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.
December: Hand To Mouth
Local H Lyrics
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We're gonna wrap our heads around what no one could figure out
To find just one unbroken stare, a space in time to share
We're gonna stop these lies of ours in 'bout a hundred million hours
You'll learn what really matters
You'll know what really counts
You'll hear the chitter-chatter
And it may take two million years to lift a single stone
We'll have to face a billion fears just to find we're all alone
To find just one unbroken stare, just a single one who cares
Is that all it's about, these little lives of ours?
You'll learn what really matters
You'll know what really counts
You'll hear the chitter-chatter
They say, when you're livin' hand to mouth
It's all you'll ever be...
The Local H's song "December: Hand to Mouth" is a reflective tune that explores the pursuit of understanding the meaning of life. The lyrics suggest that this search is a never-ending process that involves facing and overcoming fear, finding a connection with others, and acknowledging the fleeting nature of existence as a whole. The opening lines of the song, "In 'bout a million hours from now we're gonna find what life's about / We're gonna wrap our heads around what no one could figure out" suggest a sense of optimism and the belief that one day we will reach an understanding of our place in the universe. However, this is soon countered with the realization that this process may take an age to resolve.
The song's title, "Hand to Mouth," suggests that despite our search for meaning, we are all ultimately beholden to the basic needs of survival. The chorus, "You'll learn what really matters / You'll know what really counts / You'll hear the chitter-chatter / They say when you're living hand to mouth," suggests that even in the pursuit of higher meaning, we are still stuck with the ordinary concerns of life, such as paying the bills and providing for ourselves.
The second verse further emphasizes the idea that our search for meaning is fraught with difficulty and that we may never truly find the answers we seek. The lyrics, "And it may take two million years to lift a single stone / We'll have to face a billion fears just to find we're all alone," suggest that even achieving something like lifting a stone requires incredible perseverance and overcoming immense obstacles. Ultimately, the song implies that in the face of all these challenges, the best we can hope for is to find even just one person who shares our desire to understand the world around us.
Line by Line Meaning
In 'bout a million hours from now we're gonna find what life's about
In the distant future, we hope to discover the true meaning of life.
We're gonna wrap our heads around what no one could figure out
We will try to comprehend what has always been a mystery to humanity.
To find just one unbroken stare, a space in time to share
Our quest for meaning involves searching for a genuine connection with another person.
We're gonna stop these lies of ours in 'bout a hundred million hours
Eventually, we hope to put an end to the falsehoods we tell ourselves and others.
You'll learn what really matters
One day, you will understand the things that truly hold value in life.
You'll know what really counts
You'll come to realize what is truly significant and meaningful to you.
You'll hear the chitter-chatter
You will listen to the idle conversation and opinions of others.
They say, when you're livin' hand to mouth
According to common belief, living in poverty makes it difficult to focus on anything beyond survival.
And it may take two million years to lift a single stone
Some tasks may require an unfathomable amount of time and energy to accomplish.
We'll have to face a billion fears just to find we're all alone
The journey of self-discovery may involve confronting countless fears, only to realize the ultimate solitude of our existence.
Just to find just one unbroken stare, just a single one who cares
The search for a genuine connection with another person can be arduous and may only yield a single, solitary result.
Is that all it's about, these little lives of ours?
We may question whether the trivialities of life are all that ultimately matter.
It's all you'll ever be...
In the end, the essence of our existence may be reduced to pure, simple survival.
Contributed by Mason D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.