Yeah, sure, Dayton (a.k.a. “The Gem City”) may be the birthplace of aviation, but more importantly it’s the home of Nick Kizirnis. 97X fans know Nick from his “landlocked instrumental surf trio” The Mulchmen, who released a couple of great albums in the mid- to late-90s. But he’s been part of the music scene since his high school days playing at Canal Street Tavern (inspired in part by the great music 97X was playing). Nick has recorded with The Breeders (“The Dirt Eaters”) and Tobin Sprout (Guided by Voices) and released several solo albums… and he has a band album coming out soon. We chat about the Dayton scene… and his theremin prowess too!

Nick’s first band (The Obvious) formed in 1985. The Mulchmen released two albums in the late 90s, and in 2019 they re-formed with Jim Macpherson (Breeders) on drums to play the Dayton Music Festival. You can listen to their releases on Bandcamp.

When the Mulchmen broke up, Nick joined Tobin Sprout (Guided by Voices) in a side project called Eyesinweasel. You can check out his solo music on Bandcamp, Soundcloud and Nick’s website.

Nick’s current band includes guitarist/vocalist Kyleen Downes, bassist Bryan Lakatos, and drummer Kelly Morelock, and they have a new album coming out soon.

Photo credit: Jen Hunter

Here’s a shot of Nick and the band at this year’s Porchfest.

Check out this June 2026 interview with Nick in VoyageOhio.