[UPDATED With a Comment From the Real Echo Echo] Echo Echo May Have Some Competition From James Mercer's Fictional Band

Portlandia/IFC

​Steve Carson, Echo Echo's frontman, said the band was well aware of the show using their  name. In a phone interview he said, "The producers of the show contacted us to asked permission to use our band name last year and permission was granted.  I'm not sure if they are planning on featuring the "supergroup" Echo Echo again but if they do that's fine by us.  It's bringing extra traffic to our sites and possible sales to iTunes... We've actually had quite a few comments from Portlandia fans stoked to find out that there is an actual band called Echo Echo."

The real Echo Echo formed in 2003 under the name Steve Carson Band, because Carson was the primary singer/songwriter. As they evolved, the band decided to change their name by drawing words out of a hat. When two band members drew the word "Echo" at the same time, it was a done deal. The band is currently promoting its latest EP, Dripping From The Undercoat, and will be performing at DPS Event Production's Backstage event with Alex Mercier on Feb. 9.

So what if Mercer, Meloy and Tucker do start a band using their name? "That would be very strange," Carson allows.

Original post, Jan. 30, 2012, 10:44 a.m.: Should the Santa Ana indie rockers be worried? Spinner reports that another band called Echo Echo--made up of James Mercer of the Shins, Colin Meloy of the Decemberists and Corin Tucker formerly of Sleater-Kinney--appeared on the IFC show Portlandia in a comedy skit called "Deuce Hotel."

It's not actually a real band, and James Mercer told Spinner that they never talked about performing together for real. "We kind of just got through it. It's strange for us being filmed and stuff. We had fun hanging out and stuff, but we never talked about starting a band," he said.

But apparently, it's a marginal possibility; he added: "See, now I'm starting to think about, we've got to do this..." Watch the "Deuce Hotel" skit--which makes fun of boutique hotels like Ace Hotel below. Like Heard Mentality on Facebook and follow us on Twitter at @ocweeklymusic!