Joy Division

First of all: it's stretching a point somewhat to describe Joy Division as a "Macclesfield band".

The town's main association with the band – and I'll not deny that it's a notable one – is that it was the home of singer Ian Curtis, and it was in the kitchen of his Macclesfield home that he took his own life in 1980. Curtis grew up in the town, although he was born in Stretford Memorial Hospital (which, for the benefit of our far–flung readers, does not serve Macclesfield). He'd been a fan of the band's early gigs, and responded to their advert for a singer in Virgin Records, Manchester, after their original vocalist chose to get a factory job.

One member of Joy Division was actually born in Macclesfield. The drummer, Stephen Morris, had known Curtis at school and answered an advertisement in a music shop window after the band sacked their second drummer, Steve Brotherdale.

So two of the four principal members of Joy Division had strong connections with Macclesfield. But its two founder members, Bernard Sumner and Peter Hook, were both from Salford, and that's where the band was formed (according to Wikipedia). (They famously formed the band after seeing the Sex Pistols at the Lesser Free Trade Hall in Manchester.) The record label with which they finally settled, Factory, was based in Manchester. No doubt someone can tell me how often Joy Division played live in Macclesfield – but I'm guessing it was never their main stomping ground.

And secondly: I don't think the band ever actually "used" the name Stiff Kittens. According to Wikipedia this was a name that was suggested by either Pete Shelley, the frontman of Buzzcocks (another Manchester–based punk band) or that band's manager, Richard Boon; but there is no evidence (not on Wikipedia, anyway) that Sumner, Hook or any of their bandmates were at all impressed. Who knows how many other names were suggested, and rejected?

In the words of Wikipedia, "the band settled on Warsaw shortly before their first gig [in May 1977 – ] a reference to David Bowie's song Warszawa."

Warsaw recorded their debut EP, An Ideal for Living, on 14 December 1977, but around this time they were made aware that there was a punk band in London called Warsaw Pakt. Salford/Manchester/Macclesfield's Warsaw decided they needed a new name; they played their final gig as Warsaw on New Year's Eve 1977 (at the Swinging Apple in Liverpool). Their first gig as Joy Division was on 25 January 1978, at Pip's Disco in Manchester. (It was advertised as Warsaw to ensure an audience.)

You would probably have to accept "Stiff Kittens" as an answer to the MQL question, because that name has since come into the public domain. But that's being kind to anyone who offered this, as they'd just be showing off.