Death Cab for Cutie

Death Cab for Cutie is a rock band from Bellingham, Washington, formed in 1997. The lineup includes Ben Gibbard (vocals, guitar, piano), Nick Harmer (bass), Dave Depper (guitar, keyboards, vocals), Zac Rae (keyboards, guitar), and Jason McGerr (drums). Initially a solo project by Ben Gibbard, it soon grew into a full band. In 2014, original guitarist and producer Chris Walla announced his departure after the recording of their eighth album, *Kintsugi*.

Ben Gibbard chose the band's name from a song by Neil Innes and Vivian Stanshall, performed by The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band in The Beatles' 1967 film, *Magical Mystery Tour*. That song title was itself inspired by a fictional crime magazine created by Richard Hoggart for his 1957 study, *The Uses of Literacy*. In a 2011 interview, Gibbard mentioned that the name wasn't intended to last for 15 years, admitting he would choose something more obvious if he could rename the band.