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Preamble

I could say a lot about Hum. However, I was just a kid when Hum was formed and I'm really in no position to write about their beginnings or ends or much of anything in between. Hell, I'm not even a remotely talented writer of anything except computer code and bad poetry. I've tried to keep this bio updated throughout the years, by fact checking with some super cool folks who were there, man but I can't compete with Wikipedia. All the facts have nicely coalesced into a fussy Wikipedia entry, which I'm now going to shamelessly steal and edit a little (because many of the facts originated here).

Inception

The initial line-up of the band formed in 1989, with guitarist Andy Switzky, guitarist Matt Talbott, bass guitarist Akis Boyatzis, and drummer Jeff Kropp. Matt and Andy met at a cafe named Treno's, in Urbana, Illinois, where Andy worked. Discussions about music led to the two forming the nucleus of Hum. Matt had previously played in the local group We Ate Plato and was presently a member of Honcho Overload; Andy had performed in the semi-serious live band Obvious Man and had studio experience with Designer Mustard Gas.

The group performed at Akis' basement for their initial months. Due to a suggestion from Rick Valentin of Poster Children, the band chose the name Hum (over contenders like Grendel's Arm, Pod, and Feedbag), an intentional vague description of their sound, and went through a second drummer before overhearing Bryan St. Pere playing along to a Rush record out of his apartment window and recruiting him.

This line-up was not to last long, though, as Akis left home for Greece in 1990. Local musician Joe Futrelle, who played with Andy in Designer Mustard Gas joined briefly, before leaving for more serious musical pursuits, and was replaced by Rod Van Huis, also of Steak Daddy Six. Due to personal reasons, he amicably split the band, and went on to perform in the Great Crusades. With the addition of Balthazar "Baltie" de Ley, of the band Mother (later Menthol), the band recorded their first demo in famous engineer Steve Albini's basement in Chicago, Illinois.

The band recorded eight songs in first or second takes, with only vocal overdubs, and had an official demo to shop around, named Is Like Kissing an Angel (She Said). At this point, the group's primary singer, guitarist, and songwriter was Andy, and that remained the case when their first album, Fillet Show, was released by local label 12 Inch Records in 1991. The album features a faster, heavy sound somewhere between punk music and heavy metal, with more overt political and humorous material than the later oblique lyrics that Matt Talbott would write.

Pressure grew on Baltie to focus his efforts on Mother and other pursuits, so he too left on good terms with the other members of Hum. Left without a bassist again, Matt suggested Jeff Dimpsey, his bandmate in Honcho Overload. In that group, and during his brief stint with the Poster Children, Jeff played guitar and Matt actually played bass, but the transition was smooth, and the band recorded two singles, "Hello Kitty"/"Roar, I'm a Tiger" and "Sundress/Time Is Melting", the former on 12 Inch, and the latter on the new Champaign-based label Mud Records. Around this time, the Champaign scene started to coalesce with members of one band joining up with members of another to form an indefinite amount of one-off side projects, and the Parasol Records distribution company helped promote local acts nationally and brought in alternative music to record stores in Champaign, Illinois.

In the interim between these singles and the next album, creative differences grew between members of the band, and Andy left. The remaining members recruited a local fan named Tim Lash, almost a decade their junior, to play guitar. His previous experience had been in a speed metal group The Grand Vizars (with Joe Ludwinski from Scurvine and Matt Friedburger from the Fiery Furnaces), and once casually remarked to the band after a show that if they ever needed a guitarist, they could give him a call.

Fruition

The classic lineup of the band was in place, and the quartet headed to Idful Studios with Brad Wood producing Electra 2000. The album was released in its first two pressings by 12 Inch Records and distributed through Cargo Records. The lyrics were far more non-linear and conceptual, and introduced some of the space and science imagery that would dominate later songs. The album produced no singles, but due in no small part to distribution by Parasol, caught the attention of representative of RCA Records. The band was signed, and hooked up with local club owner and sometimes-musician Ward Gollings as tour manager. They switched to producer Keith Cleversley for their major-label debut You'd Prefer an Astronaut in 1995. The album would produce their biggest hit, the single "Stars", with promotional appearances on Space Ghost: Coast to Coast, and The Howard Stern Show.

The album swiftly sold 250,000 copies, and Hum played their largest dates promoting the record. Further singles "The Pod" and the promotional "I'd Like Your Hair Long" failed to generate much interest, and the band spent much of the rest of the year and 1996 on the road. In late 1997, they teamed with Mark Rubel at Pogo Studios to record their fourth album, Downward Is Heavenward.

Disintegration

The biggest promotion for the album came with an appearance on Modern Rock Live on January 25, 1998, and the album was released in February. Singles "Green to Me" and "Comin' Home" were promotional-only, and the band only sold 30,000 copies by the end of the year. Around this time, the band missed out on an opportunity to record live favorite the Police's "Invisible Sun" for the X-Files: Fight the Future film soundtrack. At the last minute, Sting and Aswad decided to record a reggae cover, keeping the band from a large potential fan base. Due to disappointing sales, and large record label mergers, the band was dropped from their contract in 2000. While touring in Canada, the band's van got into a minor accident, signaling the last straw. They played their final shows in 2000 on December 29 in St. Louis, Missouri and December 31 in Chicago, Illinois.

Afterglow

Matt went on to form Centaur with local musicians Derek Niedringhaus and Jim Kelly. The former had been in Castor and Sarge, who had been produced by Matt, and the latter was involved with Parasol and drummed in 16 Tons and Love Cup. To date, only one album has been released, In Streams, on the Martians Go Home label, set up by the band themselves to release the vinyl version of "Downward Is Heavenward" and the re-release of Electra 2000 on CD. A second is being produced. Matt produces in his studio Great Western Recorders and has started a family. He also teaches at a private university in central Illinois. Matt is also currently contributing to Open Hand, on Trustkill Records, and contributed vocals to First Days of Spring from the Neverending White Lights album Act 1: Goodbye Friends of the Heavenly Bodies released in 2005.

Jeff resurrected a side-project from 1997, National Skyline with Jeff Garber, also of Castor. This outfit put out a self-titled album, the ep Exit Now, and a second full-length, This = Everything. The band was also featured on the Parasol compilation Sweet Sixteen, Volume 2. He moved to Texas to pursue his career. Jeff is currently playing with Adam Fein (Absinthe Blind) in a new band called Gazelle. Their debut album, 'Sunblown', is available via Parasol Records.

Tim has played in four groups after Hum, the electronic duo Glifted with T. J. Harrison of Love Cup, Balisong, a heavy rock trio with local musicians Eric Steckler and Joe Ludwinski, as well as a mysterious unnamed sports rock trio with the legendary Johnny Chancellor and Mr. Franklin Wahler. To date, Glifted have released Under and In on Martians Go Home. A followup album was reported to be in production by Lash, but in 2008 he confirmed that Glifted was no more. Balisong never recorded anything, but played a few live shows in Champaign. Tim is currently working with Joe Ludwinski (Scurvine, The Grand Vizars), and Jason Milam (Scurvine, Lovecup) on a new project called Alpha Mile. Alpha Mile played their first show in December 2008 at the Highdive in Champaign. Alpha Mile has been recording off and on, and hope to have an album out in 2010. The 2009 Pygmalion Music Festival featured sets from both Gazelle and Alpha Mile. This was Gazelle's debut live show.

Bryan has largely quit music, and is rumored to have taken up residence in Indiana in the pharmaceutical industry. He also has a family today.

Matt Talbott

Vocals/Guitar

Other Affiliations:
Centaur (current)
Honcho Overload
We Ate Plato

Born June 27, 1967. Matt has been involved with Hum since the beginning, in 1989. Prior to Hum, he had been in the band We Ate Plato, featuring Honcho Overload guitarist KC Driscoll.

Circa 1989-1990, Matt was working in a cafe called Treno's when he met up with various members of Hum. During Hum's earlier days, Matt was also the bass player for the band Honcho Overload which also featured Jeff Dimpsey on guitar. With his own basement recording studio, Matt has helped record/produce bands such as Castor and Sarge. He also made a guest appearance on the Space Ghost Coast To Coast television show. Some of Matt's (and Hum's) favorite bands are Dinosaur Jr., Failure, Bitch Magnet, The Flaming Lips, Rush, The Police, R.E.M., Love Cup, and My Bloody Valentine.

Currently he is in the band Centaur, where he plays guitar and sings with Derek Niedringhaus (bass) of Castor, Sarge, National Skyline; and Jim Kelly (drums) of 16 Tons, and Love Cup. Centaur's debut album "In Streams" can be found at Parasol and many other online record stores, as well as in many indie record retailers. Centaur's sound is a bit different than Hum, its methods are more simple most of the time but don't be afraid...you'll still hear Matt's trademark vocals along with a swirly wall of sound.

Matt is married to Sue, the woman shown inside the "You'd Prefer An Astronaut" cover. He runs a kickin recording studio in Tolono, IL called Great Western Record Recorders.

Tim Lash

Guitar

Other Affiliations:
Alpha Mile (current)
Glifted
The Grand Vizars
Love Cup

Born June 16, 1974. Tim joined Hum, pre Electra 2000, as the lead guitarist after Andy Switzky (of "Fillet Show" era Hum) was reputedly fired by Matt. Having seen them play, Tim had told Hum to give him a call if they ever needed a guitarist. Prior to Hum, Tim was in the fast and complex metal band The Grand Vizars.

Having joined Hum right out of high school, Tim decided to enroll in college and take classes after Hum called it quits. He is currently in a band called Glifted with Love Cup bassist TJ Harrison. Their debut album "Under and In" was released the same week as Centaur's "In Streams". You can find it at Parasol and many other online record stores, as well as in many indie record retailers. Glifted's sound is far from Hum's, but if yr a big fan of My Bloody Valentine and the like, yr sure to love it!

Jeff Dimpsey

Bass

Other Affiliations:
Gazelle (current)
Honcho Overload
National Skyline
Poster Children
Bad Flannel

Born May 23, 1967. Hum bassist Jeffrey S. Dimpsey met singer Bill Johnson of Honcho Overload in 1985 while inhabiting the same dorm at UIUC. The two hit it off and made some home-brew recordings together. They soon formed the notorious band Bad Flannel with Gordon Pellegrinetti, Chris Green (Hum's tour manager), and Balthazar De Ley. Jeff and Bill later got jobs at Treno's where they met Matt Talbott. Around 1989, Jeff joined the Poster Children as a second guitarist and is featured on their second album "Daisy Chain Reaction". Jeff (guitar), Matt (guitar), and Bill (vocals) with Chris (drums) and Rick Sims (bass) of The Didjits/Lee Harvey Oswald Band/Gaza Strippers/Supersuckers started kicking Honcho Overload (then tentatively called The Forks) into full gear. After Baltie joined as a guitarist, Matt switched over to bass, and Mike Rader joined as the drummer, the group became Honcho Overload. Soon afterwards, both Baltie and Jeff bowed out of the band. After a week or so, Jeff was coerced into rejoining along with new guitarist KC Driscoll. The band released two full length albums "Smiles Everyone" and "Pour Another Drink" on MUD records before dissolving somewhere between Hum's signing to RCA and their recording of "You'd Prefer an Astronaut". Jeff had joined Hum as a bassist after Balthazar De Ley left, prior to the recording of "Electra 2000".

More recently Jeff, along with Jeff Garber of Castor, had been involved with the band National Skyline who has released two full length albums, one S/T, the other "This=Everything". During a lull between Hum's touring after "You'd Prefer An Astronaut", Jeff wrote a 45 minute song, which was performed live a few times with Nick Macri of C-Clamp, Euphone, and Derek Niedringhaus of Castor, Sarge, and now Centaur. The epic was committed to tape in the spring of 1997 by Poster Children/Salaryman member Jeff Valentine, but was never released. Afterwards, the band reverted to a duo (Jeff Dimpsey and Jeff Garber) and recorded several tracks on Jeff D.'s new 24-track, some of which are on the S/T album.

Bryan St. Pere

Drums

I'm a big stupid idiot and managed to delete Bryan's bio. I'm terribly sorry...I'll get one back up ASAP. - MJ