An in-joke which has been known for a while is the one about the various music promoters: http://dragaera.info/mailinglists/archive.cgi/1/1569 However, while reading the scene where Vlad is attending the musical entertainment for the Empress, I noticed that the names looked a bit familiar there as well. I realized that since Aibynn is Robin "Adnan" Anders, and Robin is a member of Boiled in Lead, the other members of Aibynn's band might well be Tuckerisms for that band as well So I pulled down my copy of /From the Ladle to the Grave/, and read the artist names, and the correspondence appears to be as follows: Aibynn == Robin "Adnan" Anders Thoddi == Todd Menton Dav-Hoel == David Stens-hoel Andler == Drew Miller It is my hope that if I am mistaken in any of the details and particulars, Steve will be so kind as to point it out.