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.
Taxi-Cabs
Local H Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The blond haired girls that roam in herds and fix you in their golden glares
Hanging out with a new batch and starting out again from scratch
You disconnect from your own crew and keeping up is hard to do
Sell your past for a few grand with paper signed in a false hand
Welcome back, hijack a stool, your favorite bar with souls you know
Yeah, with fins on fire
The dark haired girls attack in threes, they cut your plays off at the knees
They meet you out in bars of foam and drag you further from your home
You're out alone, out of your depth, and Satan laughed and Jesus wept
Hey, yeah (?) taxi-cabs
Oh, whoa, whoa, you caught me in the aftermath
Yeah, yeah there is no outline to graph
It's been segued and cut in half
With fins on fire
Local H's song Taxi-Cabs describes the intoxicating and dangerous lifestyle of someone who is constantly on the move, floating from one social scene to another, and getting caught up in a cycle of partying, drugs, and self-destruction. The lyrics use vivid and striking imagery to describe the different types of people and situations the singer encounters, highlighting the contrasts between the glamorous and the seedy, the attractive and the predatory. The metaphor of the taxi-cab as the shark of the streets with fins of fire represents the constant movement and restlessness of the character, always on the lookout for the next thrill or opportunity, but also on the brink of danger and potential disaster.
The song suggests a sense of cynicism and detachment towards the lifestyle it portrays, with lines such as "sell your past for a few grand with paper signed in a false hand" indicating a willingness to compromise one's own values and identity for the sake of gaining temporary financial or social advantage. The chorus repeats the phrase "with fins on fire", which could be interpreted as a call to action or a warning of impending danger, depending on one's perspective.
Overall, Local H's Taxi-Cabs is a powerful and thought-provoking commentary on the seductive yet perilous allure of living on the edge and chasing after an illusory sense of excitement and purpose. The song portrays a world where nothing is stable or lasting, where loyalty and trust are rare commodities, and where survival depends on being quick, cunning, and unapologetically selfish.
Line by Line Meaning
Taxi-cabs, the sharks of streets, with fins of fire they troll for fares
The taxis are like predators on the streets, always on the lookout for potential customers with a sense of urgency and excitement.
The blond haired girls that roam in herds and fix you in their golden glares
The girls with blonde hair that can be found in groups are captivating, drawing in attention with their shining hair and entrancing stares.
Hanging out with a new batch and starting out again from scratch
Spending time with a new group of people and starting anew from the beginning, as if the past has been erased.
You disconnect from your own crew and keeping up is hard to do
Breaking away from your original group of friends can be difficult, and it can be tough to keep up with a new crowd.
Sell your past for a few grand with paper signed in a false hand
It's possible to sell out your past for money, signing off on documents that may not necessarily be entirely truthful as a result.
Welcome back, hijack a stool, your favorite bar with souls you know
Upon returning to a familiar bar, you claim your seat and resume socializing with the people you know who are there.
And forward fast to 4 a.m., a Nilsson disc covered in blow
Time passes quickly and before you know it, it's 4 am, and the music on the disc being played is Nilsson's, though there may be traces of cocaine on the disc or in the air.
The dark haired girls attack in threes, they cut your plays off at the knees
Girls with dark hair, appearing to be in groups of three, can be overwhelming and preemptively shut down any attempts at flirting or intimacy.
They meet you out in bars of foam and drag you further from your home
The girls with dark hair tend to meet you in bars that are rowdy, and tend to lead you away from your usual destinations, like your home or friends' homes.
You're out alone, out of your depth, and Satan laughed and Jesus wept
When things don't go as planned and you find yourself isolated and out of your element, it feels like Heaven and Hell may be reacting accordingly; Satan is laughing at you, while Jesus weeps for you.
Hey, yeah (?) taxi-cabs
The refrain incorporates a repeated mention of taxis, bringing focus to their importance in the lyrics.
Oh, whoa, whoa, you caught me in the aftermath
The aftermath is an intense experience, and it seems like the artist has been caught off guard, so to speak.
Yeah, yeah there is no outline to graph
It's difficult to predict or plan for the events that happen during the aftermath.
It's been segued and cut in half
The aftermath is like a transition between two halves, like a cut or a split, and has its own unique characteristics as a result.
With fins on fire
Reiterating the importance of the taxis, with urgency and excitement emphasized.
Contributed by Lily R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.