Progressive metal band
The Nimrods are know for their technicality and instrumental prowess.They are also one of the most successful bands out there.But at one point they weren't so progressive.This part of their Bio is those years.
The Nimrods started as jamming between two people.Founding members
Jimmy Him and Davey Matlock.Jimmy Him born as James David Hetestein is a mix between one half Finnish,one quarter Swedish,and one quarter Polish.He speaks Finnish and Swedish fluently,both being spoken in Finland,however he cannot speak or understand Polish.He was born in Berkeley,California to Johan and Maria Hetestein who changed their names to John and Mary when they immigrated to America when Jimmy was born.Jimmy was born on August 10,1985.Davey was born in Helsinki,Finland to two Finnish parents.He speaks Finnish and Swedish fluently like Jimmy, they usually converse in Swedish in public.He was born on March 10,1985.He moved to America with his parents when he was 4 to San Fransisco,California for a few months before they moved to Berkeley where he met Jimmy in pre-school.Jimmy actually already had friends and only spoke to Davey because Davey had no knowledge of English yet.Their friendship grew and by the time they were in Kindergarten they were best friends.
During 5th grade Jimmy and Davey started listening to Jimmy's dad's Iggy Pop records which gave them their first taste of punk.They decided to start playing Stooges covers together,both playing guitar.Jimmy and Davey's fathers even played in a jazz band together.When they were in 8th grade,Davey started bass so they could actually play their own songs they began writing.At that point it was 1998 so they were mainly playing underground hardcore from the area which they heard by sneaking into punk clubs,Davey was already very tall so it wasn't too hard.At this point they also got into another southern California fad,Marijuana,and lots of it.According to Jimmy Him "In late summer of 1998,3 things happened.We saw our first live show,I turned 13,and we got our first bong." The guys joined the after school jazz band so they could have an excuse to bring their instruments to school, then skip and get stoned and play music.This was also their early signs of progressiveness,playing jazz after school.They also started jamming with some friends from school,starting several failed projects.
When they went to 9th grade something amazing happened.They discovered the band
Brain Laceration.What was so important about this band was 1.They were local celebrities with their first RP selling 5,000 copies and 2.It had the man who is revered as a virtuoso on the drums today
Kit Saunders.
Ketih(Usually just said as Keith though it is actually Keh-Tih) "Kit" Saunders is the son of German and Finnish parents born on May 8,1983.He was born in Berkeley and actually picked on Jimmy in elementary school.Kit was famous around their high school for his frequent use of speed and his erratic behavior.He was known to get into fights,dive into crowd,knock over his kit at the end of sets,and drink hard liquor like water.However,behind the kit his was only brilliance.One Friday night,after a Brain Laceration show, Jimmy and Davey were smoking with the band backstage (one of their failed projects opened for them).This was in 1999, Kit decided to give them some speed.This led to erratic behavior between the two and they often would sneak out and skipped even more to get high.However their relationship with Brain Laceration got bigger and Davey actually joined the band (Jimmy couldn't but he helped write lots of songs) they made and EP and even a demo in 2000.
Brain Laceration video from 2000 Davey is blond and on bass with aggressive lines already, Kit is well behind the Kit.The band was very successful and eventually Jimmy and Davey decided to make a band together offering Kit to join as well.He did, this was the birth of The Nimrods.At first Kit was a session musician but BL broke up so The Nimrods were finally together as they are now.The first demo they did together was very well received and they began gigging around the bay area,making lots of progress in the west in general.Eventually they turned to a grungy sound which was too well received until their first record.
Early Nimrods grunge song Jimmy's vocals were tortured,bit too much meth that night.The Nimrods began to hone their sound,also gaining a fan base,they were an established band getting larger and beginning to tour the east.That's all for now.
