Bio
Timechaser
Debut album – Beginnings
Time is one of our most precious commodities – yet it can be elusive. It also can seem to stand still, however, when memories are locked in a photograph, a scent or even in a verse or melody of a favorite song. The members of Louisville-based band, Timechaser, have come together on their debut album, Beginnings, and have frozen many of their own memories in original music and lyrics that resonate with all of us.
A widower’s loving memories of his deceased wife; fond recollections of time spent with a loved one fishing on a lake; the struggles between friends when ego builds seemingly unscalable walls. The stories frozen in time by Timechaser are set against music reminiscent of an eclectic mix of Roy Orbison, Blue Oyster Cult, Steely Dan, ELO, The Cars, Willie Nelson and Styx. Refreshing and mesmerizing at the same time are two instrumental arrangements – “Riding the Reelfoot” and “Surf’s Up.”
These moments that Timechaser gives us – moments when time stands still – are indeed precious because time, by its very nature, is fluid – as are the members of this unique and talented group. The brainchild of accomplished musician and songwriter, Gary Kininmonth, Timechaser is an ever-changing compilation of local musicians. Band members move in and out of the core unit, as the focus of each project changes with time.
Kininmonth is the constant. With more than 30 years of playing music professionally, he is a songwriter, drummer, bassist and vocalist. He also plays harmonica, keyboard, and guitar and in fact, was mentioned in Louisville Music News by The Kentucky Headhunters’ Gregg Martin as the person who started him (Martin) on guitar. He also wrote the popular song Rock ‘N roll Breakdown that was included on the WLRS Homemade Album several years ago. Kininmonth has performed with Louisville-based bands See Saw, Blackgate and Tundra.
After working together in See Saw, Blackgate and Tundra, Kininmonth’s bandmate, Mike Cunningham, joined him on the Beginnings project. Formally schooled in music, Cunningham brings rich, round vocals and tight keyboard strokes to the album, along with a wealth of songwriting experience he’s gleaned from a career of teaching music to up-and-coming students and playing regionally across the United States.
Traveling and playing music across the United States, and around the world from as far away as Korea, has enabled drummer and percussionist Dennis Fried to synthesize a wide variety of musical influences into his contributions to the Beginnings project. Having played in local bands Festus and Tundra, Fried also was a drummer for national acts Rick Derringer and Tim Bogart.
Butch Pierce, a professional musician for 35 years, actually created more than 20 years ago, the band Tundra, which is a common denominator in all but one of the musicians involved in the Beginnings project. Pierce brings a solid bottom beat to the album with his bass guitar technique. He’s played in local bands Sound of Time, The Elderly Brothers, and Goldbrick before joining Kininmonth in Timechaser.
Pierce’s son, Skip (the youngest member of Timechaser and drummer on the album), joins his father after having worked sporadically with Tundra and on various studio projects. Having worked with the percussion coordinator of The Louisville Orchestra and perfecting his art since the age of 2, Skip has developed into one of the area’s finest drummers.
The only member of Timechaser who does not share Tundra “roots” is vocalist Bob Keister, a music veteran of 34 years. Keister has credits with local and regional acts Karen Kraft & Kiks, Silverloop, Shiner, Bagmen, $2 Pistol, and Bounty Hunter. Keister has a rare gift for capturing the styles and sounds of many different genres of music and artists, and delivering them in riveting and powerful vocals. His versatility as a musician also is showcased on the 93.1 Fox Radio “Morning Movement” show where he performs parodies of music and voices as “Rockin Bob Keister.”
These six men have created, in the album Beginnings, a treasure that can be enjoyed for years to come. Much like a photo album or a box filled with family heirlooms, Timechaser has stopped time in the stories they tell, the music they play, and ultimately . . . in the emotions the listener feels when the songs are sung. “Our music is not about trying make a statement or set any standards,” said the elder Pierce. “It’s just about making people feel good and helping them to have fun with life.”
And, when it’s all said and done, isn’t that why we all chase time and hope to make it stand still – to hold on to those “feel-good” moments?