nymb - So, This Is How It Is *Pre-Order

Release Date Friday 18th September 2026
All pre-orders will be dispatched/made ready for collection on that day.

In 1993, two teenagers - James "Jamie" Zoeller from Northern Virginia and
Elaine Bradley (then Doty) from the Louisville suburbs of southern Indiana -
found themselves uprooted and relocated to Crystal Lake, Illinois
Jamie was a sophomore and Elaine a freshman, when they met in band class. An
instant friendship formed, fueled by a shared plan to start a rock band.

While Jamie took up guitar, Elaine (who owned a drum set but harbored ambitions to
be the frontwoman) reluctantly took on the dual role of drummer and vocalist. They
enlisted friends Chad Price on bass and Adam Kaczmarek on guitar and named the
project nymb, a stylized nod to the film The Secret of NIMH.

They were fans of the larger alternative acts of the day, bands like Smashing
Pumpkins, Nirvana, Radiohead, the Breeders. Their first official show took place in
Jamie's backyard in May 1994. They practiced a lot, wrote their own songs, and selfreleased two cassette tapes while still in high school.

For the next two years, nymb became a staple of the local DIY scene, playing
anywhere they could: garages, backyards, high school parties, rotary buildings, and
city events. In 1996, the dynamic shifted. Ben Kane from nearby Lake Zurich joined the band on drums, and Elaine was able to move to vocals and eventually guitar. They
eventually solidified their lineup with the addition of Ben's former Apple Smax
bandmate Cory Verblen on bass and became a relentless touring machine before Cory
eventually handed bass duties over to Nathan Snydacker.

As they aged, their musical tastes evolved and they gained experience seeing and
playing alongside local bands from Chicago's punk and early emo scene. Drawing
deep influence from the textured dynamics of Hum and the raw emotionality of Sunny Day Real Estate and Braid, nymb became a staple of the late-90s Chicago scene. Their live shows - celebrated for being both physically and emotionally charged - saw them sharing stages with heavyweights like Cursive, Jets to Brazil, and Hey Mercedes.

Before disbanding in August of 2001 after a raucous farewell show at the Fireside
Bowl, nymb left behind a rich discography of demos, EPs, and two full-length albums.

So, This Is How It Is is nymb's first full-length album, back in print for the first time in
decades and includes two additional tracks recorded during the same session with
Jeremy Lemos that originally appeared as b-sides to The Breathing Out Vapors Single.
The album was remastered by Carl Saff and the original art was updated and adapted
for vinyl by Wall of Youth.

Tracklist:
Breathing Out Vapors 
(Inhaling Fumes) 
Fives On The Whiskey
 If Only Rock and Roll Would Date Me 
Finally Fine 
20 Mobiles For Gazing 
I, The Fool  
Big Thick Skin 
Gesundheit = Bon Voyage 
Need For Attention 
Timeline 
12 
Show Me Home

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