Pere Ubu is the central character in a series of absurdist plays by Frenchman Alfred Jarry (1873-1907). "Pere" is French for "father." "Ubu" is the name of the character. The band was named Pere Ubu because:

• It seemed like a good idea at the time

• The name looked good, sounded good, had 3 syllables, and wasn't likely to mean much of anything to anyone

• Jarry's production ideas called for engaging the audience's imagination in the creative process. He used masks, his characters spoke in a monotone & placards were used to set scenes. For example, when an army crossed a river, a placard was set on stage reading, "Polish Army Crosses Such-&-Such River," as one person walked across the stage.

All of this appealed to people who grew up listening to other people talk on transistorized radio receiver devices about UFOs & personal problems.

How do you say what?