Hum

Hum are a space rock band from Champaign, Illinois. They have not been consistently active as a recording or touring group since 2000.

= The initial line-up of the band formed in 1989, with vocalist and guitarist Andy Switzky, guitarist Matt Talbott, bassist Akis Boyatzis, and drummer Jeff Kropp. Matt and Andy met at a cafe named Treno's where the latter worked. Discussions about music led to the two forming the nucleus of a 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 (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, wh...