Formed in Nottingham in 1991, Nebula II began as a duo of Joachim Shotter and Richard McCormack, making old-school hardcore and breakbeat. Joe Nebula was a founding member of the UK rave act, whose name came from the group’s liking for “Nebula” and its two members. For their early productions, they used an Amiga 500 and a homemade sampler card. The group named “X-Plore H-Core” as a favourite production, and cited LFO, Frequency, Derrick May, Frank De Wulf and the R&S roster among the artists it admired.
That year, Nebula II released “Seance” on Reinforced Records, with “Atheama” on the B-side. The track also appears as “The Seance” in accounts of the act’s early work. In 1992, “Athema” and “X-Plore H-Core” appeared on the compilation album Reinforced Presents: Callin for Reinforcements. Other notable tracks include “Flatliners,” “C.O.D. Rider” and “Peace Maker.” Alongside Reinforced Records, Nebula II released music on J4M and on The Volt, the label the act established.
Nebula II also set up Celestial Records in Manchester with A Guy Called Gerald. The label’s first release was the Positive EP, a collaboration involving Richard, Joe, Mark and Tony Thomas; another account identifies Joe Nebula and Mark Shotter as collaborators on the EP. The group released music on Mickey Finn’s Urban Takeover, where it produced several releases. In 1997, a music video for “Bonsai Paradise” was shown on MTV Europe’s Dance Party Zone.
Alongside MC Magika, Nebula II won the Diesel Nu-Music 2000 award for best breakbeat artist. The act is also known as Joe Nebula, who described himself as one of its founding members. Its work on The Volt and its co-founding role at Celestial Records placed label-making alongside its releases for Reinforced Records, J4M and Urban Takeover. Nebula II’s roots in Nottingham and its formation in 1991 remain central facts of the act’s background.