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.
The One With 'Kid'
Local H Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Forced to face the truth about me and you and see it from all sides
All the sides that you have battered and out grew
So baby could you do me a favor
fall off of the earth and I'll see ya later
just give me a call and tell me you miss me a call I wont return
So take this for granted you'll leave here empty handed my image of you shattered winning is all that matters I won't let you got our happy home
Give me my Zeppelin CDs you know you took them I know you did
Wheres my pretenders record you know the one the one with Kid
Wheres all my ACDCs my Interpol my Libertines
Wheres all my Kyuss recoreds you never liked them untill you met me
Sad stations frustrations
Barbed wire for coronation
My heart of glass 12 inches is scratched
No matter what its tossed in make sure
You leave with nothing won't stand and watch you get our home
You got our home
You got our home
You got our home
You got our home
You got our home
My heart of glass is scratched
So take this for granted you'll leave here empty handed
So hatefull so shameless
Won't let you leave here blameless
You know I can't take it
Wont laugh and smile and fake it
Your image of me shattered winning is all that matters
Oh god I can't stand it
You'll leave here empty handed
Can't stand here watch you get our home
You got our home
You got our home
You got our home
You got our home
You got our home
The lyrics to Local H's song The One With 'Kid' tells the story of a relationship on the brink of collapsing. The singer is trying to reconcile the reality of the situation, acknowledging that there is no one left to lie to and that they need to face the truth about themselves and the other person. All the sides of the person that they once knew and loved have been battered and outgrown. The singer is left wondering who is the owner of the friends they made together and how do they divide a city and the bars where they drank forever.
The singer then makes a request to the other person, asking them to fall off the earth and to never return. They don't want to hear from them again, even if they miss them. The singer then demands the return of all their CDs and records, including their Zeppelin CDs, Pretenders record (with 'Kid'), ACDCs, Interpol, Libertines, and Kyuss records. The mention of these CDs and records can suggest that the relationship may have been built upon shared taste in music and that these belongings hold sentimental value.
The lyrics also describe the singer's sadness and frustration with the situation. They feel like they have been barbed wired for coronation and that their heart of glass 12 inches is scratched. They refuse to stand and watch the other person take everything from them and, instead, they choose to let them leave with nothing. The song ends with the singer reinforcing the fact that the other person got their home, and they can't stand to watch it happen.
Overall, the song seems to be about the end of a relationship and the frustration and pain that comes with it. The lyrics are emotional and powerful, showing the realities of a break-up from both sides.
Line by Line Meaning
And when there's no one left to lie to
When all the lies have been exposed and we're forced to confront the truth
Forced to face the truth about me and you and see it from all sides
We have to acknowledge and accept the reality of our relationship from all perspectives
All the sides that you have battered and out grew
All the aspects of our relationship that you've damaged and no longer care about
So baby could you do me a favor fall off of the earth and I'll see ya later
I wish you would disappear from my life so I never have to see you again
Just give me a call and tell me you miss me a call I wont return
I don't want to hear from you even if you express regret or longing for me
So now which one is the owner of the friends we made together and how do we divide a city and the bars where we drank forever
We're grappling with the challenge of dividing our shared experiences and relationships, as well as physical spaces associated with our relationship
So take this for granted you'll leave here empty handed my image of you shattered winning is all that matters I won't let you got our happy home
I won't let you leave with anything, and my focus is solely on 'winning' and ending up with our home, but not with you
Give me my Zeppelin CDs you know you took them I know you did
I'm accusing you of taking my possessions that I care about
Wheres my pretenders record you know the one the one with Kid
I'm irritated that you've taken a specific record that I cherish
Wheres all my ACDCs my Interpol my Libertines
I'm upset that you've taken all of my favorite music
Wheres all my Kyuss recoreds you never liked them untill you met me
I'm angry that you took music that you didn't even appreciate before we were together
Sad stations frustrations
I feel hopeless and frustrated
Barbed wire for coronation
I feel restrained and stuck in this situation
My heart of glass 12 inches is scratched
My emotions are fragile and have been damaged by our relationship
No matter what its tossed in make sure
Regardless of where it's placed or what happens, I'm determined to protect my emotions and possessions
You leave with nothing won't stand and watch you get our home
I refuse to let you leave with anything and I won't allow you to take our home
So take this for granted you'll leave here empty handed
I'm emphasizing that you won't get anything from me in this breakup
So hatefull so shameless
I'm feeling very negative and disgusted with you
Won't let you leave here blameless
I'm holding you accountable for what has happened in our relationship
You know I can't take it
I'm at my breaking point and can't handle this anymore
Wont laugh and smile and fake it
I refuse to pretend that everything is okay or put on a façade of happiness
Your image of me shattered winning is all that matters
I'm determined to come out on top, even if it means that your opinion of me is ruined
Oh god I can't stand it
I'm expressing my deep frustration and despair about this situation
You'll leave here empty handed
I'm reinforcing that you won't be taking anything from me
Can't stand here watch you get our home
I refuse to watch you take away the place that once brought us happiness
You got our home
This line repeats the idea that I won't let you take away our physical home
My heart of glass is scratched
This line repeats the idea that my emotions have been hurt and damaged by our relationship
Contributed by Sebastian M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Jane Francois
I love how this song just turns into total, screaming, hellfire halfway through.
Tear Breaker
this song resumes my story from the last 12 months... thank you LOCAL H
Dana Canale
The final verse gives me goosebumps every single time I listen to this song.
Tim Bell
This dudes songwriting is like a red wood tree root embedded in the earth. How long? Uh how about a sandlot Forever. The radio? Your killing me smalls.
Nikole Thomas
this song is glorious
Holly Williams
God. I love you forever.
From one H to the best H
M Fohawk
Between this an WWYHMD, great driving songs...
Dana Canale
Yess..this, Buffalo Trace and Baby Wants To Tame Me are fantastic driving songs!!!
Chris E
@Mats van der Aa Yes he is.
Mats van der Aa
Had to think about this for a minute, but you're talking about What Would You Have Me Do right?