Butusov disbanded the group in 1997, after multiple albums and several different line-ups of the band.

The band was originally named "Ali-Baba and the Forty Thieves" (Russian: "Али-Баба и сорок разбойников").

In 1985, under the initiative of Ilya Kormiltsev, the name was lengthened to Nautilus Pompilius to avoid confusion with other Russian rock bands that were also named Nautilus at the time, such as the Moscow group led by Evgeny Margulis.

Vyacheslav Butusov and Dmitry Umetsky took the first steps towards forming Nautilus in the late 70s.

Since the group disbanded, Vyacheslav Butusov has launched a solo career.