THEORY OF A DEADMAN's TYLER CONNOLLY Says Idea For Informal Name Change To THEORY 'Came From The Record Label'

In a new interview with The Logan Show, THEORY OF A DEADMAN frontman Tyler Connolly spoke about the Canadian rockers' decision a few years ago to undergo an informal name change, shortening it to THEORY, before eventually returning to their original moniker. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It originally came from the label. They were trying to work a song in 2008 to Hot AC [Adult Contemporary radio] and pop [radio], and they're, like, 'We're having problems. They don't like the 'Deadman'.' I can remember when THE KILLERS came out in, like, 2002, people didn't wanna play their songs, even on rock, because it was, like, 'THE KILLERS? Wow, that's too much.' You're, like, 'What? So, we said, 'No.' We're, like, 'No way, man.' And we were still able to get a bunch of radio play, but honestly, it came from, for me, just interacting with people that didn't know the band, and I found it was very difficult for them to remember the name. So I would, like, get my hair cut somewhere or be in an Uber. 'What do you do?' 'I play in a band.' 'What's your band called?' 'THEORY OF A DEADMAN.' They're, like, 'THEORY of what? THEORY of what?' 'THEORY OF A DEADMAN.' 'Oh, okay.' And by the end of the trip, he's, like, 'I'm gonna go check your band out. MADMAN, THEORY OF MAD. What was it called?' I'm, like, 'Yeah.' So you just say 'THEORY', and that's it. That's it. And then so you just go check out THEORY and then they go Google 'THEORY band' and we pop up. So that was, honestly, what we finally rolled over, that idea."

THEORY OF A DEADMAN's new EP, "Part 1: Funeral Songs", is set for release on September 4, 2026 via ONErpm.

THEORY OF A DEADMAN has carved out its own lane as one of modern rock's most unapologetic forces, racking up multi-platinum hits, chart-topping albums, and sold-out shows worldwide. Blending witty, candid songwriting with undeniable riffs and massive melodic hooks, the Canadian quartet has built a career defined by both attitude and staying power. From fan favorites like "Santa Monica" to gold-certified hit "All Or Nothing", platinum singles "Hate My Life" and "Bitch Came Back", and the double-platinum "Not Meant To Be", the band has delivered a steady stream of rock staples. They've landed twelve Top 10 hits on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart, including four No. 1 singles: "Bad Girlfriend", "Lowlife", "History Of Violence" and "Rx (Medicate)". The latter stands as the biggest hit of their career, earning a nomination for "Rock Song Of The Year" at the iHeartRadio Music Awards. Along the way, THEORY OF A DEADMAN has achieved two Top 10 debuts on the Billboard 200, four Top 5 debuts on the Canadian Albums chart, and multiple Juno Award nominations, while drawing praise from outlets including American Songwriter, Billboard and Classic Rock magazine.

THEORY OF A DEADMAN recently announced "The Dead / Seven Tour" alongside fellow heavyweights SEVENDUST. The tour is scheduled to kick off on August 7 in Duluth, Minnesota and run through September 29, where it ends in Bozeman, Montana. Along the way, it will make stops in Fargo, North Dakota (August 11),Detroit, Michigan (August 23),Atlanta, Georgia (September 5),Corpus Christi, Texas (September 12),and Riverside, California (September 20) to name a few.

THEORY OF A DEADMAN is:

Tyler Connolly - Vocals, Guitars, Keys
Dean Back - Bass
Dave Brenner - Guitar
Joe Dandeneau - Drums, Vocals

Photo credit: Sean McGee