The Leeds Gig Guide

Band Biography for uh huh her:

The Los Angeles-based Uh Huh Her is the brainchild of musician/actress Leisha Hailey, formerly of alt-pop band The Murmurs, later reformed as Gush, who had starred on Showtime's hit series The L Word, and Camila Grey, bassist and keyboardist with lo-fi rock band Mellowdrone, who has also worked with Dr. Dre, Busta Rhymes, Melissa Auf Der Maur, Kelly Osbourne and Adam Lambert. Introduced through mutual friends, Hailey and Grey began making music together at the beginning of 2007, writing the emotionally charged electro-pop tunes that make up their first EP I See Red.

Ready to form another band after a five-year hiatus from music, Hailey went to see Grey perform with Mellowdrone. "I had been waiting to meet someone who had her talent and drive," Hailey says. "After hanging out a couple of times, it was obvious we were a great match." For her part, Grey says she was ready to leave behind session work and focus on a creative collaboration. "I've wanted to write and produce my own music, but was too busy touring as a background performer."

The result of their efforts was the EP I See Red, which was recorded over several months in a bedroom at Grey's Los Angeles home. ("Vocals were done in the bathroom," Hailey says, "it was very sexy.") Produced by Grey and mixed by Al Clay (who has worked with the Pixies, Frank Black, and Blur), I See Red, with its laser-sharp melodies, ethereal harmonies, lush string arrangements, and muscular drums, is a great introduction to the duo.

Less than a year after the release of I See Red, Uh Huh Her will unveil their full-length debut, the accessibly melodic Common Reaction, on August 19th. Produced by Al Clay … it was recorded in January at Clay’s L.A. studio, a world away from Grey’s bathroom …. The effort is an extension of the band’s previous musical foundation, as evidenced by focused tracks like "Not a Love Song," "Wait Another Day" and "Explode."

"We wrote a lot of it before we went in the studio, but we wound up re-cutting everything," Grey says of the 11-track album. "We wanted to make a commercially appealing record. The songs aren't specifically poppy but appeal to a wide variety of people."

"Sometimes the song just calls for it and you can't fight the pop," Hailey laughs. "I like that it's eclectic and not just one thing. That bores me in a record. We never wanted this band to be small."

Common Reaction is now available.

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