing our hometown show up in unexpected places.

Karl Walter/Getty Images for Coachella

And if Brooks Wackerman or John Konesky ever explains where the name came from, you can bet I'll be paying attention.

Because right now, I think every rock fan in Missoula is wondering the exact same thing.