Local H

Local H
Local H performing live in 2014
Background information
OriginZion, Illinois, U.S.
Genres
Years active1987–present
Labels
MembersScott Lucas
Ryan Harding
Past membersMatt Garcia
Tobey Flescher
John Sparkman
Joe Daniels
Brian St. Clair
WebsiteLocalH.com

Local H is an American rock band originally formed by guitarist and vocalist Scott Lucas, bassist Matt Garcia, drummer Joe Daniels, and lead guitarist John Sparkman in Zion, Illinois in 1990. The members all met in high school in 1987 and founded Local H three years later. After Sparkman's departure in 1991 and Garcia's departure in 1993, Local H continued as an unorthodox two-piece setup.

Local H signed a record contract with Island Records in 1994, where they would go on to release three albums. The band's debut album, Ham Fisted (1995), was not a success and the band was nearly dropped, but the band remained on the label long enough to release their second album As Good as Dead (1996). The album was a success, selling over 320,000 copies and spawned a radio hit with "Bound for the Floor", which peaked at No. 5 on the US Alternative Billboard Chart and became the band's best known song.[5][6] Local H's third album, Pack Up the Cats (1998), was a critical success and appeared on several best-of end of year lists,[7][8] but did not perform as well commercially due to its promotion being negatively affected by a corporate merger involving Island's parent company, PolyGram. The following year, the band left Island, and Daniels was replaced by Brian St. Clair.[9] By March 2002, Local H's first three albums had sold a combined total of 600,000 copies.[10] They have been based in Chicago since 1992.

Local H's first album with St. Clair, Here Comes the Zoo (2002), was released through Palm Pictures. The band recorded three more albums, Whatever Happened to P.J. Soles? (2004), Twelve Angry Months (2008) and Hallelujah! I'm a Bum (2012), and four EPs with St. Clair, prior to his amicable departure in 2013.[11] In November 2013, Ryan Harding was announced as the new drummer,[12] and the band have since released two albums, Hey, Killer in 2015 and Lifers in 2020.

  1. ^ "Alt-Rock Band Local H Collaborates With Fellow 'Lifers'". goodtimes.sc. March 2, 2020. Retrieved December 21, 2020.
  2. ^ "90's Grunge Band Performs as Nirvana, Sound Surprisingly Similar (by Brett Buchanan)". alternativenation.net. November 2, 2016. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
  3. ^ "Local H, 1990s post-grunge band, coming to Northampton's Gin Mill & Grille". mcall.com. April 7, 2017. Retrieved December 21, 2020.
  4. ^ "Local H - Biography & History". allmusic.com. Retrieved December 21, 2020.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference :1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Kohn, Daniel (February 16, 2021). "Local H's Scott Lucas on the Band's Longevity and Copacetic Career". SPIN. Retrieved February 5, 2023.
  7. ^ "Rocklist.net...Spin Magazine (USA) End Of Year Lists..." July 29, 2013. Archived from the original on July 29, 2013. Retrieved October 28, 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  8. ^ Kot, Greg (December 6, 1998). "Sound Decisions". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved October 28, 2017.
  9. ^ Shehori, Steven (November 27, 2018). "Local H's Cautionary Major-Label Tale Is Actually a Success Story". Vulture. Retrieved February 5, 2023.
  10. ^ Anon. (March 4, 2002). "Retail". CMJ New Music Report. 70 (752): 34. ISSN 0890-0795.
  11. ^ "Local H - Timeline - Facebook". Facebook. Retrieved August 2, 2016.
  12. ^ "Back to Ground Zero: Local H, November 8 at RIBCO". Archived from the original on December 25, 2013. Retrieved November 4, 2013.