Death Cab For Cutie
The Road Less Traveled: An Interview with Nick Harmer
Words: James Ferreira
Photos: Autumn de Wilde

For nearly a decade, Death Cab For Cutie has blazed a trail through the doldrums of the indie rock scene to acclaimed acceptance in mainstream music cultures worldwide.  DCFC was originally formed just outside of Seattle as a side project by then Pinwheel guitarist Ben Gibbard in the late 90’s, and achieved immediate notoriety on the indie scene.  The modest, yet surprising early success of the project led Gibbard to expand the side project into a full band as he recruited Chris Walla (guitar), Nick Harmer (bass) and Nathan Good (drums) to fill out the original line-up.  The landscape of the indie rock and emo music scenes would never be the same.

Led by one of the quintessential songwriters of our generation, DCFC has gone on to redefine the boundaries of the American ideal of popular music.  Their cultivation of intensely personal lyrics, bittersweet melodies and catchy hooks has captivated audiences across the globe.  On November 19, Death Cab For Cutie will be showcasing their ground breaking sound in support of their latest album Plans, for music fans across the state at the University of Central Florida in Orlando.  I was fortunate enough to speak with bass player (and original member) Nick Harmer about the past present and future of one the most important bands of our generation.

REAX:  First of all, I’d like to say that I think DCFC has written some of the most pertinent and influential songs of the past decade.  Explain to me a little about what goes into the song writing process for you guys.  Is it as simple as just writing what you know so to speak?
Nick Harmer:  Actually, yeah I mean it is pretty much that way.  Ben is our primary songwriter and definitely our only lyricist.  We’re definitely responsible for the music content as a band, most of the time.  As far as lyrics go, Ben writes exactly what he knows more often than not.  It just comes through little observations that he’s made in his own life and the lives of people around him.

REAX:  Does it help matters that you are able to have all your songs produced, mixed and recorded by your guitar player, Chris Walla?  And can you describe what this means for DCFC as a whole?
NH:  It absolutely does.  It’s been something that Chris has had a strong interest in, and a very high aptitude in since the beginning of the band.  As far as we’re concerned he’s our producer for life, unless he decides to find someone else to replace him.  It does help.  It’s saved us a lot of the headaches and crazy times that getting to know and trusting people brings sometimes.  There is a lot of trust that needs to happen in a studio, especially when you’re creating something that you care about.  You need to be able to get into it and you really need to be able to trust that someone is going to see you through the darkness at times.  He’s been very good, and been very encouraging and supportive as a producer but then also as a member of the band.  It’s nice to have his ideas and his talents as a guitar player, keyboard player, and arranger and all that stuff too.  I think we’ve been very lucky over the years to have him in that dual position.

REAX:  As an original member, you have no doubt been privy to the treacherous pitfalls and dizzying heights that the music industry seems to bestow upon all its members.  Can you tell us how the band has persevered through those times and gotten to where it has today?
NH:  The only way we’ve been able to do it is just through communication and talking with each other.  Sometimes it’s easy to forget, when you’re on the road with someone and you’re spending so much time with people, to talk.  To actually check in with one another and see how they’re doing and see how they are feeling and just to make sure everyone’s on the same page.  That’s not to say that we’re always on the same page, it’s just important that you’re checking in with people and seeing where everyone’s at.  It’s like a family in that way.  In the same way that you would pick on your brother, sometimes everyone just kind of picks on each other.  Then it’s important to step back and say, ‘Hey, I’m just picking on ya, I’m sorry and I still love you its no big deal.’  Through the years we’ve been very good at that.  We went through all of the egotistical getting to know you trust building stuff that can be really dynamic and dramatic for a band a long, long time ago.  Now, we’re just four guys that are real comfortable hanging out, talking and sharing our lives with each other.  So, it’s been nice, but I think communication for sure has been the key for us.

REAX:  How do you feel the acclaimed underground success of some of DCFC’s other members’ side projects has contributed to the band’s somewhat iconic status as indie rock superstars worldwide?
NH: (laughing) I don’t know if we’re indie rock superstars worldwide, but that’s very flattering thank you.  It doesn’t feel that way at all.  The side project thing is another key to the health of our band for sure.  We spend so much intensive time together that when we’re off the road and not in the studio people are encouraged and free to go and explore other musical territory and explore other discourse with other players and other creative people.  All the experiences and things learned through those other projects are brought back to Death Cab.  We made promises to each other a long, long time ago that Death Cab would always be the priority and there would never be instances where some one would ask what would happen if we booked two shows on the same day.  It’s just a mental health vacation most of the time.  And I think it all comes back to feed Death Cab, it really does.  It’s definitely helped us over the years. 

REAX:  Have you faced any ridicule, resentment, or scorn from peers in regards to DCFC’s decision to sign with a major label despite your continued loyalty and support of Barsuk Records?
NH:  I don’t think so, there’s always going be naysayers.  But, I think we live in some really interesting times right now.  Given the way that people trade, distribute and share music with each other through the internet, ultimately the logo on the back of the jacket is becoming less and less important to people.  I think that there are a lot of horror stories through the 90’s of bands that were just getting chewed up, spit out and dicked around.  Just a really harsh time as far as that goes in that world.  So there is still that stigma, that if a band is on a major then they are probably being subjected to all those corruptive forces.  I’m sure if you were a very young band without a strong sense of self, you could be easily manipulated and molded in that way being seduced by things that aren’t very important.  Thankfully, we were a band for a long time before we went to a major label.  We have a pretty strong sense of who we are and the kind of band we want to be and the kind of music that we want to make.  We haven’t had too much of a problem with that.  I think there was initially some apprehension, when people first heard that we were moving to Atlantic.  But now that we’ve been on tour and we released Plans, people have realized that we are very much the same band that we always were prior to that.  Everyone’s ok now, there doesn’t seem to be a lot of naysayers and shit talkers at all.

REAX:  How does it make you feel when you hear your songs referred to as depressing or melancholy?  (Which seem to be the most popular adjectives when it comes to describing DCFC’s music.)
NH:  I think that there are those elements in our songs.  Those are definitely very accurate descriptions.  But, I also think there is a lot of hope in our music as well and a lot of uplifting parts that counterbalance those dark and melancholy elements that are there.  I think our music kind of enhances the sort of person you might already be.  If you are kind of a dour, glass is half-empty type of person then you’ll find those qualities for sure in our music.  But if you’re generally a positive and uplifting person you’ll be able to connect with that stuff in our music as well.

REAX:  When you began playing music with DCFC, did you ever imagine in your wildest dreams, that you would be hearing your songs in supermarkets, office buildings, sitcoms, major motion picture soundtracks, etc.?
NH:  No, not at all (laughing).  I still don’t really believe that it’s happening to tell you the truth.  It’s pretty surreal. 

REAX:  What would you say to younger bands who are struggling to get noticed in smaller markets that are no doubt beginning to wonder whether their efforts are in vain?
NH:  Man, for us, its just been staying at it.  I think sometimes people want too much too fast.  It took years of us touring around the country in a van making fifty bucks a night and sleeping on people’s floors before we really started to get a foot hold and began turning peoples ears.  And there are a lot more resources and tools now to promote bands.  The Internet being a massive one, it was just starting to be a significant factor in music promotion and distribution when we were starting as a band.  We benefited from early file sharing, and message board word of mouth stuff that the Internet provides.  Those tools are so much more refined and focused now, so if you have some computer savvy definitely use it.  I think there is no substitute and there will never be a substitute for a band that just tours and plays shows.  If anything you will learn more about your instrument and become a better musician.  It’s never a waste of time to just keep playing shows, as many as you can in as many weird places as you can and just learn that way, it’s important.

REAX:  What are some of the biggest differences (specifically with touring) that you have noticed throughout DCFC’s evolution over the past couple of years?  Do you ever long for the old days?
NH:  Absolutely.  I think that there have definitely been significant evolutions just in our live shows playing to lots of people in the crowd versus a few people and things like that.  It’s sort of apples and oranges; I have as much fun playing in some of the bigger places as I did in small clubs.  The small club thing is really fun, and thankfully we all have lots of side projects and musical endeavors that we play in that allow us to keep a foot there too.

REAX:  How has the current tour been progressing thus far?
NH:  This tour has been great man.  It’s been really fun so far.  We’re definitely chipping our way through it.  It’s been feeling like a really positive and great way to put Plans to bed and we’re going to get home, take some time off and start making another record some time next year. 

REAX:  Thanks for taking the time to chat with us.  Best of luck in the future and we’ll see you in November!