Behind the Band Name: Steppenwolf

Literature and nature are at the origins of the band name Steppenwolf. As one of the most popular psychedelic rock bands to come out of the late 1960s and early 1970s, Steppenwolf made a statement with hits like “Born to Be Wild” and “Magic Carpet Ride.”

However, the band may have been known by a different name had it not been for Gabriel Mekler, who produced their first five albums.

Below, we look at the history of the band name Steppenwolf.

Meaning Behind the Band Name

The band Steppenwolf was formed in 1967 by lead singer John Kay, drummer Jerry Edmonton and keyboardist Goldy McJohn, all of whom were previously part of a band known as the Sparrows, and were soon joined by guitarists Michael Monarch and Rushton Moreve that same year.

The name Steppenwolf derives from the 1927 novel, Steppenwolf, by German author Hermann Hesse, which captures his struggle with isolation and spirituality at the time. The novel takes its name from the German word for steppe wolf, a species of grey wolves that live near the Caspian Sea. Steppenwolf’s producer Gabriel Mekler was the one who had read Hesse’s book and suggested the band name.

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“Steppenwolf was originally a book written by Herman Hesse (a German author), and it was a book I was totally unfamiliar with when the band that became Steppenwolf was in its infancy,” Kay explains in an archived interview on the Steppenwolf website. “The young man who lived next door to where Steppenwolf started to rehearse (by the name of Gabriel Mekler, born and raised in Israel), he had read the book.

“When it came time to put a name on the demo box that was going to go to the first label, he said, ‘Well, what is the band called?’ and aside from the obvious joke names and other obscene suggestions which were not marketable, he finally said, ‘Well look, how about Steppenwolf?’” Kay continues. “‘I think it’s a word that looks good in print, and it denotes a certain degree of mystery and power and you guys are kind of rough and ready types.”‘

Single Success

The name stuck, and Steppenwolf recorded 13 albums to date between the original lineup and various iterations over the years, including John Kay & Steppenwolf. Their 1968 self-titled debut launched them into stardom, as it featured two of their biggest hits, “Born to Be Wild” and “The Pusher.” Their sophomore endeavor, The Second, brought the band to new heights with the hit single “Magic Carpet Ride.” The song peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and held steady on the chart for 16 weeks. They kept the single success going with “Rock Me” released in 1969 off their third album, At Your Birthday Party.

Disbanding, Reuniting, and Disbanding Again

For Ladies Only, released in 1971, was the final album to be released under the original formation, as Steppenwolf disbanded in 1972, following a farewell concert in Los Angeles in February. However, Kay, Edmonton, and McJohn reunited in 1974 with former guitarist George Biondo and new guitarist Bobby Cochran, nephew of Eddie Cochran. But the group disbanded again in 1976, with various reunions taking place ever since.

Kay is the only remaining member of the original lineup to still be performing with Steppenwolf. In 2018, “Born to Be Wild” was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s list of Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll.

Photo of Steppenwolf by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images