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.
Freeze-Dried lies
Local H Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Use and re-use to explain why I'm so cold
One for headaches
One for stress
But the one for fear's the one I like best
Abusive excuses they save me everytime
The slow slide down
You never can see it
You always believe it
Destructive impulses and cowardice and lies
Buzzing back to life like freeze dried flies
Flies for love and flies for sex
But the flies for fear are flies I like best
Impulsive destruction is where my talent lies
The slow slide down
You're trying to change me
It's all my fault
But you never blame me
It's in everything we do
One for love and one for sex
But the one for fear's the one I like best
This act is a bore but it makes me who I am
The slow slide down
You never can see it
My act is a bore
You always believe it
It's in everything we do
In Local H's "Freeze-Dried Lies," the lyrics paint a picture of a person who uses lies and excuses to explain their negative behavior. The opening line, "Abusive excuses are all I have to hold," sets the tone for the rest of the song as the singer reveals that they use every excuse they can think of to explain why they act the way they do. They use excuses for headaches, stress, and fear, but the one for fear is the one they like best.
The singer seems to be aware that they are spiraling down a destructive path, as they sing about "the slow slide down" that no one can see. They acknowledge that their destructive impulses, cowardice, and lies are all part of who they are. They even seem to take pleasure in the "flies for fear," as they repeatedly mention that this is the excuse they enjoy using the most.
Throughout the song, the singer also addresses the people in their life who are trying to change them. They admit that their behavior is a bore but ultimately accept it because it makes them who they are. The lyrics suggest that the singer is deeply flawed and is not interested in changing, no matter how hard others may try.
Overall, "Freeze-Dried Lies" is a powerful commentary on the allure of self-destructive behavior. It highlights the ease of using excuses to justify harmful behavior and the difficulty of breaking out of negative patterns of thought and action.
Line by Line Meaning
Abusive excuses are all I have to hold
I hold onto my abusive excuses as my only means of justification
Use and re-use to explain why I'm so cold
I repeatedly use these excuses to explain my cold and unfeeling nature
One for headaches
I use an excuse about having a headache
One for stress
I use an excuse about being stressed
But the one for fear's the one I like best
However, the excuse of being afraid is the one that I prefer to use
Abusive excuses they save me everytime
My abusive excuses always come to my rescue
The slow slide down
My downward spiral is a gradual process
You never can see it
You are unable to detect my decline
You always believe it
You always believe the excuses I give
Destructive impulses and cowardice and lies
I have destructive tendencies and often resort to cowardice and deception
Buzzing back to life like freeze dried flies
My tendencies and lies seem to come back to life with ease, much like freeze-dried flies
Flies for love and flies for sex
I have excuses for love and excuses for sex
But the flies for fear are flies I like best
But the excuses involving fear are the ones I prefer to use
Impulsive destruction is where my talent lies
My talent lies in being impulsive and destructive
You're trying to change me
You are attempting to change who I am
It's all my fault
I take full responsibility for my actions
But you never blame me
Even though I am at fault, you never actually blame me for anything
It's in everything we do
This dynamic is present in all aspects of our relationship
This act is a bore but it makes me who I am
Even though my behavior is tedious, it is a crucial part of my identity
My act is a bore
I realize that my behavior can be quite dull and uninteresting
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOSEPH W. DANIELS, DAVID SCOTT LUCAS, JOSEPH DANILES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind