Death Cab for Cutie

ISSUE #41 MMUSICMAG.COM ISSUE #41 MMUSICMAG.COM Q&A Did that affect the album? Were you happy with the results? How did you fi nd Dave Depper? I don’t think so. It wasn’t like there was This being our fi rst record with an outside Dave has been a friend of ours for a long any bad blood, but we didn’t tell Rich that producer, it’s kind of a transitional record. I time, and he’s been a noted northwest Chris was leaving the band until after the really enjoyed working with Rich throughout. musical fi gure for a long time. When we were record was done—just because we didn’t He did a phenomenal job with the album— thinking of who we were going to play with, want exactly what you’re talking about to fi tting some of the newer demos, the way I’d he was literally the fi rst person we thought happen. It was better for the record and written the songs, with the stuff we’d already of. It was that kind of thing where we didn’t better for everybody. But it wasn’t a dramatic recorded with Chris in the summer of 2013. waste a lot of time thinking, “Oh, my God, or loaded-gun experience—it was more like, When we had the fi nal versions we knew what will we do?” We just thought, “OK, who “OK, let’s do the work.” In some ways, it Rich had been the right man for the job and shall we get in?” Dave was the fi rst person was like Chris was a very familiar session he brought the best out of us and the songs. and the only person we reached out to as a musician. He was there to do his work and guitarist. Then during rehearsals it was like, “I then he would leave. Were you concerned when Chris fi rst really hope this works because we’ve thrown broke the news he was leaving? all our eggs in this basket.” When did Costey enter the mix? Of course. But at the same time I would We started this record in the summer of rather buckle down on Jason and Nick’s How about Zac Rae? 2013 with Chris producing as usual, but talents, and my ability as a songwriter. I’ve Zac is a friend of Jason’s—they’d done some then he essentially fi red himself. He came been the songwriter in this band for 17 years. session work together. We all got in a room to us one day and said, “I don’t think I am It’s not like any record we make from now and started playing together and it sounded the right guy to make this record.” And he on will be like the lost Velvet Underground fantastic. I can’t say with any certainty was right—he wasn’t the right guy to make record, Squeeze. Like, with Doug Yule what the future of the band will be as far this record. So we were able to lock Rich in singing instead of Lou Reed. But my songs as the next album goes. But I have a really early 2014 and got right to work. have been the emotional centerpiece of our good feeling about both of these guys. albums for the life of this band’s existence Already it sounds like they’re providing the Why did you select him? and will continue to be. shot in the arm we needed, and certainly When we met with Rich, I really liked that he was cautious about taking the record We Are the Rhoads We on. He recognized we made seven records with Chris as a producer, and that we have fans who might be wary of a new guy, and also that we have a certain sound. He said, “I don’t want to mess that up, but at the same Jason McGerr, Ben Gibbard, Nick Harmer time I want to push you to do new things.” He wanted to make sure we’d be comfortable with that—and with someone telling us DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE something wasn’t good enough, or showing us a different way of doing something, or Plotting a fresh course, the indie rockers fi nd new life as a trio having us redo a song a different way. We left that meeting feeling that there AFTER 17 YEARS AS DEATH CAB FOR Death Cab have come a long an outside producer, Rich Costey (Foo are so many producers who would jump right in and say, “OK. Let’s do it now.” Cutie’s guitarist and producer, Chris Walla way since releasing their debut album Fighters, Muse). New touring members Scott Dudelson/FilmMagic announced in 2014 he’d be leaving the indie Something About Airplanes in 1998 on Dave Depper (Ray LaMontagne) and We felt that for some producers—who are rock quartet—but not before fi nishing their Seattle’s indie label, Barsuk. In 2003 they Zac Rae (Fiona Apple, Lana Del Rey) household names—our record would be eighth album, Kintsugi. Fittingly, the title gained mainstream success with their fourth will add guitars and keyboards onstage, just another notch on their belts. We is taken from the ancient Japanese art of record, Transatlanticism, and two years making Gibbard confident about believed Rich was going to take the time to get this right. mending pottery that honors the break as later they scored platinum with their major- moving forward. “I feel good about Onstage in Irvine, Calif., 2015 part of an object’s beauty and history. label debut, Plans. In 2008, Narrow Stairs the future,” he says. Although Walla’s departure leaves a debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart How did he guide your process? scar, the tight-knit group from Bellingham, and went on to reap a Grammy nomination When did you learn Chris was leaving? Well, we’d be working away and it would So, many ‘This being our fi rst record Wash.,—led by frontman Ben Gibbard, for the hit single “I Will Possess Your Heart.” We knew about a month into the recording be going a certain way and—no disrespect good things bassist Nick Harmer and drummer The recently released Kintsugi is a process this would be his last record. As to Radiohead—he would say, “Hey I don’t emerged? with an outside producer, it’s Jason McGerr—presses on. “I’ve given contemplative album refl ecting the band’s long as I’ve known Chris he’s wanted to be a want this to sound like Radiohead.” It was an Being able to a lot of thought to what the future of the signature mix of classic pop melodicism and music producer; he’s made a lot of records. astute thing for a producer to say because move forward kind of a transitional record.’ band will be without Chris—how could moody drone in a spare, spacey atmosphere. So it was inevitable. It was just a question of it seems like everyone wants to sound like without Chris I not?” says Gibbard. It’s the fi rst Death Cab record helmed by when we would get to this point. Radiohead all the time. As good as that is an incredibly often ends up being, we agreed with him inspiring place to be—to know you can do we’re excited. We know their creative and thought, “Let’s just scrap that approach it without somebody. We now have other output knows no bounds. So we’ll see how and go for another one.” While he had an people we can work with and push us in new this next year and a half of touring goes. ‘The idea of a new course is exciting, and it’s idea of a sound he wanted, at the same time directions. After 17 years of being in this band, But I feel good about these guys—and good he was very aware of the band and where the idea of a new course is exciting, and it’s about the future. imperative to be pushed in new directions.’ the band had been. imperative to be pushed in new directions. –Linda Laban 26 27 M mag 41.indd 26 6/28/15 7:19 PM M mag 41.indd 27 6/28/15 7:19 PM.

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