Welcome to Dragonfly Descending, a digital tribute to the Champaign Illinois band, HUM. While most of the content found here is strewn about over several different HUM sites on the Web, I hope to provide HUM fans of all shapes and sizes with some useful information and an esthetically pleasing look at the band and the fruits of their collective imagination.

I hope you enjoy these pages!

News:

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

2 / 01 Hum performed their (seemingly) final show on 12/31/2000. There were some cool pill t-shirts available at the shows with the message "Expires 01-01-01" which leave 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:


The Galaxy - St. Louis, MO 12/29/00

Winder
The Pod
Ms. Lazarus
Green to Me
Suicide Machine
Iron Clad Lou
Afternoon with the Axolotls
Inklings
Stars
Why I Like Robins
Comin' Home
I Hate It Too

Encore:
Shovel
I'd Like Your Hair Long

The Metro - Chicago, IL 12/31/00

Winder
The Pod
Ms. Lazarus
Suicide Machine
Green to Me
Iron Clad Lou
Afternoon with the Axolotls
Inklings
Stars
Comin' Home
I Hate it Too
I'd Like Your Hair Long

 

It's indeed sad that Hum is no more, and I truly wish that all good things could last forever. I know that 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. Hopefully, the band felt that 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. Thank you kindly Hum.

It's not all over though...

This just in from Parasol...
Longtime Parasol pal Jeff Dimpsey (National Skyline/Hum/Honcho Overload) is getting hitched this weekend. Congratulations to Jeff & Alisa, enjoy your "happily ever after."

Matt Talbott and his wife Sue, are apparently with child and expecting soon. Congrats and best wishes!

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 concert starts at 10:30 on Friday, December 29th. Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door and can be purchased (supposedly) from http://www.metrotix.com. It's all ages too!

11 / 00 Big news! Hum, apparently, is scheduled for a new years 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. Please click here for more info. Oh yeah, it's ages 21 and over only. Who knows how many more times the band will be together as Hum, so get your tickets and enjoy the show! I can't think of a better way to spend the closing of the true millenium. Woohoo!

In other news, Matt's recording studio is progressing nicely it seems. The studio (entitled Great Western Record Recorders) is located in a small farming town in central Illinois by the name of Tolono. Word has it that the studio is quite unique and spacious and Matt has lots of cool analogue recording equipment. There is even a furnished apartment upstairs for bands to stay in while they record. Here is a letter from a recent Parasol newsletter (and Bill Johnson of Honcho Overload) regarding the location:

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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@yahoo.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

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There you go! Once again the contact e-mail for the GWRR is greatwesternrr@yahoo.com. It is important to note that this e-mail addy is strictly for studio related content. In other words, all Hum related stuff is entirely taboo. Matt has threatened dismemberment (heh, Grendal's Arm) to anyone violating this rule. Please, show Matt (and the guys) some respect and *do not* mention Hum.


9 / 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. Last I heard, Bryan found a pharmaceutical job in Indiana and has since moved there with his new wife and baby (Congrats!) Tim is still going to school while Jeff is doing well with his band National Skyline. Matt, I think, is still 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 do know of a few unreleased songs, like 'Inklings' and 'Cloud City', but it's all up in the air at this time. Keep you fingers / flippers / hooves / wings etc. crossed!

As for the site, small changes abound here and there. In addition to a few new sections, the lyric and bio pages have been given a massive overhaul. There is also a new navigation bar which now graces the bottom of your screen where Shockwave users will experience an audible bonus. You can click the constellation for control.

Take care!

~noah