10 / 20  Out of nothingness − LOVE. Thank you HUM, for everything. ∞

08 / 15  HUM has resurfaced again, free from the carbonite, emerging from their 17 year, cicada-like hibernation. Sometimes the stars align just so, and all is right with the world again. Godspeed.

This time capsule of a site has been cracked open just wide enough to blow off a bit of accrued dust, and to right a few slightly damaged ships within their bottle homes, ultimately to be cast out to sea again. Much has changed in the time passed, some things not so much, and feel that it's more in keeping with the spirit of this whole endeavor to try and simply preserve what once was. If you were once stranded here through some temporal anomaly, from a stray page out in the hinterlands, welcome home.

After all these years, after all the liquid interludes slipped through, cascading out into the lonely wilds of a subsequent hereafter, I am quietly reminded of the question - Why HUM? Why have they remained solitarily steadfast, ever in the mind, and dutifully within the play rotation, especially after all this otherwise inactive time? There is only one answer, and there is but one reason HUM stands like an elder oak outlasting us all, with boughs gracefully sweeping skyward beyond the depth and breadth of other offerings from their ilk:

At the heart of HUM is true love.

Even within the realm of music, where creativity and passion flows with a more rarefied freedom, HUM talks the talk, and walks the walk in a way that harmoniously calls forth this listener, by nakedly honest and plaintive example, like no other before or since. The early albums celebrated love's raw inception, and bemoaned the pain of its shattering departure. Astronaut mourned its seeming passing, while still committing deeply and truly to its essential purity, throughout time and space, unto all the unknown, forward and above. Downward, lovingly, let go, gently setting back down to Earth, intention wide and pure with welcoming space for all the intertwined hearts had long ago set in motion - the promises of endless summer nights' echoing return home. I know now of what HUM sings and sounds, and for why. I know of whom, in my life, this is all about, and - heaven help me, somehow, somewhen - I am with you once again.

With ineffable gratitude, thank you HUM for being with us all along, and now anew, in sonorous refrain.

12 / 02  Matt and Tim's new projects have come to fruition and are available for mass consumption. They are, respectively, Centaur and Glifted, and they are each incredibly good. Do yourselves and the artists responsible a favor and give them a listen. Parasol has the goods.

02 / 01  HUM performed their (seemingly) final show on 12/31/2000. There were some nifty pill t-shirts available at the events with the message "Expires 01-01-01", leaving little doubt as to the future of HUM. Parasol has these shirts available for order, but I wouldn't expect them to stay in stock for too long. Here are the setlists for the Galaxy and Metro shows:

It's indeed sad that HUM is no more, and I truly wish that all good things could last forever. I know I will continue to enjoy and treasure HUM's music in the future. (There's always that one layered track I hadn't noticed before...) I imagine many, if not most, HUM fans share the same sentiment. Perhaps the band felt they had learned all they could from HUM, and decided to move on and experience other facets of life. I wish them all the best and bestow unto them many thanks for sharing a part of their lives with us, as well as the wonderful memories and experiences along the way.

Thank you kindly, HUM.

It's not all over though...

Centaur records: According to Keith Cleverlsley (YPAA producer), they plan on heading into the Playground for a 3 week studio stint. Perhaps some leftover HUM material will see the light of day. Keep your ears open.

12 / 00  Looks like HUM is scheduled for another show: This one will take place at The Galaxy in St. Louis, MO. The all ages concert starts at 10:30 on Friday, December 29th. Tickets are $10 in advance, $12 at the door, and can be purchased from https://www.metrotix.com.

11 / 00  HUM is scheduled for a New Year's Eve reunion show at the Metro in Chicago. They are currently listed for 12/31/2000, opening with the Flaming Lips. Tickets go on sale on Saturday, 11/25, and are $40. Who knows how many more times the band will be together as HUM, so get your tickets and enjoy the show. It's hard to think of a better way to spend the winding down and fading out of the true millennium...

In other news, it seems Matt's recording studio is progressing nicely. The studio (named Great Western Record Recorders) is located in a small farming town in central Illinois by the name of Tolono. Word has it that the digs are quite unique, spacious, and Matt has lots of cool analog equipment. There is even a furnished apartment upstairs for bands to stay in while they record.

Here is some related info from a recent Parasol newsletter (and Bill Johnson of Honcho Overload) regarding the location:

BUY THIS SPACE: A SHAMELESS PLUG FOR GREAT WESTERN RECORD RECORDERS

I used to be in a band named Honcho Overload with a buddy named Matt Talbott. He was also in a band named HUM. They released a few records, had a hit single ("Stars"), and appeared on M-TV & various late night talk shows - oddly including the Howard Stern show(!?).

Older & wiser, Matt & I mostly attend sporting events together these days, but he is also opening a recording studio. I told him I'd allow him to tell you folks about it largely because it's a very nice place and because he was buying my lunch at the time.

E-mail me if you'd like to buy me lunch. Until then, here's Matt:

Dear Parasol patrons:

I've recently been spreading the word about a new recording studio I'm opening here in the Champaign area, and the good people at Parasol were kind enough to share this space in their newsletter with me.

The studio is called Great Western Record Recorders, and you can send email to me at greatwesternrr•at•yahoo•dot•com to get any details that may interest you.

A few highlights:
• 24-track 2-inch analog tape machine
• 16 tracks of digital recorders
• 48 channel MCI D Series console
• Lots of nice mics and outboard
• Big drum room w/hardwood floor
• two large iso areas with good sight lines to drum room and control room
• Fully furnished apartment above studio (with real shag carpeting)
• Very reasonable rates

Again, drop me an email if you have any questions.

Thanks!
Matt Talbott

There you go - once again the contact e-mail for the GWRR is greatwesternrr•at•yahoo•dot•com. It is important to note that this address is strictly for studio related content. In other words, all HUM related stuff is entirely taboo. Matt has threatened dismemberment (Grendel's Arm?) to anyone violating this rule. Please, show Matt (and the band) some respect and keep the discussion recording related.

09 / 00  Well ladies and gentlemen, events on the HUM front are slowly beginning to dissipate. All of the members are off on their own trajectories, pursuing their own interests and lives. Recent word from their management states that they are indeed dropped from RCA. It's probably a safe bet to say that the guys won't be coming to your town to play a show anytime soon, or getting together to record a new album.

The latest word has it that Bryan found a pharmaceutical job in Indiana and has since moved there with his new wife and baby. Tim is attending school, while Jeff is doing well with his band National Skyline. Matt is active with Centaur, whom I have heard sounds a bit HUMmish. Rumor has it that he has purchased an old church and is planning on converting it into a recording studio. Who knows? Maybe a Centaur recording or two, or even a distant, home-spun HUM album? We know of a few unreleased songs, like "Inklings" and "Cloud City", but it's all up in the air at this time.

Keep your fingers / flippers / hooves / wings etc. crossed...