Long-time midwesterner Thomas Comerford started Kaspar Hauser while living in Iowa City in 1999. Though he’d played guitar, written songs and played in bands since the age of ten, with influences ranging from the Beatles to Will Oldham to the mid-80s SST Records roster, his only releases were hand-held tape recordings handed out to friends. Upon moving to Chicago in 1999, he began to assemble various lineups to do sporadic shows and recordings. Kaspar Hauser was still a part-time activity, however, as Comerford (who teaches film at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago) was producing 16mm films and touring the country with them.
While working on the Quixotic/Taxidermy record between 2004-6, Comerford began to devote more time to songwriting, recording and performing music. In making the record, he drew on a number of friends and previous contributors, including Stephen “the kid” Howard (Pinebender, Ambulette), Johnathan Crawford (ex-Head of Femur, William Elliot Whitmore) and Kent Lambert (Roommate), among others. Kris Poulin, a Chicago engineer (Pinback, Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy, Love Story in Blood Red) who has recorded and played with Comerford over the years, recorded and mixed the bulk of the record, which came out in 2007 to excellent reviews and airplay on college radio stations.
KH will spend 2008 recording a follow-up to Q/T. Check news for updates.
For a complete discography with cover art and mp3s, click here.
KASPAR HAUSER PLAYERS (1999-present):
Michael Annuse - drum kit, percussion.
Ben Armstrong (Head of Femur) - keyboards.
Chris Auman (Soft Targets) - guitars.
Thomas Comerford - voice, guitars, banjo, harmonica, keyboards, percussion.
Jonathan Crawford (Head of Femur; Grey Ghost) - keyboards, melodica, percussion, drum kit.
Jonathan Durlam (Coupleskate; ex-Garden of Rabbits) - bass, voice, guitars, keyboards, percussion, producing/engineering.
Steve "The Kid" Howard (Pinebender) - electric guitar, bass.
Simon Hunt (Consortium) - keyboards, voice.
Theo Katsaounis (Locks) - percussion.
Steve Kiraly (ex-Reagan National Crash Diet) - drum kit.
Kent Lambert (Roommate; Devin Davis) - keyboards, table banjo, voice.
KJ Mohr - voice.
Mom - banjo.
Kris Poulin (Lacerati, Love Story in Blood Red) - guitars, engineering.
Sterling Ruby (ex-Deerheart) - drum kit
Paul Sargent (Enola Grey) - guitars, voice.
Matt Seifert (Barbeau, Stanley Ross) - bass.
Mark Wright (Roommate) - Brownie, voice.
KASPAR HAUSER SHOWS (2000-2005; for recent shows, click here):
10/20/05 - Ice Factory. w/Deb Stratman.
8/16/03 - Gabe's, Iowa City. w/Frankenixon, Ed Gray, Larry Seivers and Samb Locke-Warde.
8/8/03 - Bottom Lounge. w/The Love of Everything, A-Set and The Geese.
7/26/03 - Post Time, Delaware, OH. w/Bending and the Southern Diplomats.
7/25/03 - Pat's in the Flats, Cleveland. w/the Confidence Interval, The Joslyns and Derek Deprator.
6/30/03 - Empty Bottle. w/The Audreys and Swansea Mass.
6/19/03 - Gunther Murphy's. w/Famous FM and The Children's Hour.
5/28/03 - Big Horse Lounge. w/Ed Gray, Teen Wolf and The Last Call.
4/18/03 - Gunther Murphy's. w/Melochrome, Nad Navillus and ILYA.
3/27/03 - Champs Rock Room, Burbank, IL. w/Reagan National Crash Diet and Naked Mile.
3/12/03 - Fireside Bowl. w/Fruit Bats and Tallulah.
2/21/03 - Prodigal Son. w/Children's Hour and Brendan Massei.
9/17/02 - Fireside Bowl (solo acoustic). w/David Dondero and Puerto Muerto.
8/28/02 - Abbey Pub. CUFF Party. w/Reagan National Crash Diet and Cobra Verde.
4/11/02 - Prodigal Son. CD Release Show w/Jason Frederick, the Children's Hour and Mechanical/Electrical.
1/20/02 - Schuba's (acoustic w/Kris). w/Cameron McGill, Dick Prall, Chris Gilmartin and Jeff Rufo.
12/6/01 - Quimby's (acoustic w/Kris). Dream Whip zine party w/Bill Brown and Teen Wolf.
4/30/01 - Empty Bottle. w/Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Mandarin and The Thin Man.
8/4/00 - Quimby's (acoustic w/Kris). Thax Douglas book release show.
9/1/00 - Empty Bottle. w/Toe and Waterworks.
6/26/00 - Empty Bottle. Live Debut! w/Pillowmints, Half-Visconte and Minim.