THE HUSH Delivers a Loud Dose of Rock 'n' Roll

THE HUSH is quickly rising to the top of the Los Angeles music scene. Led by guitarist Lee Landrum, the five-piece modern rock band employs a blend of feisty vocals backed by driving rhythms and catchy guitar riffs. Lead singer Jazmine Giovanni embodies rock 'n' roll. Her sassy stage presence and powerful pipes have seduced countless audiences and left many wanting more.

The band has been packing venues across West Hollywood—,  and most recently , where they played to a full house Thursday night. THE HUSH performed a collection of songs off its debut EP, Scene of the Crime, which is available on iTunes, as well as a killer rendition of U2’s "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me."

After the House of Blues show, Patch sat down with Landrum to discuss the band's musical influences, favorite venues to play at in West Hollywood, and what’s on the agenda for the rest of 2011.

Weho Patch: How long have you guys been playing together as a band?

Lee Landrum: The guys started playing together in '07 while working on another project. Realizing the magic they created, when that project ended [December 2008], they started writing new material and searching for a singer. Blake introduced Jazmine to the band April '09 and they've been running fast ever since. 

Patch: You have described the band's sound as modern hard rock. What are some musical influences?

Landrum: Between the five of us, I think every genre and band would make the list. What influences this project in particular is Muse, Foo Fighters, Incubus and U2.

Patch: What made you decide to go with a female rocker as your lead singer?

Landrum: I've worked with a lot of female singers in the past. I've always liked the unique dynamic of aggressive music with a sultry voice to find a good balance of smoothness and edge. Jazmine has some powerful pipes and can hold her own with the rest of us. We are a loud band and she doesn't have any trouble fronting.

Patch: What's your favorite part about performing live?

Landrum: The energy between the audience and the band. There's nothing like playing in front of a crowd that is amped up and ready to go. Our last show at the House of Blues was a great example of that. People were dancing on the floor and screaming between songs.

Patch: The band has played at venues all over Weho. What has been your best local show so far?

Landrum: There have been a lot of great shows, but the one that really put us on the map was a show at Viper Room last June. The place was packed. Friends flew in from as far away as Nashville and Texas. The spread of Southern California fans came from San Diego to Palmdale to Santa Barbara. The energy in the room was awesome and we were on fire.

Patch: What are you looking forward to for the rest of the year?

Landrum: We are planning on releasing a new EP soon and have some other new material in the works. We tend to hit the studio three songs at a time. As far as touring, we are hoping to get out there soon. There are some other bands that want to tour with us. It's just a matter of working out the details and schedule.

Patch: Why should people come check out a Hush show?

Landrum: We are fresh and original. The blend of the music, lyrics and melody lines deliver something for everybody. We put a lot of focus on our live show to personally entertain the crowd in the room. I always love going to concerts that have that something extra not on the album. We are constantly reworking our set to keep it new and entertaining for our audience.