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.
O.K.
Local H Lyrics
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I could cry myself to death
And wash this all away
In a flash you were gone
Leaving me a couple of songs
That I listen to everyday
And I don't even care
That you were so unfair
Save up our tears
Catalog all our fears
Give into the stretching years
Your words hit me just last night
When I saw it with the after sight
What was on your mind
Too late to ever change
Things go a little bit strange
You were too far behind
And the reasons I have to live
Are the reasons that you would give
To throw it all away
Save and freeze up our tears
Catalog all our fears
Give into the stretching years
But that's OK
And I can't understand
Why you folded with a winning hand
And decided to throw the bet
I just can't believe you'd leave
With an ace sticking up your sleeve
You could have paid off your debts
And I don't even care
That you were so unfair
I worshiped one time at your feet
Never heard what was said
All nerve ends are dead
Tinitus ringing in my head
Save and freeze up our tears
Catalog all our fears
Give into the stretching years
Drown in my tears
Succumb to my fears
Give into the stretching years
But that's O.K.
I'm not O.K.
But that's O.K.
The song "O.K." by Local H seems like a breakup song. The singer is talking about someone who left him and he is feeling a lot of pain because of it. The lyrics offer a window into the singer's thought process as he tries to come to terms with what's happened.
In the first stanza, the singer is lamenting the fact that his love has gone away, and he's left with a few songs, as his only reminder. It almost seems like he's been dealt a harsh blow by the departure, but he's not dwelling on the pain. He's accepting it as inevitable and moving forward to find his own reasons to live.
The second stanza reiterates the point that the singer is not worried about the past, and he doesn't want to make the same mistakes as his ex. Though he does wonder why she left, he's already let her go and is focused on rebuilding his life. The lyrics suggest that while he's not 'O.K.' yet, he's slowly getting there.
Line by Line Meaning
Drawing a collective breath
Taking a deep breath in preparation to face an emotionally challenging situation
I could cry myself to death
Devastated and overwhelmed with emotions to the point of feeling like it could be fatal
And wash this all away
Wanting to escape or erase the current emotional pain
In a flash you were gone
Being abandoned by someone quickly and unexpectedly
Leaving me a couple of songs
The only lasting things left by the one who left
That I listen to everyday
Those songs have become an integral part of the singer's life
And I don't even care
Being in too much pain to care about anything else
That you were so unfair
Feeling betrayed by someone who did not treat the singer with justice or kindness
I worshiped one time at your feet
Being in love with or admiring someone to the point of worshiping them
Save up our tears
Hoping to avoid wasting tears unnecessarily
Catalog all our fears
Compiling a list of all the things the singer is afraid of
Give into the stretching years
Acknowledging that time will continue to pass and accepting this
Your words hit me just last night
Being affected by something someone said a long time ago, and realizing the full impact of it only later
When I saw it with the after sight
Reflecting on past events with more understanding and perspective than previously
What was on your mind
Questioning the motives and thoughts of the person who left
Too late to ever change
Recognizing that some things cannot be undone or made right
Things go a little bit strange
Experiencing a disorienting, out-of-control feeling during a tumultuous time
You were too far behind
Realizing that the person who left had already disconnected and was too far gone
And the reasons I have to live
Reflecting on what motivates the singer to keep going, despite the pain
Are the reasons that you would give
The reasons that the person who left would have given for why life is worth living
To throw it all away
Having a nihilistic view that life is not worth living
But that's OK
Accepting the nihilistic view, even though it is not necessarily a good thing
And I can't understand
Feeling confused and bewildered about how the person who left could make the choices they did
Why you folded with a winning hand
Questioning why the person who left gave up when they seemed to be in a good position and had advantages
And decided to throw the bet
Purposefully making a choice to give up and intentionally lose something of value
I just can't believe you'd leave
Feeling in disbelief about the fact that the person left
With an ace sticking up your sleeve
Leaving with an advantage or good fortune that seems to have been wasted
You could have paid off your debts
Having the opportunity to fix problems or make amends, but failing to do so
Never heard what was said
Feeling misunderstood or ignored
All nerve ends are dead
Feeling numb and unable to process emotions
Tinitus ringing in my head
Experiencing a persistent ringing in the ears, which can be caused by stress and anxiety
Drown in my tears
Feeling overwhelmed by sadness and crying heavily
Succumb to my fears
Being overpowered by worries and anxieties
But that's O.K.
Accepting that difficult things will happen, even if it is not a positive outcome
I'm not O.K.
Admitting that the singer is not alright, and struggling to cope with emotions
But that's O.K.
Continuing to accept that negative experiences can still be accepted and present
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DAVID SCOTT LUCAS, JOSEPH DANILES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind