Today, Local H released its eighth studio album, called Hey, Killer. It’s the band’s first full-length with new drummer Ryan Harding and varies considerably from their last two records in that it’s not a concept album. We spoke with frontman Scott Lucas and talked about how the record was written, what recording it was like and the Pledge Music campaign that helped fund the album. We also discussed Local H’s upcoming shows, their 25^th anniversary which they’re celebrating this year and more. What’s certain is that Hey, Killer is raw, packed with hooks and infused with inspired riffs, leaving little doubt that rock fans everywhere will be extremely excited about this record. Also, be sure to check out Local H on April 17^th at the House of Music in Arlington Heights and on April 18^th at Tailgaters in Bolingbrook. They’ve also got an in-store performance at Reckless Records, (Broadway location) for Record Store Day on April 18^th at 3:00 PM, and they’re playing the Metro April 19^th as well.

Bill – Tell me about the writing process for this album and how it relates to the record’s title.

Scott – Well, I’m not sure if the title does relate that much to the writing process. It’s something that we thought was a funny title, but it could also be cool, but it could also be self-deprecating. It had at least three different meanings that we could think of, so it kind of works for us with that. Basically, we had just been collecting riffs all year. When we had booked time at the studio we realized that we were kind of fucked because we didn’t really have any songs. I kind of went back and listened to all these voicemails I had left myself of song ideas and realized we had plenty of songs. We just had to sort of get to work and do that. Once the process started, we realized the songs were really good and it’s just a matter of doing the work. From there we were just pleased and super-relieved.

Bill – Given that Hey, Killer is the first Local H full-length with drummer Ryan Harding, what did you like best about collaborating with him on the album?

Scott – It’s just a lot of energy and a really renewed sense of that. One of the things that we wanted to do with this record was also get to a point where we were introducing him. I’ve been in that situation before with the band and sometimes it can sort of feel like you overcompensate or you’re doing too much, where this really didn’t feel like that. We were really genuinely excited about making a record together. Everything was really natural and confident. It’s almost in some ways our third debut as a band. When I listen back to the other two incarnations, I can see there was almost some trying too hard to be something, or to sort of prove what we’re not. So then those records become more of a negative feeling for me, whereas this album is sort of the opposite of that.

Bill – You guys recorded Hey, Killer with Andy Gerber at both Electric Audio and Million Yen Studios in Chicago. What was that experience like?

Scott – Really laid back, really fun, everyone was happy to be there. We really wanted to get the drum sound over in the big room at Electric Audio. So, we just set up, we set my gear up in an isolation booth and we just played all the songs live. We did that and then we took those tracks over to Andy’s studio, Million Yen, and we sort of peeled the onion. Sort of like, “Well, that guitar sound isn’t as interesting as we’d like it to be so let’s put a different guitar sound.” We just sort of rebuilt the whole thing there from the initial skeleton of the drums.

Bill – I think that kind of shines through in the recording. There’s a definite live and energetic feel to it…

Scott – Right. You don’t want the record to be monochromatic, where everything just sounds the same. At the same point, it’s not Houses of the Holy. It absolutely does feel like it’s of a time, the songs really do hang together, but it’s not kaleidoscopic. It’s a rock record, but there are little shades and touches.

Bill – With Hey, Killer not necessarily being a concept record, how would you describe it compared to the band’s other material?

Scott – It was a real, concerted effort to sort of whittle the songs down and trim the fat away and just get to the point. With Hallelujah! I’m a Bum or Twelve Angry Months, our last two records, which were very, very concept heavy, the concept is king on those records. Sometimes there’ll be a song that’s chosen specifically for the lyrics or specifically for what it says about the overall concept. This record is completely just all about the tunes and all about the hook. We kind of wanted to shy away from it being conceptual, but having said that, there are a lot of themes on the record that do pop up, but that’s just the way it goes.

Bill – Where did you get the idea to do a Pledge Music campaign for the album?

Scott – It was brought to our attention by our management. I was kind of hesitant at first about the thing. I’d never done a Kickstarter thing or anything like that, I just felt guilty or like I was begging or something like that. Once I realized this was more about a preorder-type of thing and not that other stuff, and that everything we were offering people was what I think is a fair price, then it was different. If all you wanted was the record, all you’d pay is $10, which is what you’d pay at iTunes. It starts from there and it goes up to different things, like a certain amount of money for me to write out the lyrics to something. Everything was about something, like “If you want this you can have it, and there you go.” I kind of realized it was more about people trusting us that the record wouldn’t suck. For that I’m grateful, that people trust us enough.

Bill – How did you determine that a portion of the money raised from the Pledge Music campaign would go to the MusiCares organization?

Scott – They kind of helped me out after I came back from this ill-fated trip in Russia. They came to my aid and I thought that was really great of them and really sweet. It was really a nice way to sort of repay that debt.

Bill – What are you looking forward to most about your upcoming record release shows in and around Chicago?

Scott – Pretty much just being able to play more songs off the new record. We did a couple shows a few weeks back where we were playing about five new songs. It’s good to play them, but I’m also looking forward to when people know the record and can get into it more. We’re excited, that’s pretty much it.

Bill – After your spring tour wraps up in May, what else does the band have planned this year?

Scott – Nothing concrete, but it probably wouldn’t be much different than last year. We’re just going to do a lot of touring, but this time with a new record.

Bill – How does it feel to be celebrating the 25^th anniversary of Local H?

Scott – Weird. It’s strange to me that we’ve been around longer than Led Zeppelin had been when I was a teenager. When I was listening to them, they hadn’t even been around for 25 years yet, when I was a kid. That’s the thing that probably fucks with me the most. And you kind of realize that this isn’t the kind of thing where longevity is rewarded, not in rock music anyway. It’s definitely something about endless turnover and moving on to the next thing, whatever that may be. So the fact that we’re still able to do this, it’s a privilege that’s not lost on me.