Local H

Gigz with Lucas and Brian from Local H @ Nick's Fat City



RC: Yes indeed, Rock Circus has
     come down to Nick's Fat City
     to hang out with some old
     friends of ours. We  got 
     Lucas and this is the new guy
     Brian StClair of Local H. Local
     heros from Zion, Illinios. How
     are you guys doing?
Lucas: I'm doing good. How are you?
RC: I'm doing fine, how are you Brian?
Brian: I'm doing great.
RC: Cool, now you have this new album out.
Lucas: That's the sampler. We'll sell these at the shows.
RC: Could they be a collector's item someday?
Brian: Most likely.
Lucas: (laughing)I don't know.
RC: I'm reaching for something. You were labeled by 
     Rolling Stone, you're last CD, as the last great 
     aternative rock album in their review. Am I not
     correct?
Lucas: I don't remember.
RC: They gave you four stars.
Lucas: I think they gave us three and a half stars.
RC: No, it was four.
Lucas: I think they give everybody three and a half 
     stars.
RC: I'm telling you, you got four.
Lucas: I think they give everybody four then.
RC: How did Brian get involved with the project? Is it
     a bad story, how Joe left the band?
Lucas: No it's a good story, Brian got in the band and
     within a month we were back on the road, writing a
     lot of songs.
RC: So Brian's the man. Now you were a drum tech for 
     what band?
Brian: Cheap Trick, and prior to that I was tour managing
     Liz Phair out if Chicago.
RC: That's a good gig. How did you guys know eachother?
Lucas: I knew Brian from his old band Triple Fest Action.
RC: What happened with the label? Did you leave Island or 
     did they cut you, sorry to ask?
Lucas:No, no, they weren't interested in making records 
     with us anymore and everybody that we knew was gone.
     So we just followed Chris Blackwell, who had started
     Island, to his new label Palm. It was a really easy 
     transition and a pretty easy decision to make, Not a
     big deal.
RC: I wanted to ask you about 25 or 64 which is a Chicago
     classic. That's some phenominal guitar lead work in
     it. It's really a true classic to me, as far as 
     Chicago goes. Is that why you chose to do it? Was it
     one that stuck out in your mind as a great guitar 
     oriented type song?
Lucas: No, I just hate Chicago. A friend of mine would
     always give me guf because I made fun of them. So we
     were on the road and I thought it would be a funny 
     cover. Our old guitar tech played all the guitar and
     stuff on that.
RC: Have you modified any of your equipment? I saw in the
     video you were using Marshal's. Last time I saw you, 
     you weren't.
Lucas: Yeah, I don't use Marshal's. I don't think they 
     could find them. I use Marshal cabs but, you know.
     You're always trying to make things sound better.
     Just trying to find out how to get your sound.
RC: Like them big muff pedals.
Lucas: Yeah, we use a big muff. We also use amp distortion
     and try to work with the bass sound and things like 
     that. It's a constant thing.
RC: Tweeking out the right gadgets.
Lucas: It takes change. You try to figure out ways to make 
     what you hear sound better.
RC: (turning to Brian)How have you adapted to working with
     one front guy  verses a whole band?
Brian: I had all the Local H albums. I was a fan and a 
     friend. We had done tours together. My band had opened 
     up for Local H a lot so I kind of already knew the 
     material, so it was easy to jump in. Imediately we 
     started working on new material so it wasn't like I 
     was just playing someone else's material.
Lucas: Also, what I would notice in his old band, he was
     always following the old guitar player and singer Wes.
     So it doesn't seem like it's that different.
RC: Really, when it comes back through the headphones I 
     guess it really doesn't matter. Is it different when
     it's live because you're more out front because you're
     just a duo?
Brian: Yeah, but you put your head down and you just go.
     You don't even notice where you're at on stage.
RC: I figured you'ld flash those handsome eyes and you'ld
     have all the women coming back you're way.
Brian: (laughing)Nah, nah, head down and go.
RC: All right well we're gonna kick it off with the video
     here, this is "Half Life." It's a great pleasure to 
     have these guys back on the show after quite some 
     time. Wish you the best of luck with your latest 
     project.
Lucas: Thank you.

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