Dave Hernandez of legendary garage punk band Scared of Chaka, formed Little Cuts in Seattle during a break from touring duties with indie rockers The Shins in '08. His years with The Shins (a band of whom he'd been friends with the leader of, James Mercer, since Scared of Chaka was touring the world in the mid 90s) left him anxious for a return to the louder and more chaotic leanings of his earlier bands.