If you paid attention to pop culture in the ‘90s, then it's quite likely you remember the post-grunge alternative band, Local H. The distinct, dirty bass line to the band's 1996 Top 10 hit, "Bound for the Floor" is still recognizable, reminding listeners to "keep it copacetic."
Like the rest of the decade, Local H never really went away. The two-man band - consisting of frontman Scott Lucas, who plays guitar and bass all through his guitar, and drummer Brian St. Clair - has toured and recorded consistently since the mid-‘90s, even amidst some band shakeups and label turmoil.
Recently, Local H has completed work on another record, Hallelujah I'm a Bum, scheduled for release sometime this summer, depending on technicalities with labels. Lucas describes Hallelujah I'm a Bum as a concept record, revolving around Local H's beloved hometown and current base, Chicago.
"[Hallelujah I'm a Bum] is kind of about neighborhoods and politics and how they affect relationships," Lucas said.
The idea of the concept record is not something new to Local H. The band's most recent album, 2008's12 Angry Months, has 12 tracks each detailing one month in the year after a breakup. But with Hallelujah I'm a Bum, Lucas says Local H is getting a bit more personal.
"It's a Chicago record," he said. "The sounds of the Blue Line [Chicago El train line] are going on. A lot of it is about the neighborhood that I live in."
As Lucas and St. Clair have aged, they tend to look at their musical careers in a more entrepreneurial fashion.
"I don't feel like we're making a bad product," Lucas said. "I see people going to work and doing s*** that they don't really feel good about ... I don't hate this."
Local H is not only getting ready to release a new album, but also embarking on a Midwest tour that will bring the band to The Pyramid Scheme. While Lucas and St. Clair have a history of doing some unconventional shows (like making fans find them in crowds and recite Rush lyrics), Lucas says this will be a straightforward tour to promote a new record and play new songs.
