In 1934, Everett Ruess, a young artist, poet and writer, set out alone into the Utah desert and was never seen or heard from again. One of the only clues to his disappearance was the word “NEMO”—a latin word meaning “no one”—inscribed on the wall of a cave.

In 1999, two of Nemo’s original lineup, Scott Avett and John Twomey, merged with Seth Avett, Noah Warner and Kenny Graham of Margo. The story of Everett Ruess and “NEMO” felt familiar to the five members, because in the music industry they were no one. They existed solely to serve their collective love of music, no matter what the cost. As Seth Avett attested, Nemo was “a band with more passion for music than they knew what to do with.”

Nemo’s raw sound drew from influences including early Soundgarden, Acid Bath and Doc Watson. Their loud and explosive performances throughout North Carolina ignited the spirits of those lucky enough to experience them. Yet, that which burns bright is the hardest to sustain. Nemo disbanded shortly after the release of Vol. 1 in 2001.

That brief period imprinted itself in the hearts and minds of many. Almost 15 years after the initial release, the “inexhaustible energy” and “abounding fun” of the music created by Kenny, Noah, John, Scott and Seth still resonates. The reissue of Vol. 1 attempts to honor that legacy, for a band that seemed unstoppable.