Cocteau Twins: Origin of the name

[fredofla]

a friend has inquired:

According to allmusic.com the Cocteau Twins got their name from an obscure song by Simple Minds. I always assumed-but had never read anywhere-that their name was a tribute to the french poet/novelist/film maker/etc.. Jean Cocteau. I couldn't find a listing for a Simple Minds song with "Cocteau" in the title, but perhaps it was in the lyrics somewhere? Is the Simple Minds song a reference to Jean Cocteau?

Any information on the origin of the Cocteau Twins' name would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

[mmmender]

That fun-loving Robin Guthrie has said misleading things about it in some interviews, but the actual truth is that it was the name of an early song by fellow Scotts Simple Minds. There is no Simple Minds song called "Cocteau Twins" however the name comes from the first Simple Minds album, "Life In a Day", and goes by the title "No Cure". To hear the "cocteau twins" clip for yourself just follow the link below. the stories i've heard on the simple minds source for the name do indeed stem from jean cocteau....apparently there were these two young homosexual boys who were really into the works of cocteau and they were coined "the cocteau twins".....again, this bit is hearsay.

Download the song:

http://www.cocteautwins.org/~leesa/cocteautwins/multifoiled/sminds.mp3 (http://www.cocteautwins.org/%7Eleesa/cocteautwins/multifoiled/sminds.mp3)

[willy]

Originally posted by mmmender
That fun-loving Robin Guthrie has said misleading things about it in some interviews, but the actual truth is that it was the name of an early song by fellow Scotts Simple Minds. There is no Simple Minds song called "Cocteau Twins" however the name comes from the first Simple Minds album, "Life In a Day", and goes by the title "No Cure". To hear the "cocteau twins" clip for yourself just follow the link below. the stories i've heard on the simple minds source for the name do indeed stem from jean cocteau....apparently there were these two young homosexual boys who were really into the works of cocteau and they were coined "the cocteau twins".....again, this bit is hearsay.

http://ns.phaet.com/~leesa/cocteautwins/multifoiled/sminds.mp3


When did Hearsay record their version?

[mmmender]

come again?

[willy]

You said "...again, this bit is hearsay.

http://ns.phaet.com/~leesa/cocteaut...iled/sminds.mp3"

When did Hearsay record their version?
Hearsay were a recent UK 'pop group' who... oh look just ignore me, another of my jokes has fallen flat!

[mmmender]

ah ok
well your fine humour was wasted on me as i'm unfamiliar with the band hearsay! sorry.

[dprid]

Originally posted by mmmender
ah ok
well your fine humour was wasted on me as i'm unfamiliar with the band hearsay! sorry.

Think yourself lucky :D