CHICAGO -- After months of speculation, Local H confirmed that original drummer, Joe Daniels, will join the current two-man line-up for a spring tour to mark the 20th anniversary of the band's breakthrough album,
As Good As Dead. The band will first play a short set of songs culled from last year's widely praised album,
Hey, Killer, along with music from their other six studio albums and EPs. After a brief intermission, they will return to the stage and play
As Good As Dead in its entirety. There will be no opening act. Dates begin with two hometown shows at Metro in Chicago on April 15th and 16th. They hit Bowery Ballroom in New York on May 3rd and The Roxy Theatre in West Hollywood on June 2nd. Full itinerary below.
Local H frontman Scott Lucas joined Chicago's 101WKQX DJ wALT yesterday afternoon to break the news. Listen here:
http://tinyurl.com/z3wax4a
Official statement from Local H:
"The rumors are true. After 16 years, Joe Daniels will be re-joining us behind the kit for a run of shows celebrating the 20th anniversary of
As Good As Dead.
Last fall, we were alerted that plans were underway to reissue our second record on vinyl. We wanted to be involved and contacted srcvinyl to see if they were interested in including some bonus tracks and demos. They were. They wondered if we were interested in doing some shows around the re-release. Maybe doing a tour where we play the record in its entirety.
We weren't.
Here's the thing: We're not too hot on the whole nostalgia thing and the idea of playing a 20-year-old record didn't fill us with a burning artistic desire. Besides --we'd just put out a new record that we were still psyched about and we were more than happy to concentrate on that.
And then (of course) we started thinking. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad. We've played the record live before. It's a concept record. It's meant to be played that way. It's not
The Wall, but so fucking what? In fact, we'd played the whole album during our last show with Joe.
Which led to the obvious question: Why not have Joe play? When would there ever be a better reason? If all parties were down with the situation, why not put together a mega-Local H show at the Metro Chicago with
As Good As Dead as the centerpiece?
Long story short, not only is that happening, but we've decided to take the show out on the road. We've spent the last few months practicing, shaking the dust off and crafting a set that A.) We're pretty sure you'll love, and B.) We're totally sure to be proud of. As of now, we've got shows booked into June. After that? Who knows? And if you're worried about what all this means for Ryan --don't be. We're taking him along. Everybody wins. An evening with Local H. No opener --just Joe, Ryan and Scott. Two drummers and a guitar player. The Two Balls And A Dick Tour.
For some of you, it's been a long time since you've seen Joe play with the band. But some of you? Some of you never had the chance to see him play at all. We don't think that's fair and this is a chance to remedy that. See you out there."
Watch Local H rehearsing "Back In The Day" with Joe Daniels here:
As Good As Dead will be released on 180-gram colored vinyl on April 15th via srcvinyl. This re-issue marks the first time that the album will ever be available in this format. The high-quality, double LP will have a premium gatefold jacket and insert. Additionally, the record will come with a digital download code that will allow access to bonus material from that era. Different color options are available for pre-order here:
http://tinyurl.com/jhxu8bo.
As Good As Dead, Local H's second full-length album, was produced by Steven Haigler (Quicksand, Pixies) and was originally released on April 16, 1996 on Island Records on CD and cassette. The record was the band's first foray into making a concept album and is centered around life in a dead-end, small town. It spawned four modern rock radio hits including "Eddie Vedder," "Fritz's Corner," "High-Fivin' MF" and "that copacetic song" -- "Bound for the Floor," a track that remains a staple on alternative radio station playlists around the the country two decades later. The band made videos for each of the singles. Watch them here:
http://tinyurl.com/hl4sbj9 and here:
http://tinyurl.com/gvrwqva.
Local H celebrated the 25th anniversary of their first-ever live performance last year with the release of a new album,
Hey, Killer; a sold-out record release show at Metro and a jam-packed tour schedule, which included dates with Failure and ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead, several indie brewery festivals and a triumphant return to Milwaukee's Summerfest.
Hey, Killer is the band's first full-length with drummer Ryan Harding and their eighth studio album overall. Both the 25-year milestone and the excitement surrounding the latest record spurred the band to publish a 140-page coffee table book in December --
Local H: Twenty-Five Years of Skin In the Game. The first printing of the book sold out, but is now back in stock at G&P Records here:
http://tinyurl.com/zmyoyv4
