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.
Fritz's Corner
Local H Lyrics
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I'm just bored
And everything I do is only because
There's nothing much else for me to do
And that includes you
Messing around with you
Piss away potential
Everyday is a waste
There's nothing much else for me to do
And that includes you and that includes you
Messing around with you
You see me now a little bit clearer
The face I make when I'm looking in the mirror
It gives me away
The things that I say
You think you know where I'm coming from
The words I say when I'm playing dumb
It gives me away
It gives me away
One more thing before we go
I've stepped over everyone I know
Everyone I know
You see me now a little bit clearer
The face I make when I'm looking in the mirror
It gives me away
You think you know where I'm coming from
The words I say when I'm playing dumb
It gives me away
It gives me away
It gives me away
I'm always ashamed
I'm always ashamed
And that's no way to be
The song "Fritz's Corner" by Local H is a beautifully crafted piece about boredom, wasted potential, and the struggle of finding meaning in life. The lyrics convey a sense of apathy and disillusionment towards life and relationships, and the singer seems to be stuck in a rut. The lyrics suggest that the singer is not angry, but rather bored with life, and they end up wasting their time messing around with others. The lyrics, "Everyday is a waste, and I'm wasted everyday, there's nothing much else for me to do, and that includes you," suggest that the singer feels that there is no purpose to life, and this includes relationships.
The chorus of the song, "You see me now a little bit clearer, the face I make when I'm looking in the mirror, it gives me away, the things that I say," suggests that the singer is aware of their flaws and shortcomings, and they are struggling to come to terms with their shortcomings. The singer reveals that they have been stepping over everyone they know, which conveys a sense of selfishness and indifference towards others.
Overall, "Fritz's Corner" is a powerful exploration of the themes of boredom and wasted potential. The song encourages listeners to reflect on life and relationships, and to find meaning and purpose in their existence.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm not mad
I am not angry
I'm just bored
I am only feeling uninterested
And everything I do is only because
I am doing things just to pass the time
There's nothing much else for me to do
I have nothing else to occupy my time
And that includes you
Even spending time with you isn't enough to cure my boredom
Messing around with you
Spending time with you casually
Piss away potential
Waste my abilities and opportunities
Everyday is a waste
Each day is unproductive and dull
And I'm wasted everyday
I am also consuming too much alcohol or drugs each day
You see me now a little bit clearer
I am becoming more transparent to you
The face I make when I'm looking in the mirror
My expression when I look at myself reflects my true feelings
It gives me away
My actions reveal my true thoughts
The things that I say
My words express my true feelings
You think you know where I'm coming from
You believe you understand my mindset
The words I say when I'm playing dumb
Even my attempts to appear ignorant still reveal my true thoughts
One more thing before we go
I have one more thing to share before we leave
I've stepped over everyone I know
I have neglected or betrayed the people close to me
Everyone I know
I have wronged all of the people in my life
I'm always ashamed
I am constantly feeling guilty
And that's no way to be
It is not desirable to live with constant shame and regret
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DAVID SCOTT LUCAS, JOSEPH DANILES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind