Current lineup:
Thomas Comerford - voice, guitars, harmonica/harp, songwriting, production.
Stephen "the Kid" Howard - electric guitar.
Steve Kiraly - drum kit, percussion.
Matt Seifert - bass, guitar, voice.
With recent guests:
Kris Poulin - production, engineering.
Theo Katsaounis - drum kit, foot taps.
Kent Lambert - keyboards, table banjo.
Tatsu Aoki - upright bass.
Laura Watral - keyboards.
Seth Vanek - production, drums, shakers, tambourine, glockenspiel, vibes.
Gerard Barreto - engineering.
Andrew Leach - pedal steel.
Stanley Ross - pianner.
The Armitage Shanks Glee Club - backing voices.
Past/future contributors -- still family: Kent Lambert (Roommate); Jim Duffy (Love Story in Blood Red; Stanley Ross); Laura Watral (Coupleskate; Belfrie); Simon Hunt; Chris Auman; Bill Brown; Johnathan Crawford; Erica Dicker; Jonathan Durlam; KJ Mohr; Theo Katsaounis; Mark Wright; Michael Annuse; Ben Armstrong; Paul Sargent; Sterling Ruby; Mom; Kimba; Henry Francis; Freelance Cowbell Players; and YOU.
Influences
Songwriters: Hank Williams, Jay Farrar, Neil Young, Tim Rutili, Jagger-Richards, Lennon-McCartney, Richard Buckner, Gene Clark, John Fogerty, Chan Marshall, Robert Pollard, Richard Hell and Ray Davies.
Other guiding lights include: AM Radio Hits (circa 1970-9), SST Records (1980-91), Nuggets, Harry Smith (& his Anthology of American Folk Music), Link Wray, Roky Erickson, Robert Quine, Beatles, Iggy, Ziggy, T. Rex, Lou Reed/Velvet Underground, Eno, Wire, Pere Ubu, Television, The Feelies, Pavement, Sebadoh, Alex Chilton, Jojo, Syd Barrett (& The Pink Floyd), Howlin' Wolf, John Fahey, Muddy Waters, Ed Gray, Gram Parsons, Willie Nelson, Townes Van Zandt, Tim Hardin, Neil Young (& Crazy Horse), Dylan, Stones, Ozzie/Sabbath, Led Zep, Califone, Red Red Meat, Otis Redding, Van Morrison (TB Sheets through Veedon Fleece), the Who, Hot Snakes, Thin Lizzy, the Carter Family and the Replacements.
Also: Kaspar Hausers, J.D. Salinger, Chris Ware, Lester Bangs and Flannery O'Connor.
Currenly recording new LP. Here's some info on our last record:
• "... Comerford has crafted a set of gems that should satisfy lovers of rusty punks like the Silver Jews and Uncle Tupelo." -CMJ New Music Monthly, Issue 152
• "Here are a few pop-culture items I've been digging this week ... Kaspar Hauser's Quixotic/Taxidermy, which was spotlighted in this week's podcast." -Whitney Matheson, Pop Candy/USATODAY.com
• "The Chicago based band should be able to capitalize off of their latest album Quixotic/Taxidermy: packed with cool/bluesy Tweedy-like vocals and tracks that pull influences from both the Stones and Kinks." -Nathaniel Gravely, i guess i'm floating
• "Local act Kaspar Hauser has been kicking around for the last seven years, but has kept a low profile, playing sporadic shows, putting out a new record every couple of years. Their latest, the self-issued Quixotic/Taxidermy, is quite nice -- a loose homage to the Stones grafted to workaday Midwestern indie rock. Frontman and band mainstay Thomas Comerford sounds casual; he sings with a little bit of a cool remove. The band is no-frills but sweet, chimey and has a particularly easy way with a bluesy swagger. Fans of Jeff Tweedy's pre-Wilco works would do well to check them out." -Jessica Hopper, This Week in Live Music/Chicago Tribune
• "Comerford ... sings in a nasal tenor that reminds me of Bill Callahan (the artist formerly known as Smog), ripping through shambling, melodic rock tunes with a bored swagger. There's a definite shot of the Rolling Stones here, particularly in the looseness of the arrangements, but Kaspar Hauser doesn't seem particularly concerned with using classic rock ‘n' roll riffery; the guitars sputter and clamber more than they groove. A few ballads embrace a darker, more atmospheric vibe—including a surprisingly good cover of Big Star's “Holocaust,” a tough tune to mess with—but ultimately Comerford's writing and the way he comfortably wears the skin of these warmly familiar songs is what puts the band over. Even when the songs seem like they're about to fall apart, his singing threads them back together." -Peter Margasak, Post No Bills/Chicago Reader
• The Quixotic/Taxidermy compact disc is out now on Backwardmasking Records in a lovely, hand-silkscreened gatefold package featuring drawings by Chicago comics artist Becca Taylor. Use the link to purchase via paypal or credit card for a mere $10 postpaid. ($15 Outside of US.)
Sorry bout the group mail (despite your name being cunningly added into the first line. How did I do that?)
Anyways, stuck up some new recordings of songs we did in the album session in Electrical Audio. None of the songs are mastered yet and there are a couple of tweaks here and there to be done but I thought I"d stick em up so you could get a listen before the album is released.
I"m gonna rotate the songs on an as unyet decided basis (weekly, biweekly, triweekly even??) and include songs that didn"t make the final cut. Watch out for them...
The songs up now are There You Stand, This Is How We Play and Home.
Hey, sorry for taking a month with the add. A lot of life events happened and now i got a place of me own. piano returns in about a week, and perhaps you could drop in sometime. and THANKs for the add, as the bros say...
Hey guys! It's been a while. We've got a new project launching soon and need 200 artists on board to help us with our Beta launch. We'd love to have you on board. Details in our new blog post. Let me know if you have any questions. Keep Rockin'-EpicenterGreg
Nice. It looks like we'll see you in a week. If you're in Chitown this weekend we're playing at Martyrs' Saturday the 15th. Peace in the Middle West, Will
So I lied; as it turns out, I'm actually quite good at this drumming thing. Must be the inherited poet's built-in metronome. Perhaps Chicago will prove to be the opening act I needed.
Great job last night...we're glad to hear you found the Fender Rhodes sound you were looking for - it was very effective on "Big Black Car." Keep us informed about upcoming shows - we dig your style.
Well, I'm from liverpool, NY not UK, but thanks for checking me out. You rock a ton. Your glam rock influence totally stands out and gives your music a bitchin' swagger.
