KICKED IN THA NUTZ ASKS FANS TO STOP COMBINING BAND NAME, MEMBER NAMES

MOLINE, IL - One of the great unwritten traditions of hardcore is the nicknaming of band members with their band’s name.  Mention 25 Ta Life vocalist Rick Healy by his given name, and most fans would respond with a blank stare, but “Rick Ta Life” is instantly recognized.  Earth Crisis’s Karl Buechner would easily answer to “Karl Crisis” across a crowded room.  It’s a mark of a band as a family of members, and a united crew.

But a few bands are asking fans to stop, and Moline hardcore act Kicked In Tha Nutz is leading the charge.  “It’s like… how many times a day can you hear ‘Rob in the Nutz’ before you wanna punch a fuckin’ wall?” asks guitarist and founder Rob Scarpetti.  “What’s worse, every dumbass who says it seems to have to imitate the ‘makin’ copies’ guy from Saturday Night Live.  ‘Robbin’ tha nuuuuuuutz!’  It’s a fuckin’ drag, man.”

“We started the band with this name, trying to acknowledge the universal struggle of life taking a low blow while you’re just tryna survive.  We knew some people would take it the wrong way,” acknowledged bassist Carrie Werther.  “But we didn’t know that every dumb punk kid was just a dad joke dispenser waiting to happen.  And if one more ‘woke’ dude slides into my DM’s with some line about ‘I bet you like to Carrie tha nutz,’ I’m gonna start busting some heads.”

“I’m the first to admit, Rob and Carrie have it worse than me,” says vocalist Bo Fallon.  “My problem is, not everyone comes up with a ‘bofa’ joke, but every fuckin’ person who does thinks they’re the first one on earth to do it.  You’re not!  You’re a moron!  What is your problem?  Of course, I can’t say that to a fan.  It really fucks up merch sales when you start melting down on people.”

Drummer Holden Smith declined comment for this article.

​- Keith Bergman