Most people don't start bands at age 14. Bands that ARE started by 14 year olds rarely last for 7 years. Bands with siblings in them rarely last for 7 years. Tie These Hands, fronted by fraternal twins Norm and Aram Stauffer, along with their brother Seth on drums, and Todd Benson on bass defy all the odds. Maybe it's that whole twin telepathy thing you hear about taking place, but their layered and textured guitar sound can also easily be described as "twin guitar lines". Indie with a bit of Emo thrown in the mix, their sound is definitely all their own. Probably best known around town for their split CD "Collective Efforts" a split E.P with Mr. 1986, it nicely compares and contrasts the sound of these two great bands. I chatted with Naum Stauffer to find out what's going on with the band if if they've got any new music coming out soon.

SCS: How and when did Tie These Hands form as a band?

Naum: Me and Aram started it, when we were in junior high, but it really started when Seth and Todd started playing with us in 1999-2000.

SCS: How would you describe your band or your sound to someone who’s never heard or seen you?

Naum: A clean sound with a bit of roughness thrown in, sometimes poppy and sometimes quiet.

SCS: How would you describe a Tie These Hands show? – What can someone who hasn’t seen you live expect?

Naum: They can expect to see us doing what we love to do. We will play stuff from both our cds and what ever new stuff we are working on at that time.

SCS: What types of music and which musicians/groups influenced the band members?

Naum: Mostly indie stuff: Death Cab For Cutie, Appleseed Cast, Cursive, American Football, Owen, Pedro the Lion, and Minus the Bear. Those are a few of the bands that probably stick out the most but for me especially American Football and Owen. For Aram it's Death Cab and Pedro.

SCS: Tell us your goals for this band? Will you be touring or just playing around town?

Naum: We want to do this as our profession.

SCS: How have you grown, musically and creatively, since the band first started?

Naum: We have grown a lot in our song writing and lyrics over the years. We are very excited about our new stuff. I think people can just expect the music to go in different directions because our lives go in new direction and we write about our lives.

SCS: How would you describe the band's working relationship, as far as the working out songs is concerned?

Naum: Me and Aram write songs separately at first then show them to each other as we get the song more complete. then we write parts to the others songs. Then show them to Seth and Todd and they put their parts to it. Usually it takes awhile to iron it out exactly how we want it but that's the best part about writing a song for me, the end result.

SCS: Do you think being brothers makes working out songs easier or harder? Are you guys pretty simpatico musically, or are there lots of arguments over stuff.

Naum: No, its easy we all see on the same plain as far as what we want in the end.

SCS: That's cool. Do you have a favorite song of yours to play live?

Naum: There are a couple of new ones that I really like to show people right now but I like playing any of our songs live.

SCS: Are there any you don't like playing anymore?

Naum: No, if I could remeber how to play some of them, I think you would still hear some really old songs!

SCS: When and where was your first local show, and how did it go?

Naum: Our first local show was at my friends birthday party and it went good, I think.

SCS: What was your most memorable live performance and what made it that?

Naum: I think our cd release show with Mr. 1986 because we all worked really hard on the split and getting ready to play the non stop set between the two of us. Also all the people who came out to support what we were and are trying to do made the show that much more entergetic and well worth the time we spent preparing.

SCS: What do you like and dislike about the music scene in Lincoln?

Naum: My only complaint is that i wish some of the great bands would still be around it doesn't seem quite as strong as it did at one point.

SCS: Which bands are you referring to?

Naum:I was refering to Bright Calm Blue and Her Flyaway Manner, you know, when we used to have a lot more shows at the Culture Center and the indoor park shelters. I just always thought that a lot of people always were supporting those shows and it was great for us to be able to be apart of it for...I'd say some of the finishing stages...and the guys in those bands were always really nice to us and supported what we were trying to do. To me those are the kind of things that make me want to do what I do.

SCS: HFM is still around, if not as active as they once were, and Bright Calm Blue is coming back later thsi month at It Sovit, so they're both still kicking. Have you learned anything in your experiences in a band that you feel newer local bands could learn from, or made any mistakes they should avoid?

Naum: Not really, I think the only way you are going to know those things is by getting out there and playing in town and out on the road.

SCS: Who are some local bands or musicians that you admire or feel should be recognized?

Naum: '86 of course, Thunderstandable, the Bright Calm Blue guys, and Keller Hamilton.

SCS: Do you have a favorite local band to play with?

Naum: 1986

SCS: Do you think growing up/living in Lincoln influences your music in any way?

Naum: Yeah, it does a lot. I right nice songs and I live in a nice town.

SCS: How did the split disk with Mr. 1986 come about? Are those guys just friends of yours?

Naum: We have known them for a long long time and we all decided that doing a split together would be a good thing to do.

SCS: Are you working on a new album now, and if so, when do you expect it to come out?

Naum: We have about 12 songs written for a new album but we don't know when we will be able to get into the studio to record it so we don't know when it will come out. But again, we are very excited about our new stuff, we just need some help putting it out.

SCS: If you could tour with any band in history, who would be your dream band to tour with?

Naum: The Beatles.

SCS: Who was the first person or band you saw that made you want to play music?

Naum: Nirvana

SCS: What was the first album/CD you bought?

Naum: Dear Ephesus.

SCS: Whose music are you listening to right now? -- What other bands would you recommend people check out?

Naum: Pedro the Lion - Control . I would recommend Damian Jurado, Minus the Bear, The Cast, Criteria, Owen, Death Cab For Cutie, Up Up Down Down Left Right Left Right, Cursive and all the other awesome indie bands. you all know who they are.

SCS: What are your top records of all time?

Naum: