Joe Daniels: Hey, how’s it going…
VOX: Welcome back to LA.
Joe: Yeah…

VOX: Let’s start with some easy questions…How did you guys get together…and how did it end of being just end up being the two of you?
Joe: We met in high school, close to the last years in high school pretty much, we just got together started playing, you know writing songs together, playing whatever, doing covers, just messing around. Then we actually formed the band, in ’90, we had a bass player, and we started doing gigs. I moved down to Chicago, played at clubs doing covers, playing colleges, that’s about it…

VOX: Any favorite covers?
Joe: Not really covers, I mean that’s how we got together, got to know each other in the band, it doesn’t mean we were a cover band. It was just playing what we like to hear.

VOX: where did the name local h come from?
Joe: Umm, we really don’t know, we never…there’s really no meaning behind it. Everyone asks us and they’re not going to get anything out of us. Why would we tell and then it would be over!

VOX: What was the scene in Zion (Illinois, their home town)? What was it like there or was there a scene?
Scott Lucas: Nah, none at all! There was no scene in Zion. It was just a town with nothing to do. And, uh, that’s how scenes start. But, nothing really took hold there.

VOX: What do you think of LA, the scene?
Scott: What do I think of LA?
VOX: The music scene…
Scott: The music scene? I don’t really think, I don’t know if there is one. I mean, I’m not really sure. I don’t really live here. I just think things here in LA are a little too professional. It’s just a little too much about performing and things like that. I mean there’s some fine bands outta LA; such as RATT, you know, things like that…umm

Joe: It’s usually when we come out to LA and play a show its so industry out here. The crowd is just (looks up and poses). So we’re not knocking it but we’re just saying it’s a little weird out here. Kinda like New York, and all the big cities. It’s like the industry takes over…

VOX: What about other scenes that you particularly liked, like Nashville?
Joe: Scene, schmene, I don’t really care about scenes. If people come to our shows, and that’s a scene, then I don’t really care about it…

Scott: It’s kinda hard to comment on a particular scene when you don’t really live there, you don’t really know.

VOX: Well, sometimes, traveling to different cities, you know if you’ve been there enough times it can expose you to different vibes.
Joe: Yeah, I feel no vibe in LA, if that’s what you’re asking. I’ve never felt a vibe here. It’s always been really weird. Just kinda play the show, get off the stage and go! That type of thing. I’ve definitely felt vibes in Portland.

VOX: There have been more than a few comparisons to Nirvana…
Joe: I guess that’s not bad, it’s not like they sucked or anything! Umm, but people are always going to point their finger and compare you to something and that’s how this world is. Whatever we do, we could do a classical record and there would still be references to Nirvana. Whatever, we don’t really give a shit.

VOX: Well similar to Nirvana, you have a real dedicated fan base.
Scott: it’s really important for me to have things based on the music, the live shows rather than antics and stunts, your face on magazines and things like that. Hopefully those people will see a level of honesty in that and I don’t want to beat it in the ground and be too serious about it. I still want to have a good time. But I still want it to be about music and I enjoy bands that are like that.

VOX: Where do you see alternative music going?
Joe: Alternative music? I don’t care where it goes. Rock music, uhh, we’re a rock band, and I think we’ll always be a rock band, we’ve always been a rock band. I think that format [rock] will stick around – it’s always been around. It’s going to stay; it just depends on what you want to do…

VOX: Where does your inspiration come from?
Scott: Pretty much rock bands you know. I don’t really feel rock is limiting, and I don’t think of it that way. I mean when I was growing up listening to Led Zeppelin and you would listen to a record by them, and they would dabble in a lot of different styles in one record. Houses of the Holy is a good example of that. I don’t feel like I need to move in any one direction to be able to express myself. I feel pretty comfortable in the ‘rock genre.’

VOX: "All The Kids Are Right" is a play on The Who - what’s the inspiration behind that?
Scott: Just the idea of playing a bad show, you know. And, the kids wanting to get revenge on you. You know, they’ve paid the money to see you, and they told everyone it’s going to be a great show, and it’s a bad show. That kind of thing…

VOX: "She Hates My Job" is another great song, what inspired that?
Scott: "She Hates My Job" is like, you can be on the road, and it can take a toll on you, personal relationships and things like that. It’s just…

Joe: Pretty much how it sounds, huh…

Scott: Yeah, it’s just meant to be another joke.

VOX: Is it from the perspective of a musician?
Scott: I am trying to think if there is a connection –

Joe: It could be anything, you could be a salesman…

Scott: It could be anything.

VOX: I can see that. What’s the deal with the cat theme?
Joe: Nothing much…

VOX: Are you guys cat lovers or...is it "Hey let’s do something with this?"
Scott: Each year I proclaim something different. Like one year it’ll be about busts, and another, and that year was just cats, and cruelty to cats. So, it just follows that – I can’t remember what the theme is for this year, but I forgot it. Oh, It might be midgets or something!

VOX: What is the creative process like for you guys…are the songs just jokes, something you have fun with?
Scott: No, you want the songs to work on a couple of different levels; you want them personal, for yourself, but you also want other people to get something out of it. Every line can, and should mean two things, so you can see it on a bunch of different levels. It’s more fun that way. I have no interest in straitjacketing any songs in what they mean. Just as long, people can think what they want, but each song does have its personal little thing for me, and, umm, yeah!

VOX: How do you guys write songs?
Scott: You want to have a song that has a good riff…I think songs usually start out with riffs. I think they do. I-I’m pretty sure. I heard about some people writing a song, starting with the chorus, then filling in the verses. We usually start from the beginning and go to the end. We start with the riff and then start with the verse and then make it better for the chorus. And I think that’s a better way to work. You can start with a good chorus and then come up with an average verse.

VOX: Is it all done at the studio?
Scott: No, we work out everything live before we go into the studio.

Joe: I mean, there might be some rearranging in the studio, but no song writing. We’re not one of those bands. It’s a little pricey and stupid.

Scott: You might end of with a Zooropa [U2] if you do that. You end up with a record less based on songs, and more on sounds. And, you’re excited cause you found this new sound and you forget that It’s not that much.

VOX: What can we expect from you tonight?
Joe: Scott in a bra!

Scott: Yeah, we’re learning a Whitesnake song…

VOX: You said that with a straight face!
Scott: We got the CD right there!

Joe: Seriously! Are we known as liars or something? What’s going on?