Death Cab for Cutie

Ben Gibbard was playing guitar with Pinwheel when he embarked on a solo project using the name All Time Quarterback. He then adopted the name Death Cab For Cutie to release a cassette, You Can Play These Songs With Chords, which attracted a lot of attention. He recruited Chris Walla, Nick Harmer and drummer Nathan Good to back him at gigs and Death Cab For Cutie were on their way. Their first official album Something About Airplanes was released in 1998 and helped them establish a large following on the indie scene. Their career went up another few notches in 2003 with their fourth album Transatlanticism after Jason McGerr joined as drummer and some of the tracks were featured in several TV shows - including The OC, Six Feet Under and CSI Miami - and the movies The Puffy Chair and Disturbia. They subsequently signed a major label deal with Atlantic Records and their loosely-themed next album Plans (2005) produced their biggest hit single Soul Meets Body and received a Grammy nomination. Sixth album, Narrow Stairs (2008) became their first US Number 1 and included hit singles I Will Possess Your Heart and Cath. In 2010 the band released a five-track EP, The Open Door.