Tim Kasher really likes to stay busy, and what constitutes “busy” for the Omaha native would likely sink the careers of most other songwriters. 

While your favorite singers are struggling to keep a single band together and successful for more than a record or two, Kasher spends his time switching between Cursive, the Good Life, and his solo efforts for much of the last two decades. He’s one of indie rock’s most prolific songwriters, and—if the Good Life’s Everybody’s Coming Down and accompanying tour this year is any indication—the 41-year-old shows no signs of slowing down. 

As the veteran’s catalog approaches 20 albums (most famously Cursive’s 2003 record, The Ugly Organ), Kasher’s demonstrated his ability to write everything from the most flawless acoustic ballad to a perfect track to scream along to. For that matter, Kasher’s been called in to work on records for some of the biggest names in modern alternative, including everyone from (fellow Saddle Creek Records/Omaha legend Conor Oberst’s) Bright Eyes and Rilo Kiley to Thursday and Planes Mistaken for Stars. 

Myspace caught up with the multitalented songwriter before one of his shows with the Good Life to talk about Everybody’s Coming Down, his multi-band balancing act and any advice he’d give to the youngsters. 

How do you think Everybody’s Coming Down compares to some of your older records, both for the Good Life and otherwise?

I don’t know that I’d be the right person to compare any of my records. When I do records, I don’t try to compare them or say, “This will be more like that record,” I just try to make the best record I can. I think this one is very much a rock album, maybe more than other Good Life albums have been in the past.

What’s it like to see some of these older bands break up and come back in the same amount of time that you’ve managed to keep not one, but two bands and a solo project together? 

Ha. Maybe I should’ve stopped a long time ago and come back already. But it’s cool to see some of these bands come back because they’re my friends or they’re bands I’ve wanted to see. I see a lot of bands struggle and not make it that far, and then they decide to come back. I see it in young bands the most. I think what I’ve done is I’ve surrounded myself with good people who I get along with. It’s really a touring family, not just a touring band, as corny as that sounds. 

Aside from keeping them all together as bands, how do you balance Cursive with the Good Life with your solo work? 

Well, I focus on one band at a time. I’ll do an album and a tour for a year with one band, and then I’ll be ready to do something else. Right now it’s the Good Life. After that’s over, I’ll start on something else. It keeps everything fresh.

Speaking of your current album and tour, for people who primarily know you from Cursive, how would you describe the Good Life?

I think back when we did Album of the Year and the early records, it was a lighter, more acoustic sound. Now, it’s just another type of rock. I think it’s definitely a more psychedelic and different type of rock, but it’s still rock.

You’ve been writing and performing music professionally for over two decades now. If you could go back and give yourself some advice, what would it be? 

I’d tell myself that I was going to listen to a lot of music and to be open to it. I remember as a teenager listening to as much music as possible. You might listen to a lot of Radiohead and think that’s what you should sound like, but when you write, you need to just let it be how it sounds. It might not be as cool as Radiohead, people might not like it as much as Radiohead, but that’s OK because that’s your sound.

Is there anything else you’ve learned along the way that you think more young bands—or someone looking to follow in your footsteps—should know? 

That you don’t have to spend a ton of money when you’re doing a record. You don’t have to labor over it for months and make every little thing perfect. Let it stay fresh. As you become more successful, you’re going to have more money to spend on making records, so it’s going to become even more tempting. Just don’t do it.