MIKE NICOLAI (backed by the RANK STRANGERS)

Austin MN 1985: First band Vile Standards recorded 6-song demo in choir room of local community college on borrowed 4-track reel-to-reel.

Minneapolis MN 1986-1994: Longed for new and better personality, changed last name to Fuller. Changed last name back to Nicolai. Played new band night at 7th St. Entry and a few shows opening for Gear Daddies, began to play regularly at the Entry, the Uptown and the 400 Bar, played shows with Aztec Camera, Jonathan Richman, Uncle Tupelo, The Pixies, fIREHOSE, The Jayhawks, Jawbreaker, Scruffy the Cat, Golden Smog and other notables of the late 80s-early 90s. Toured Midwest-South-East Coast in van. Played clean-up slot at SNL afterparty at Brownies in East Village NYC 1992. Woke up to police flashlights in face in Fort Wayne IN, watched as our host was cuffed and taken away. Our band left him T-shirt, CD, thank you note. Worked as line cook, dishwasher, convenience-store clerk, video-store clerk, janitor in movie theater. Moved to Austin TX 1994 with $200 and a crazy dream. ​

Austin TX 1994-1998: Toured Midwest in car. Played daytime festival in Sioux City, IA in between juggling unicyclist and Babes in Toyland. Became a father. Did voice over for short film by Phillip Harder which appeared on 2000 box-set release A Lifetime of Temporary Relief by the Duluth band Low. Wrote many songs quickly. Learned how to harmonize. Experienced a permanent expansion of horizons by living somewhere other than Minnesota for the first time. Worked as door guy and bartender in rock club. Played daytime SXSW set at Austin Convention Center in between a Tuvan throat singer and Lisa Loeb. Wrote the song "Catch You Alive" for the Austin band The Damnations, who released it on their Sire Records debut Half Mad Moon the following year.

Seattle WA, Portland OR, Austin, Minneapolis, Kansas City 1998-2010: Toured coast to coast as opening act for The Gourds. Joined Ramsay Midwood band first on rhythm guitar then on bass, toured Midwest on Hurricane Katrina Benefit Tour with Ramsay and Arlo Guthrie, Willie Nelson, Ramblin' Jack Elliot in December 2005. and the Southwest and Europe as a resident of "The Spooly Show" along with Ramsay, Kip Boardman and Tony Gilkyson. Toured solo and as a duo with various drummers, doing one-nighters on my own and as support for Vic Chesnutt, Spoon, Drive-by-Truckers, Jeff Tweedy, Neko Case and others. Sang backing vocals on two songs included on Gourds album Blood of the Ram 2003. Played bass in the Austin band Corrina Corrina. Released split 7" with Minneapolis folk performer Baby Grant Johnson 2001. Played a few shows in Austin backed by the Austin band Grand Champeen. Became married. Worked as door guy, bartender, line cook and in a coffee shop.

Austin, TX - St. Paul MN 2011-2018: Formed the group The Bremen Riot with the members of Grand Champeen, played some shows in Austin, TX. Played shows in Austin TX with backing bands The Sensations and The Stares. Worked as sound guy, house painter, construction lackey, line cook. Relocated to old stomping grounds of St. Paul MN in 2018 for an as yet undertermined amount of time, with $200 and a crazy dream. Currently playing shows, some solo, some with the Stares, and some backed by the Minneapolis band Rank Strangers.