{"id":27,"date":"2026-04-26T12:56:26","date_gmt":"2026-04-26T16:56:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thebluehoursignal.com\/?page_id=27"},"modified":"2026-09-01T12:37:00","modified_gmt":"2026-09-01T16:37:00","slug":"history","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/thebluehoursignal.com\/?page_id=27","title":{"rendered":"History"},"content":{"rendered":"

History<\/h1>\n

Up from the ashes, smoldering.<\/h2>\n

The Blue Hour Signal is the long-arc creative partnership of Chad Austin and James McElroy\u2014a collaboration that began in the late 1980s and has evolved across decades.<\/p>\n\n

The two first connected around 1987 while performing in a band called Cassa Nova. Though they didn\u2019t win a local original music competition, they recognized something more important: a rare creative alignment in songwriting.<\/p>\n\n

After losing touch for several years, they reunited in 1993 and formed 9 Days Wonder. By 1994, they had written and self-produced a full-length album, Under Deep Water, which gained regional attention and set the tone for their collaborative process\u2014independent, driven, and deeply musical.<\/p>\n\n

Direction confirmed<\/h2>\n

By the mid-90s, it became clear that Austin and McElroy were the core creative force. They continued writing extensively, completing additional albums\u2019 worth of material through the late 90s, including the 1998 release Hymns and Wonders. Other collaborators contributed along the way, but the identity of the project remained rooted in their partnership.<\/p>\n\n

After periods of inactivity and unreleased material in the 2000s, the two began revisiting past work and developing new ideas around 2015\u2014pulling from decades of songwriting while refining their sound with modern production.<\/p>\n\n

Presentation<\/h2>\n

Now, in 2026, that body of work is emerging under a new name: The Blue Hour Signal.<\/p>\n\n

Joined by longtime collaborator Brian Mohrman on drums and a select group of supporting musicians, the project represents both a continuation and a reset\u2014honoring the past while stepping into a new creative identity.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

History Up from the ashes, smoldering. The Blue Hour Signal is the long-arc creative partnership of Chad Austin and James McElroy\u2014a collaboration that began in the late 1980s and has evolved across decades. The two first connected around 1987 while performing in a band called Cassa Nova. Though they didn\u2019t win a local original music competition, they recognized something more … <\/p>\n

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