By Kristin Zagurski
Cuterthans frontman Jason Meyer says a lot of people think his lyrics are funny, although he doesn’t always mean for them to be.
“I don’t write a song with the full-on intent of making people laugh,” Meyer says. “I just want to describe what I think about something or how it makes me feel. I suppose sometimes it’s a little humorous.”
Meyer doesn’t take himself too seriously, though. When asked to describe the band’s music using one word, he called it “fun.”
The Cuterthans just released its first full-length CD, titled Moderate Lovers LP. The CD is full of the Cuterthans’ typical fun poppy songs and was recorded in Meyer and fellow band member Thad Teply’s house.
Meyer said the CD took a little over a month to complete.
“It was really an exhausting process, one that I don’t think I could ever look forward to doing again,” he says.
The band planned on spending more time adding vocal tracks and other extras to the CD but officially released it June 1 at a concert at the Sokol Underground.
Moderate Lovers LP is available at all Omaha-area Homer’s location, at the Antiquarium in the Old Market and online at www.interpunk.com.
The Cuterthans CD release party featured the Cuterthans along with three local acts: the Bombardment Society, Race for Titles and Musico.
The Cuterthans released its CD early because Teply wanted to have it out by the time they left for their summer tour.
The Cuterthans and Musico depart for a five-state 10-day tour June 13.
The band’s tour vehicle, affectionately called “the Cutervan,” has a TV, VCR and video games to entertain the men as they travel cross-country.
Meyer says the band members are always doing something to keep themselves entertained while on the road, such as having push-up contests.
Meyer says he plans on sleeping and reading most of the time.
The Cuterthans has never been on tour in its present configuration, which is Meyer, guitar and vocals; Teply, bass guitar; “Handsome” Marc Phillips, drums and cymbals; and Chris “Scab” Kramer, synthesizers.
Meyer, Teply and Phillips have toured together before as the band Superbon.
Meyer says the best thing about that tour was traveling and seeing other cities.
“You get to meet a lot of people,” Meyer says. “That’s fun, too.”
The band’s next local show will be June 28 at Howard Street Pub & Pizza.
The Cuterthans started when Meyer decided he wanted to play shows with a full band instead of with himself and his guitar.
That’s when he enlisted the help of Teply, who was then playing with the Fonzarellies, another local band. Tony Wesche joined in to play the drums and the Cuterthans was born.
The band’s name came from the suggestion of a girl who told Meyer they should be called the “Cuterthanyou’s,” because she thought they were all handsome.
Meyer expressed discontent with that name because he thought it was too close to that of another band, the Weakerthans but his opinion changed.
“We figured we’d never run into the Weakerthans in a dark alley,” he says, “so Cuterthans it was.”
The band’s favorite local venue to play at is the 49’r, located at the intersection of 49th and Dodge streets.
Each of the members has a day job. Meyer works as a graphic artist at a screen printing shop, Teply runs Indian Burn Records, Phillips is a valet parking attendant and Kramer works at a Chinese restaurant.
Each of the members is also involved in other musical ventures.
Meyer plays solo and is also starting a pop duo called The Tumblebees, Teply plays in a band called Suicide Blitz, Phillips plays bass for The Carsinogents and Kramer plays in an acoustic band called The Matt Foley.
When asked if the Cuterthans’ sound compared to that of another band, Meyer said it was comparable to that of The Rentals.
He said he doesn’t know what a first-time Cuterthans listener should expect but would “hope they would enjoy listening to at least a little bit of it.”
