Editing Local H (section)

===Joe Daniels era (1987–1999)===
Local H formed as a result of a high school band that Scott Lucas and Matt Garcia were in called Rude Awakening, in 1987. That year, while attending high school in Zion, Scott Lucas and Joe Daniels began jamming together, along with Matt Garcia and John Sparkman. Local H was formed in 1990, performing their first show on April 20, 1990, at the University of Wisconsin in Whitewater. Sparkman left the band on April 4, 1991. Local H released ''Drum'', their first [[extended play]], in 1991. Garcia left on January 26, 1993, and Lucas and Daniels began looking for a replacement bassist. They eventually decided to carry on as a duo with Lucas handling bass guitar frequencies after having a high school friend, Tobey Flescher, modify his guitar with an added bass pickup and second output. Local H played their first show as a true duo on September 3, 1993.

By 1994, record labels were trying to capitalize on the popularity of harder-edged alt-rock bands like [[Nirvana (band)|Nirvana]], [[Pearl Jam]], [[Soundgarden]], and [[Stone Temple Pilots]], and the band caught the attention of Joe Bosso, an [[A&R]] rep for [[Polydor Records]], which was then in the process of merging with [[Island Records]].<ref name=Vulture/>  Island released Local H's debut studio album ''[[Ham Fisted]]'' in January 1995, with the singles "Cynic" and "Mayonnaise and Malaise," but the album failed to chart.  Behind the scenes, Island pressured Bosso to drop the band; instead, Bosso pushed them into quickly recording a follow-up before Island could cancel their contract.  Ahead of the release of ''[[As Good as Dead (album)|As Good as Dead]]'', Lucas was informed by Island that the album needed to sell at least 100,000 copies for the band to remain with the label.<ref name=Vulture/>  ''As Good as Dead'' achieved moderate commercial success behind the single "[[Bound for the Floor]]", which rose to No.&nbsp;5 on the US Alternative ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' Chart and No.&nbsp;10 on the US Hot Mainstream Rock ''Billboard'' Chart. The songs "[[Eddie Vedder]]" and "Fritz's Corner" additionally made Top 40 on the Alternative and Mainstream Rock Billboard Charts.  The album ultimately sold over 300,000 copies.  

Encouraged by the unexpected success of ''As Good as Dead'', Island Records greenlit a third album with Local H's preferred producer, [[Roy Thomas Baker]], along with a larger budget and a promise of no interference.  That album, ''[[Pack Up the Cats]]'', was a 15-track [[concept album]] chronicling the rise and fall of a rock band.  Island expected it to be a major success and intended to heavily promote it, with "[[All the Kids Are Right]]" as its leadoff single.<ref name=Vulture/>  This plan was derailed, however, when Island Records' parent company, [[Polygram]], was acquired by [[Universal Music Group]].  The promotional campaign was canceled and everyone at Island that the band had worked with, including Bosso, were fired or quit.  ''Pack Up The Cats'' was released September 1, 1998, peaking at number 140 on the [[Billboard 200]] and staying on the chart for only two weeks, despite "All the Kids Are Right" achieving moderate success on [[MTV]].  Universal did not release a second single.  The album was critically acclaimed and ranked on several best-of year-end lists, and in a retrospective ''[[Vulture (website)|Vulture]]'' suggested ''Pack Up the Cats'' might have been a landmark album of '90s rock comparable to Nirvana's ''[[Nevermind]]'' or [[Radiohead]]'s ''[[OK Computer]]'' had its release been handled differently.<ref name=Vulture/>

In July 1999, Daniels left the group.