From the tongue-in-cheek satire of a girl group caught in a music industry scandal, to the awful yet charming local Pawnee band, Mouse Rat, countless fictional bands have been gracing our television and movie screens. While they may be every bit as real in our hearts, these bands are simply just part of a very clever storyline. Here are a few of our favorite make-believe bands that we just want to believe are real.
by: Shannon Kurlander
1. Josie and the Pussycats – Josie and the Pussycats
Go back and watch this movie now! Josie and the Pussycats, based loosely off the ’70s t.v. cartoon, was a truly wonderful film adaptation starring Rachel Leigh Cook, Rosario Dawson and Tara Reid as Josie and the Pussycats. This movie hilariously pokes fun at the music industry and the fictional girl group actually had some killer 2000′s pop music.
2. Sex Bob-omb – Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
“We are Sex Bob-omb and we’re here to make you think about death and get sad and stuff!”
Based off the Scott Pilgrim comic books, the film finds this “average” band competiting in a very deadly battle of the bands. Truth be told Beck was behind the songs for the film adaptation…so much for average.
3. Jem and the Holograms – Jem & The Holograms
This ’80s cartoon series is the colorfully painted world of music company owner Jerrica Benton and her alter ego Jem, lead singer of Jem and the Holograms. We so wish we could be in this girl band (mostly for the wardrobe). Did we mention they are making a live-action movie?
4. The School of Rock – School of Rock
“God of Rock, thank you for this chance to kick ass. We are your humble servants. Please give us the power to blow people’s minds with our high voltage rock. In your name we pray, Amen.”
School of Rock is still one of the most endearing and hysterical movies about the power of music in children’s lives. For those who watched it as kids, we all remember wishing we were in Mr. Schneebly’s class and rock gods on the final performance stage.
5. Stillwater – Almost Famous
The fictional and dysfunctional ’70s band Stillwater, of Almost Famous, reminded us of the days when classic rock band members were gods and the music had some sort of magical power. Stillwater represented this iconic type of rock band that really doesn’t exist anymore…although we wish they did.
6. Mouse Rat – Parks and Recreation
Everyone’s favorite Parks and Recreation goofball may work as a city employee but if you asked him, he would say “rockstar:. His band Mouse Rat was big on the Pawnee circuit perhaps due to Andy’s prolific lyrics (see: “5,000 Candles In The Wind”).
