Why do people use first names when they talk about their favourite artists? Eg. Eric plays a mean guitar, Linda sounds wonderful, etc.
Nobody says William wrote a great drama, or Graham was a great spy novelist…
Why?
I find the faux familiarity irritating 
8 Likes
I agree with you.
I think it’s a British thing. I noticed the same on the F1 thread. Everyone British is taking about Lewis and Max, most people from other countries talk about Hamilton and Verstappen.
I was thinking about that as I posted about Linda. But it’s just what we do at least in the U.S. Arguably more for women: Joni, Emmylou, Dolly, Janis, Taylor. It may be how they are presented on the media.
Of course the Beatles were John, Paul, George, and Ringo.
1 Like
Well. @castalla I’m pretty sure these artists are more than happy about people talking about them regardless whether first name or surname.
3 Likes
Eric who? Is probably the best response to this if it irritates you.
5 Likes
There needs to be some context, or it may not be clear, to those who don’t know…
John, Paul, George & Ringo are fine - if its clearly something about The Beatles - although Ringo always works…!!
Eric, Jeff & Jimmy - fine if its about The Yardbirds…
Context. Is Everything.
2 Likes
My old maths’ teacher objected to cricketers being just called by their surname; I.e. Boycott. I suppose it’s about familiarity, association and wanting to relate closely to a person, albeit you may never meet them. I prefer a more respectful approach.
2 Likes
But then we’d have missed:
“The bowler’s Holding; the batsman’s Willey.”
13 Likes
Well, it’s not Eric Idle
I haven’t come across that at all. Most often it’s full name, otherwise Hendrix, Clapton etc. I’m guessing in some thread I’ve not read here
2 Likes
This seems to be a very strange thing to find irritating, indeed there must be few things less irritating. Maybe the answer is only to like artists with one name: Adele, Prince, Morrissey…
2 Likes
If they actually know the person - rare - it comes across as name dropping.
If they don’t, then it’s a kind of unearned intimacy with someone they admire.
If someone mentions ‘Mozart’, I usually say “Wolfie or Leo?” - just to be an awkward so and so…
5 Likes
Maybe it is part of the English speakers’ culture? Wherever I go in Japan, Germany, Switzerland, etc. I see people always addressing each other using surnames.
1 Like
I think it should already be clear from the responses here that it is not normal British culture (and of course it could hardly be a function of language). I think it is just a small minority of people.
@castalla where did you come across this, that it riled you enough to open a thread on it? Was it in some other thread here?
By contrast, in the late 80s, I remember giggling at the idea of (for some reason) Chaka Demus and Pliers going to the bank for a loan and meeting the manager:
“Ah, Mr Demus, good morning. And you must be Mr Pliers”