All aboard the DEATH CAB

American indie-rockers Death Cab for Cutie are slated for a long-overdue Thai debut on March 3 at Moonstar Studio in Lat Phrao.
One of the best-loved live acts of the modern era, the trio is touring behind “Kintsugi”, their eighth studio album, recorded in Los Angeles with Ric h Costey (who’s worked with Muse and Jane’s Addiction) and released almost a year ago.
“Kintsugi” takes its title from the Japanese art of repairing broken ceramic with precious metals like gold, silver and platinum, highlighting rather than hiding the cracks. The album in turn represents a compassionate philosophy in which damage and wear are embraced as part of an object’s history.
Philosophy of a different order was involved when the band chose its own name in 1997. Death Cab for Cutie was the title of a song by the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, an English surrealist-comedy musical outfit of the 1960s and ’70s.
For nearly two decades Death Cab, from Bellingham, Washington, has been hailed as one of the contemporary music’s most compelling and creative collectives. Next month’s show will feature core members singer-guitarist Ben Gibbard, bassist Nick Harmer and drummer Jason McGerr, augmented by touring members Dave Depper and Zac Rae. Founding guitarist Chris Walla left the group last year.
We had a chat at the weekend with Nick Harmer.

HOW’S 2016 TREATED YOU SO FAR?
We’re off to a great start. We had a nice break as the year turned over to rest up and get reset for more tours and shows coming our way.

HOW HAS BEING REDUCED TO A TRIO IMPACTED YOUR MUSICAL DIRECTION?
I think it’s a little early to tell, to be honest. Ben has always been our principle songwriter, so I anticipate that the core of the material will remain unchanged, but whatever else Jason and I or anyone else adds to the mix is yet to be determined.
We were all very excited and inspired to make a great album, and I’m thankful that we have a little something to prove.

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR ANYONE TO REPLACE CHRIS WALLA?
We haven’t decided that yet. We’ve just been waiting to see how our relationships and the band chemistry develop with some new players in the meantime. Over the past year we’ve been joined onstage by two great friends of ours, Dave Depper and Zac Rae, and they’ve expanded our sound and ability live in ways that has re-energised us all.
I anticipate they both will have a large impact on our next album and our future as a band. Time will tell if it’s permanent, but I hope they’re around for awhile. I’m really inspired playing music with them.

HOW HAVE YOU EVOLVED AS A BAND SINCE 1997?
We’ve all become better players, writers, businessmen and friends, and our confidence has increased because of that.
I would say the biggest change is Atlantic Records. Since 2005 they’ve supported us and helped develop our career further than we all ever thought possible.
What stays the same is our friendship. In the very beginning we were just friends having fun playing music together, and while lots of things have changed around that, we’re still very much the same in that regard – just friends having fun playing music together.

HOW HAVE YOU STAYED INSPIRED THROUGHOUT THE YEARS?
I’m lucky to be surrounded by all kinds of wonderful, dynamic people that have great ideas and constantly inspire me. All I’ve ever have to do when I need some inspiration is look around at my friends and family, check in with them, and very quickly I’m reinvigorated.

DO YOU STILL LIKE THE MUSIC INDUSTRY?
The industry is a living organism that’s evolving and shifting constantly and I personally enjoy that nothing remains the same for long.
I wouldn’t say I’ve ever “loved” the music industry exactly, but I am fascinated by it and it certainly presents all kinds of interesting dilemmas and puzzles to solve.

WHAT DO YOU THINK CONTRIBUTES TO THE BAND’S LONGEVITY?
Communication – that might sound a bit cliche, but I’ve found it to be the stone-cold truth time and time again. Talk it out – it works.

WHAT’S PLANNED FOR 2016 AND BEYOND?
We have some exciting tours and a lot of great festival appearances ahead. Beyond that we’re excited about making another album, but right now I’m not sure when exactly we’ll get started on that.

Death Cab for Cutie performs at Moonstar Studio Hall 1 on March 3.
Tickets (standing only) cost Bt1,500 at (02) 262 3456 and www.ThaiTicketMajor.com.