History

Chapter One: Drummers

The Pearl Junior High sixth grade band in 1986 was divided into two class periods. Kevin Young was in one period, and Noby Nobriga and Rusty Spell were in the other. They were all drummers. Noby and Rusty had the same teacher in fifth grade and were in art class in the third grade, but for some reason they barely knew each other. They became friends during band, however, and during the year-end concert where the entire sixth grade band came together, Noby and Rusty met Kevin.

Seventh grade came, and the three were in drum class together, improving their musical skills. But eighth grade, 1989, is the year when everything for Noby, Rusty, and Kevin really began. These three are known for delving at least a little into every kind of art: music, literature, photography, painting, film, everything. They began making audio recordings this year, though not yet music. Kevin and Rusty made a short recording called "Noxipator Used Cars," but it was Noby and Rusty's the DUSKBUSTERS! which would later become important to the history of 'nikcuS.

Chapter Two: 'nikcuS

Kevin bought a drum set in 1990. All three had keyboards, and Kevin wanted to record some music he was working on. They did, and went on to record more songs with the keyboards and drum set, also singing. They had one or two of these full sessions, along with scattered recordings they were all making at the time, whether individually, just two of them, or whoever was around.

On the DUSKBUSTERS!, they aired a song and, during the break, Noby and Rusty wondered what to call this band. Noby came up with 'nikcuS. Eventually, Rusty compiled all of the songs onto one tape, made a cover for it, and they then realized they had accidentally created a band and an album.

Chapter Three: Heterogeneous

Noby and Rusty were ready to make another album later in 1990, but Kevin wasn't around much, even though they saw each other every day as the tenth graders they now were. So Noby and Rusty made some recordings without him. This album became known as Heterogeneous (finished New Year's Day 1991), which is now legendary, as only a few songs exist from it. Rusty stupidly let someone borrow the tape who never returned it. Luckily, Rusty had made a copy of the existing few songs onto a tape for friend and future 'nikcuSologist Tommy Burton.

Chapter Four: a Paradox

Noby and Rusty continue on with 'nikcuS, later in 1991. By this time two new bands have emerged. One was Kool-Aid MC with a Lemonade Spritzer, which came about when 'nikcuS took a break and let Kool-Aid MC with a Lemonade Spritzer and DJ Rhythm take over for a few songs. The other band was called Synthetic Fibers. It consisted of Nobriga and Spell recording keyboard instrumentals. Originally, Synthetic Fibers appeared alongside 'nikcuS songs on the albums, but as the years went on, they were eventually removed and given their own releases. The entire recording of a Paradox, the second album of 1991, still exists, though it and the remaining songs of Heterogeneous were eventually released on Volume I of the Leftovers series, since Noby and Rusty didn't feel that 'nikcuS was truly 'nikcuS without Kevin. The two 1991 albums were dismissed from the major catalog.

Chapter Five: Adlibbing

The complete 'nikcuS returned in 1992. After recording a handful of songs by themselves, Kevin joined Noby and Rusty again. This album also contains the only two guest artists to ever appear on a 'nikcuS album. Jason Pollan did a guest vocal on one song, and John Switzer -- who almost convinced 'nikcuS to do a show, something they said they just didn't do -- was a guest keyboardist.

Chapter Six: Graduates

In 1993, Noby, Rusty, and Kevin were graduating from Pearl High School. Appropriately, the album they finished one day after graduation was called Graduates.

Chapter Seven: Rockin'

Going off in three different directions after graduation didn't stop 'nikcuS from recording again in 1994. They met during Spring Break to record this one.

Chapter Eight: Plugged

After recording their 1995 album, Plugged, more spinoff bands emerged. Rusty Spell made a solo album and formed Love and Letters Music, Noby and Rusty got together with Tommy Burton to record a few songs under the name The Naked Donnas, and a new rap group DNS -- with MC Noby Dick and DJ Rus -- formed.

Chapter Nine: Surprise

Surprise was finished in January of 1996 and it ends the "classic" 'nikcuS period, as they would not release another album in over five years. In the meantime, N.obyie and RusLe formed Yo! MahmA, Rusty created The Mnemonic Devices, and Noby created The Noby Nobriga Project.

Chapter Ten: Favorites

The year 2000 was the ten year anniversary of 'nikcuS. The outtakes from all the 'nikcuS albums had been compiled into the Leftovers series, the main catalogue was cleaned up and finalized and put on CD, and the compilation Favorites was assembled to celebrate the ten years and to create a nice compilation for a band that seemed like it would never record again. In the same year, a new generation of musicians was introduced with The Ka-9's, consisting of Noby's niece Teynaum Bowen and her friend Nick Puckett.

Chapter Eleven: Produced

In August of 2000, after much success and hype on MP3.com, the radio, and other venues, 'nikcuS finally got together to record some songs. They teamed up for another session in March of 2001, this time with a four-track they bought with their MP3.com earnings, allowing 'nikcuS to be "produced" in a way it had never been before. The beauty of the album, however, was not in the production but in the adlib magic that had been with 'nikcuS from the beginning. Later this year, Tommy Burton made his first solo album and The Immaculate Conceptions formed with Rusty and Liza Marshall. Unfortunately for the music world, Produced would be 'nikcuS's last album.