Ties play hyper-active melodic hardcore punk in the vein of mid-90's California style. Being one of the more active punk bands in the Omaha metro area, chances are you have seen these guys play out. After some time, I finally caught up with with the band to ask them some questions...
Who is Ties and what are you guys all about?
Travis- Ties is an odd collection for sorry suckers from Council Bluffs and Fort Calhoun. Still trying to figure out what were about other than playing fast music. How bout this…We're about talking shit and then trying to do something constructive about it. To default to more well written mission statement I will use Lego's and put Ties in its place: Ties is committed to helping children develop their creativity and learning skills through constructive play. Ties extends this commitment to local and national organizations that support innovative projects and programming to cultivate and celebrate a child's exploration of personal creativity and creative problem-solving in all forms. Our goal is to prepare the next generation - the builders of tomorrow - for a lifetime of creative learning and innovative thinking.
Chris- I would say we are all people that want to write what is good music to us, play shows and have fun doing it!
Mike- We just want to play energetic fun punk rock that's fast as fuck. We all used to play in metal bands so sometimes that slips in there.
Cody- Ties is Mike, Chris, Zach, Cody & Travis and we play hardcore punk rock music.
Zach- A bunch of dudes playing fun fast punk rock music.
How did the band get started?
T- All of us got tired of the terrible metal bands we were in previously. Cody, Beam, and I have always been into punk rock, particularly fat wreck stuff and epitaph, so we decided to come back to that, but we were still interested in heavy stuff too. What came out ended up being Ties.
CH- Travis asked me at one point to do a straight up punk band or something around those lines. I think at that same point, Travis has talked to Cody and some other random people that we have been in bands with before about it. One day Travis and Cody recorded a demo version of a song and me and mike went and checked it out and did some gang vocals on it, Mike did some jamming on the drums, and boom! Band started! And some bass player line-up changes from there.
M- Chris and I were already in a band at the time, and we knew Travis had been trying to get a band together for a little while. One day I checked out a basement studio to hear a track they recorded for a potential band idea. I didn't plan on playing drums for a new band, but I sat down at a drum set to learn some of their parts for fun. We just kept writing, and went through a couple David's on bass. Now we have a Zach, the outsider from Lincoln.
C- One day Travis got a letter in the mail addressed to Unborn King and the rest is history.
Z- Well I'm not to sure how they got started, but I'm the third bassist (others- David Carney and David Shreffler) and I and started in April, 2009.
What are you opinions on the CB music scene?
T- CB has always kind of had a bad stigma around it about everything, including music, but I think kids are coming around. Personally, I have always enjoyed Bloodcow, but I have never been a totally serious person. I also remember liking Titanium White when I was real young, but fuck that's been almost 15 years ago and ska ruled then. I know there are some new bands coming out of CB and I'm curious what they will end up doing. I will say this about CB as whole and maybe this is where the stigma comes from, but kids from CB either do whatever they want or unfortunately try to sound like whats popular.
CH- Don't really think there is a scene in CB, most people I know in CB only go to shows if they're at a bar.
M- I don't really know if there is a scene in CB, but I don't go to many shows there either. Mainly because I haven't been to Rebels since early high school, and there is only probably 1 bar to play at if you're not a cover band.
C- We mostly play in Omaha so I really don't know if there are many CB bands, maybe some high school bands. But I wouldn't say we are part of some kind of "scene" of Council Bluffs.
Z- The music scene is a little weak, but there some really good bands from here. The majority of the shows are in Omaha.
Any other CB bands worth checking out? Any local bands in Nebraska worth checking out?
CH- I have to say Bloodcow, they're rad as hell! And F.E.S.D. Omaha: Feral Hands, Lockjaw, Byleth, Lightning Bug, Crossing Underwood, Dundee Strangler, and more but there not bands anymore!
M- Bloodcow is the best CB band. Chris and I both also play in Flesh Eating Skin Disease out of Council Bluffs. Lots of sweet bands from Omaha and Lincoln though. Too many to mention, but Feral Hands, Lightning Bug, Hominoid, Crossing Underwood, and Back When have been playing some cool shows to name a few.
C- My favorite local bands that we have played with are Borealis, Crossing Underwood, Bandit Sound and Wearing Thin from Lincoln are also really good and worth checking out.
Z- Mike and Chris are also in Flesh Eating Skin Disease, Bloodcow, and we have played a lot of show with Crossing Underwood. Honestly there are a lot of awesome bands.
What are the future plans for the band? A record? Tour?
T- Haha, a record and a tour? That's a good question, we've been working on recording for a while and have plans for putting something out here soon, an ep, possible followed by a full length, were more of a writing machine than a producing machine. as far as touring were all a bunch of old working class zeros unfortunately stuck in mortgages, except for mike and Zack, they are just young. we plan on doing a tour as soon as we have something out to listen to.
CH- That's a good question, we've been working on recording for a while and have plans for putting something out here soon, an ep? We plan on recording a full length in march, maybe do a small tour in the summer and go from there.
M- We've been demoing for a couple months to make everything tight and should be recording our CD in mid-March. We've got a free sort of demo cd to give out at the moment if you ask us for one. As far as touring, I think we all plan on getting at it after we have a CD that we're proud of.
C- I'm really excited to record a CD, which were going to do in March. We're going to put all our best songs on it, so we should be able to fill up one side of the 7 Inch. Not sure what to do with the other side, Travis spoken word???
Z-Well, we have somewhere around 17 completely finished songs that aren't recorded yet but we have throwing around the idea of recording them next spring with Kyle Peterson. As far as tour goes, probably next summer after we have something to hand out at show.
The subject matter for the lyrics seem to come from a positive vibe, where do you get your inspirations?
T-It's funny you say positive because without a doubt I want the things I say to create positive thought, but I when I think about how I say things it really is very negative at times. I'm highly sarcastic and cynical, so my thoughts get dragged through the mud a lot. Most of the stuff I write about comes from shit that I see as fucked up just like the majority of hardcore lyrics. A lot of it comes from personal experiences and family stuff, but some are things that I read about or hear about.
CH- Unfortunately I have to say ask Travis, i like what he comes up with but don't really try to help write any of the lyrics!
C- I think that ever since we started we always said we just wanted to have a really good time and although you can see some serious issues in our subject matter, you can see a lot of the fun and good times we all have playing, writing music and hanging out together, you can see that showing through in the lyrics and in out live performance.
Z- Travis does most of the writing.
Best RKL album?
T- I'll defer to Cody on that.
M- Never really listened to them.
C- Mike, listen to more RKL. The best album is clearly Riches to Rags. Purists can claim the old shit all they want but the riffage, solos and bass lines are the best on here, and the vocals blow my mind every time. It's great shit and needs to be heard by more people.
Z- Umm…
Best 90's Epitaph Records release?
T- Late 90's included? Without a doubt for me it is refused-shape of punk to come, I know for hardcore its considered cliche, but I can pick up that album after not listening to it forever and find something new I love about it again and again Right now it The deadly rhythm. Other than that, call me what you will but I was ridiculously into Pennywise since elementary. You better believe I was on stage from Bro Hymn when I saw them. Best album to me from them would be a toss up between Unknown Road and Full Circle.
CH- more than likely refused would be my first choice!
C- That's really tough for me, I love NOFX, I'm probably going with So Long and Thanks For All The Shoes. For me, its perfect, I can sit and sing and play along with it and its always a good time.
M- Refused - Shape of Punk
Z- I did really start listening to any Epitaph bands until about 2002, but Travis has been giving me some guidance and I would have to say, from what he has shown me so far, Refused 'Shape of Punk'.
Any final shout outs, rants, or raves?
T- This is all randomly off the top of my head...
First of all thanks to everyone who keeps putting our sorry asses on such good fucking shows, like Vic, Nick, and Alex. Thank you guys so fucking much. Even though I never get out to as many shows as I would like I know those guys put so much heart into it. All the Hole kids who come to shows and move around like they are still alive. If you see a show with any local punk rock hardcore, metal, noise bands or others from the diy board or in general playing at the Waiting Room, please go. As much as I prefer small shows, the bands need any support they can get. If you skate, come to CB skate park to skate.
CH - Raves? the last time I was at a rave, I don't remember what happened. A big thanks to everyone at the manor, ghost house for putting us on some killer shows and just for having some good house shows!
M- Support the local bands and artists you like. Also, props to the manor for consistently having awesome house shows in Omaha. I'm also glad the Hole is still alive and at a new cool space. Lastly, support Mad Ave so we have something to replace Ghosthouse in Lincoln!
C- I'd like to thank all the local venues that let us play, I'm so happy to have been able to play at Ghost House, The Manor, The Hole (all three of them) etc. Listen to punk rock.
Z-Thanks to all the locals we play with and all the dudes at The Manor, The Hole and Ghost House. Go to show and support the Local Scene.
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