Newly formed Las Vegas based rock band Níkolī (pronounced ni-kōh-lie) has an impressive stack of music slated to be released in 2022 and early 2023.
We recently had the opportunity to sit down with Kory Brown (Agent-K), lead vocalist and guitarist and get some background on the band and their music. The songs are heavy, yet radio friendly with a modern flair. Their debut single, Bad One Tonight, is scheduled to be released on August 26th. It’s a hard, driving song with a lot of character and a hint of southern charm. Simply put, it rocks! Their unreleased catalog is full of tunes with big riffs and catchy hooks from songs like Bullets, to Come A Little Closer and Rise Up.
Here’s my Q&A with Agent-K.
Q: How did the band form?
Agent-K: “We had been playing together since November 2021 in another band. While on tour back in March and April we really started developing a special chemistry between the three of us. During the course of the tour we had written a couple of songs in our hotel room that we felt were really catchy. We parted ways with the other member in Texas while still out on tour. On the way back to Vegas (with 20 hrs to kill) we decided to form a new band and made a commitment to get a few more songs written to see if we could release a few singles with eventually enough material for a full length album. We had 60 shows together so we sort of knew each other’s styles and strengths. For several weeks we were just cranking out one to two songs a week. It was amazing.”
Q: How did you come up with the name Níkolī?
Agent-K: “We must have thrown out names for several hours driving across New Mexico. We stopped and grabbed a late dinner in Albuquerque and while we were there we started talking about science topics and different meanings behind the elements. We ended up slamming Níkolī together from the periodic table. It was late and we were clearly delusional at that point.”
Q: So Níkolī has a deeper meaning?
Agent-K: “Yes. Ni is the periodic element for nickel which is commonly used in the creation of alloys. K stands for potassium which is important in foods for maintaining balance. O is for oxygen which is necessary to sustain life. Finally, Li is for lithium which is a power source. Níkolī literally stands for creating balance and sustaining life with the power of our music. Plus, we thought it sounded cool."
Q: How would you classify Níkolī’s sound?
Agent-K: “We are definitely a modern, hard rock band. The band has a love for old school classic rock but we really want to stay on top of current trends with our writing while at the same time paying respect to our influences. I feel like several of our songs could crossover into other genres as well though. Bad One Tonight is a good example, we have received great feedback from several country rock reviews and are looking forward to getting some air play on several country stations. We’ll take some labels as southern rock, modern rock and even pop rock but please no 80’s hair band comparisons. Ha!”
Q: Are there plans to bring in other band members or will Níkolī remain a three piece band?
Agent-K: “We are open to it for sure but it has to be a solid fit with a solid character behind the person. For now it will remain a 3 piece.”
Q: Is Níkolī currently signed with a label?
Agent-K: “Not at the moment. We’ve been in talks with one but are in no rush to sign away music we have already created. I think the first album will be self promoted and remain independent. But who knows. I guess we will see after a release or two if the interest grows.”
Q: Are there any upcoming shows or plans for a tour?
Agent-K: “We haven’t pursued live shows until we have a product to promote. After Bad One Tonight is released we will start booking. As far as a tour, I don’t want to jump the boat on that. Nothing worse than traveling all over the country to play to the local sound engineer. We plan on growing locally and regionally first, building a home base. If you can’t pack your local venue you have no business out on the road.”
Q: Where do you see Níkolī in 4-5 years?
Agent-K: “I hope still writing music and enjoying the process and performance behind it. I love playing with Natty and Cory so I don’t see that changing. If the fans love it and people are still listening to it, I plan to still be grinding away.”
Q: Introduce us to the other members of the band.
Agent-K: “Níkolī’s other members include Cory Kay (bass) and Nathaniel Welch (drums). They are very solid musicians and each bring a defining passion and creative element to the band’s sound and playing style. Cory and Natty have been instrumental in the writing and refinement process for the current songs. They really add a lot of creativity to everything we are doing. We are all equally creative when it comes to hammering out a new song.”
It’s hard not to appreciate the drive behind what the band is working towards. A lot of bands start with a level of excitement that slowly diminishes over time leaving them undiscovered and uninspired to continue. Bands struggling to find exposure tend to change their formula over and over and deviate from their original passion. That will not be Níkolī’s fate. They have something special that will surely garner a lot of attention. Give them a shot and take a listen to their upcoming release. You won’t be disappointed.
