Each year, critics at the Chicago Tribune name a "Chicagoan of the Year." The 2008 winner for music was Local H.
Local H started as hard-rock duo formed by Scott Lucas (vocals/guitar/bass) and Joe Daniels (drums). The two began in 1987 at their mainline high school in Zion. After failed attempts at recruiting a bassist, Lucas added bass pickups to his electric guitar.
Local H's 1995 debut Ham Fisted was released to lukewarm reception, but their 1996 follow-up As Good as Dead was certified gold and contained the hits "Bound for the Floor" and "Eddie Vedder." It was better received by critics, as was 1998's Pack Up the Cats, which spawned the single "All the Kids Are Right." Unfortunately, their label Polygram merged with Universal, and the album was all but forgotten in transition.
Daniels left in 1999. Lucas recruited recent Triplefastaction drummer Brian St. Clair later that year. St. Clair was a drum tech for Bun E. Carlos of Cheap Trick. Lucas and St. Clair released their first album together, Here Comes the Zoo, in 2002 on Palm Pictures. The No Fun EP came next in 2003, and Whatever Happened to P.J. Soles? followed in 2004 to favorable reviews, with the track "Everyone Alive" being featured in the 2004 video game Burnout 3. The break-up concept album 12 Angry Months followed in 2008, and to coincide with the 2012 presidential election the group issued Hallelujah! I'm a Bum that year, both albums receiving critical praise.
Brian St. Clair would amicably leave the band, playing his last show in November 2013, before Ryan Harding joined to fill in his spot. In 2015, the duo would issue their ninth studio album Hey, Killer through G&P Records, an independent label they operate that has also been utilized for smaller releases for the band in the past. In 2020, the duo iussued Lifers through AntiFragile Music.
Local H garnered good publicity for a cover of the Britney Spears hit "Toxic". The cover was available on the band's web site and is the last track on the otherwise live album Alive '05, issued in 2005. "Toxic" has been performed at recent concerts.
Local H is known for creativity in concerts. In 2003, the band auctioned off a concert on eBay, and in 2004, performed at Fritz's Corner in Zion. In 2005, the duo performed a series of set-list request shows, where the audience got to vote on what they wanted the band to play. Gabe Rodriguez often accompanied the band on tour and provided back-up vocals or kazoo playing.
Every Halloween, Local H plays in Ardmore, masquerading as a certain group. They have performed as Nirvana, Tom Petty, Oasis, The Doors, Led Zeppelin, and Sex Pistols.
Cool Magnet
Local H Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where discussions are like concussions
Whisper in my ear
Cigarettes and beer
They don't call me cool for nothing
Too cool for school
Nobody's fool
Screw all the rules
Not quite amused
I'm just confused
Yeah
Comes so easily
When everything you want is suspect
Attracted to the cool magnet
Only adding to the confusion
Delusions are like illusions
I haven't got the heart to tell them all apart
I think I might need a transfusion
Too cool for that
A cataract
A triple sec
Don't get upset
We're to exact
Forget the facts
Yeah
Comes so easily
When everything you want is suspect
Attracted to the cool magnet
The lyrics of Local H's song Cool Magnet are about feeling lost and confused in the face of societal expectations of what is cool or desirable. The singer is standing on the edge of something, perhaps a decision or a new social situation, where discussions are like concussions, causing him to feel disoriented and overwhelmed. He is lured by the idea of being cool, represented by cigarettes and beer, and the belief that he is too cool for school and nobody's fool. However, he feels that he is just as confused as everyone else and is unable to distinguish between delusions and illusions. The singer is attracted to the cool magnet, which only adds to his confusion, as he struggles to figure out what he really wants and needs.
The song reflects on the pressures to conform and to fit in with the expectations of the cool crowd, which often leads to a loss of identity and a sense of disorientation. The song suggests that trying to be cool can be like chasing an illusion, where what seems desirable may actually be harmful or unsatisfying. The singer is aware of these pitfalls but is still drawn to the cool magnet, reflecting the ongoing struggle between authenticity and conformity.
Line by Line Meaning
Standing at the edge of something
The singer is at the brink of some sort of situation or decision.
Where discussions are like concussions
The singer is averse to conflict or argument.
Whisper in my ear
The singer is asking for someone's private insight or opinion.
Cigarettes and beer
The artist is indulging in vices to seem cool or rebellious.
They don't call me cool for nothing
The artist feels that their coolness is deserved and recognized.
Too cool for school
The singer is too fashionable, aloof, or superior for traditional education.
Nobody's fool
The singer is smart and savvy about social conduct.
Screw all the rules
The artist rejects norms or constraints in order to seem cool or independent.
My mind's abused
The artist's thoughts or feelings are worn out, exhausted, or warped.
Not quite amused
The artist is neither entertained nor satisfied.
I'm just confused
The singer is uncertain or perplexed.
Comes so easily
The artist is lured or tempted by something they know is bad for them.
When everything you want is suspect
The singer is compelled by things they desire, but they know those things aren't necessarily good for them.
Attracted to the cool magnet
The singer is drawn to anything that seems cool or fashionable, even if it's not healthy or beneficial.
Only adding to the confusion
The singer is making matters worse or more complicated by their actions or behavior.
Delusions are like illusions
The artist is under false beliefs or perceptions, and those false beliefs are no different from illusions.
I haven't got the heart to tell them all apart
The artist is unable or unwilling to distinguish between what's real and what's fake.
I think I might need a transfusion
The singer needs something to revitalize or cleanse them.
Too cool for that
The singer is too fashionable, aloof, or superior to engage in something less cool.
A cataract
The artist is drunk or impaired by alcohol.
A triple sec
The artist is drinking a specific cocktail with triple sec, a common ingredient.
Don't get upset
The artist does not want others to be angry or disappointed with them.
We're to exact
The singer and others are precise and meticulous in their actions or behavior.
Forget the facts
The artist is ignoring or dismissing truth or reality in favor of something more fun, cool, or exciting.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOSEPH W. DANIELS, DAVID SCOTT LUCAS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind