Hum's sonic universe is a solipsistic world that exists on its own terms, a maelstrom of sensations and colors, a thick metallic vortex of fuzztoned guitars with a silent core at the center like the eye of a hurricane - equal parts homegrown and high-tech. Hum serves up a cacophony of overlapping harmonics and dense shards of electric guitars providing a counterpoint to Talbott's tales of innocence corrupted and love lost, the past mourned, the theories of physics and relativity applied to modern-day relationships and contemporary attitudes. Hum takes you on a interior journey that encompasses the gnarled rhythms and magic melodies of "Comin' Home," the rumble in the jungle of "Isle of the Cheetah," tripping through the salamander-infested waters of "Afternoon with the Axolotls," and the back-to-nature de-evolution of "If You Are to Bloom" and "Green To Me."

Eschewing individual personalities to the whole, Hum is much, much more than the sum of its young, fast and scientific parts. "We are democratic to a fault," says Matt. We barely function sometimes because if one guy doesn't like a part, even if the other three do, we'll rework the idea until we're happy with it. That's why it took so long to finish this album [DIH]." Hum's songs are rorchacht tests, with Talbott preferring to leave their interpretation open to the listener, though he will admit "they're mostly just love songs when you break them down." Abstract lyrics jump out to form concrete images. "I'm thinking of a number between everything and two," sings Matt on "Apollo," a song about a woman who'd most certainly not prefer an astronaut, but a companion more down-to-earth, with his feet on the ground. "It's molecules of you." Hum break down personal relationships into their physical components and turn those particles into whole songs.

You could say Hum were the thinking man's rock band, though not to their face. "We don't take ourselves very seriously, but we take what we do pretty seriously," insists Matt. "I like the sound you found," sings Talbott in "Ms. Lazarus." "I like the way it feels here coming down." Like a camera obscura freezing an image for eternity, Hum is all about turning space-time and its continuum upside down, rethinking rock & roll in a new light, turning emotions into a nuclear fission of colors, sounds, feedback and trance-n-dance. Hum be dropping some mad science.

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

Other Affiliations:
Castor

Born April 2, 1969. Bryan is Hum's second drummer. Legend has it that Matt overheard Bryan playing along to some Police and/or Rush songs on his drums and asked him to join the band. He also filled in as the drummer for Castor for a short stint. Bryan, having moved to Indiana for a pharmaceutical job, is now married and has 2 children.

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