Kill Hannah

by Johnny Loftus
Kill Hannah was essentially vocalist/guitarist Mat Devine's dorm room four-track baby until a move to Chicago in 1995. After recruiting a few supporting players, Devine and Kill Hannah debuted the sound -- a glitzy mix of gothic tendencies and fashionably crunchy modern rock. Steady local gigs followed, as did a series of self-released EPs and a couple of albums (1997's Here Are the Young Moderns, 1999's American Jet Set). Devine finally found a lineup that stuck as his band's dogged, sometimes thankless tour of duty on the Chicago music scene dragged into the new millennium. With guitarists Dan Wiese and Jonathan Radtke, bassist Greg Corner, and drummer Garrett Hammond along for the ride, Kill Hannah continued to build a buzz locally while showcasing for majors frequently. The hard work finally paid off in late 2002, when Devine and the band signed with Atlantic. For Never & Ever appeared in October 2003; in addition to new material, it featured a few retooled versions of older songs. Kill Hannah toured in support of the album through year's end, returning to the studio later to complete their next record, 2006's Until There's Nothing Left of Us.