Tim Kasher may very well be one of the most creative and talented individuals; from writing countless songs for his three different bands – his solo project, Cursive and The Good Life – to screenplays, storylines and concept albums, he really has done it all. The Omaha, Neb., native’s indie-rock music is hard to classify as any particular genre. However, his songs about life, death, sorrow and happiness remain relevant for any listener.
The Temple News: What is a major difference in your solo project than The Good Life and Cursive? Why did you feel you needed to branch out and couldn’t make this music under either of those bands?
Tim Kasher: My solo project is not so different from my bands, but it was nice not playing under a proper band name with traditional instruments and just starting a new catalog. I wasn’t trying to shed skin or start a new style though.
TTN: Do you think [your solo album] “The Game of Monogomy” appeals to fans of The Good Life and Cursive, or are you looking to appeal to a new fan base?
TK: I would hope so. I wasn’t really looking to find new fans, but every time I make a Cursive or The Good Life album, I always hope new people will find it.
TTN: What are some of your current influences, musical or otherwise?
TK: Literature. When you read books, you sit with those ideas for a while and I’ve been reading a lot of John Updike lately. As for my musical inspirations, I recently did a film score and it was a really great opportunity. I learned a lot fast on working with arrangements, and listening to them is fantastic.
TTN: Do you think you’ll continue working on more film scores?
TK: I’d love to do it again but it’s so hard to make a career out of it. It was a great opportunity when it happened though.
TTN: You have been opening for Minus the Bear and recently performed in Philadelphia with them at the Electric Factory. What has it been like opening for Minus the Bear?
TK: The crowd is more open to our music than I would have expected. I think we have some benefit that I think that there is a lot of crossover, like people who listen to Minus the Bear tend to listen to Cursive. There’s some familiarity, as people know who I am and check it out. I try to play my stuff that’s more upbeat because [Minus the Bear is] a pretty upbeat rock band. The contrast hasn’t been a problem at all though.
TTN: What have you done in your career that you are most proud of?
TK: Most importantly that I’ve sustained a career for the last decade – it’s hard enough just to have a career in music at all and managing that and sustaining it is a lot of work.
TTN: What are you most proud of on “The Game of Monogomy”?
TK: The song “The Prodigal Husband.” It’s just really traditional, musically and lyrically. It’s difficult to tell a fairly complete short story in a song [and] I felt pretty good about getting a fairly complete arc of a short story.
TTN: What’s been the best and worst concert you’ve ever played?
TK: Cursive was invited to do a string of gigs with The Cure a while back and it was a lot of fun. As for our worst, and a lot of bands will run into this – corporate gigs you get paid gobs of money but will make you feel like your whoring out your music because it’s not the right forum.
TTN: What keeps you from getting bored of the repetitive life of touring? Do you ever think you’ll get sick of it?
TK: It’s tough, but I’ll read a lot and stay productive. I kind of get at my most angry or depressed if I’m not writing and working on stuff, so I keep up with my writing. What’s tough about that is if you’re in the middle of [a] long tour it’s tempting to drink, stare and sleep as long as you can so I try to stay away from that.
TTN: What’s the strangest gift you’ve ever gotten from a fan?
TK: We’ve had quite a few weird ones, but most recently on this tour, this young woman made a pillow of me. I still have it.
TTN: What do you like most about touring in Philadelphia and the Philadelphia music scene?
TK: I’m a really big fan of the food in the Philadelphia Chinatown district. It’s also nice to play with some friends that are from around here.
Danielle Miess can be reached at danielle.miess@temple.edu.
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