The Bottoms were born when Jason Rhein, frontman of the early-2000s New Orleans psych-indie outfit Rotary Downs, stepped back on stage for a reunion show and felt the old fire reignite. A week later he met drummer Eric Nelson; together they recruited bassist Charles Depret, keyboardist-vocalist Michael Girardot (a Revivalists touring member) and lead guitarist Eric Nichelson of Midlake — five veterans with decades of combined stagecraft and a shared love of big, catchy, harmony-drenched rock.
The singles have come fast: “10,000 Miles,” the Nirvana-tinged wall of sound “Running In Mud,” “Incarnadine” (with guest vocalist Tif Lamson), “Pictures of a Life,” and 2025's “One In A Million” — a jangly, Liz Phair-inspired anthem with an a cappella breakdown that lets Rhein's three-part harmonies fly unaccompanied. DIY-recorded between Nelson's Stu Stu Studio and Rhein's garage and mixed by Paul Alexander, the tracks balance scruffy authenticity with radio-ready polish.
Live, The Bottoms have played The Broadside, Siberia and BJ's Lounge, bringing a veteran's chemistry to every set. As one writeup put it: they aren't simply making a comeback — they're here to steal the damn show.
