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.
Mellowed
Local H Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Blocking out what I should be letting in
11 years I've seen through alcoholic eyes
Nothing here at all but lows disguised as highs
Days I don't remember now
Fading in and blacking out
Spiraling off and spiraling down and down and then
And off again
I've mellowed, but it's taken so much time.
You never needed the fake that I was then
And no way would I wish him on you now
I'm so fucked up
11 years I've seen through alcoholic eyes
Nothing here at all but lows disguised as highs
Days I don't remember now
Fading in and blacking out
Spiraling off and spiraling down and down and then
It's off again and on again
Played out and pacified and completely compromised
Nothing left inside, but memories of lies
Days I don't remember now
Are fading in and filing out
Falling off and spiraling down and down and then
It's on again, put off again
I'm sorry but it doesn't matter now.
11 years I've seen through alcoholic eyes
Nothing here at all but lows disguised as highs
Days I don't remember now
Fading in and blacking out
Falling off and spiraling down and down and then.
It's on again and off again
I've mellowed, but it's taken so much time.
So much time
So much time
So much time
So much time
So much time
So much time
So much time
So much time
The lyrics to Local H's song, "Mellowed," depict the struggles of addiction and the consequences that come with it. The opening lyrics, "Tunnel vision is slowly setting in. Blocking out what I should be letting in," suggest that the singer has been living in a haze of drugs and alcohol, blinding themselves to the world around them. The following lines, "11 years I've seen through alcoholic eyes. Nothing here at all but lows disguised as highs," emphasize the long-term nature of the addiction, as well as the fact that the highs of substance use are only temporary illusions masking the lows of reality.
The song's chorus reflects the cyclical nature of addiction and recovery, stating "It's on again and off again." The singer recognizes that they have "mellowed," or calmed down, but acknowledges that it has taken "so much time" to get there. The second verse reflects on the singer's past relationships: "You never needed the fake that I was then. And no way would I wish him on you now." The singer recognizes that their addiction turned them into someone they did not want to be, and they hope their loved ones do not have to experience that version of themselves.
The final verse again emphasizes the repetitive nature of addiction and recovery, with lyrics like "Played out and pacified and completely compromised. Nothing left inside but memories of lies." The song ends on a somber note as the singer reflects on the time lost to addiction: "Days I don't remember now are fading in and filing out. Falling off and spiraling down and down and then. It's on again, put off again. I'm sorry but it doesn't matter now."
Overall, Local H's "Mellowed" is a raw and honest depiction of addiction, emphasizing the difficult journey of recovery and the impact of addiction on relationships and one's sense of self.
Line by Line Meaning
Tunnel vision is slowly setting in.
I'm becoming more and more focused on my own problems and less aware of the world around me.
Blocking out what I should be letting in
I'm ignoring things that could help me or make me feel better, because I'm so stuck in my own head.
11 years I've seen through alcoholic eyes
I've struggled with alcoholism for over a decade, and it's greatly affected my perception of the world and myself.
Nothing here at all but lows disguised as highs
I've been chasing after highs for years, but really they've all been lows in disguise.
Days I don't remember now
I've blacked out during many days over the past years, and I have no memory of what happened.
Fading in and blacking out
My memories are slowly disappearing, and I'm also likely to black out again in the future.
Spiraling off and spiraling down and down and then
I keep getting worse and worse, and it feels like there's no bottom to how far I can fall.
It's on again
I've fallen off the wagon and returned to drinking.
And off again
I've tried to quit drinking again, but it's really hard to break the habit.
I've mellowed, but it's taken so much time.
I'm still struggling with addiction, but it's not as bad as it once was. However, it's taken me years to make any progress.
You never needed the fake that I was then
I used to put on a front and pretend everything was okay, but you never really needed or wanted that from me.
And no way would I wish him on you now
If you saw how bad I've become, you would be horrified, and I wouldn't want to burden you with my issues.
I'm so fucked up
I'm a mess and have a lot of problems that seem impossible to solve.
Played out and pacified and completely compromised
I've exhausted all my options for dealing with addiction, and now I feel hopeless and defeated.
Nothing left inside, but memories of lies
I've been living a lie for so long that it's consumed me, and now there's nothing left inside of me except regret and the weight of my actions.
Are fading in and filing out
My memories are becoming less and less clear, and it feels like they're slipping away.
Falling off and spiraling down and down and then
My addiction keeps catching up to me, and I continue to spiral out of control.
I'm sorry but it doesn't matter now.
I'm apologizing for my actions, but at this point, it feels like it's too little, too late.
So much time
It's taken me a long time to recognize and try to fix my problems, and it's hard not to feel regret or sadness about wasted time.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: BRIAN ST. CLAIR, DAVID SCOTT LUCAS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind