Ben Gibbard

 Zooey Deschanel and Ben Gibbard

Benjamin "Ben" Gibbard,  born August 11, 1976 is an American musician known as a member of several successful indie rock bands. He is the lead singer of Death Cab for Cutie and The Postal Service, and is also known for his project ¡All-Time Quarterback! and his first band, Pinwheel.


Personal life and career


Gibbard was born in Bremerton, Washington, where he spent his formative years, during the time of the grunge musical explosion in the early 1990s. He graduated from Olympic High School in 1994. Growing up he was influenced by Elliott Smith, Nirvana, The Stone Roses, Superchunk, Built to Spill, Teenage Fanclub, Pixies, Pavement, Daniel Johnston, Fugazi and Hall & Oates. He also cites Jack Kerouac as a major influence. He studied engineering at Western Washington University. He was raised Roman Catholic and referred to himself as "this indoctrinated Catholic even though I haven't been to church of my own volition in 10 or 15 years now." In a 2003 interview Gibbard stated that while he had previously been a vegan, he had recently become a pescetarian.
He had a small role in the John Krasinski film Brief Interviews with Hideous Men based on the David Foster Wallace short story collection of the same title. He completed a solo tour through the US in the spring of 2007 that featured David Bazan of Pedro the Lion and singer-songwriter Johnathan Rice.
Gibbard, and actress and musician Zooey Deschanel became engaged in 2008. They married in September 2009 near Seattle, Washington. On November 1, 2011, they announced their separation after two years of marriage.
He reportedly gave up alcohol in 2008 and began running marathons.




Collaborations


Gibbard is the original bassist for the Revolutionary Hydra, a band that also included Death Cab for Cutie bandmate Chris Walla and original drummer Nathan Good, as well as Jay Chilcote, Joe Chilcote, and Barton Sharp.
Sang backing vocals on the song "This Is the Thrilling Conversation You've Been Waiting For" from Harvey Danger's 2000 album King James Version.
Appeared as a guest on Jimmy Tamborello's (his Postal Service collaborator) 2001 Dntel album entitled Life Is Full of Possibilities, contributing vocals to the song "(This Is) The Dream of Evan and Chan."
Played bass for Pedro the Lion on their 2001 tour.
Contributed backing vocals on the 2001 release by The Prom, "Now and Then".
Contributed backing vocals on the 2001 The American Analog Set album "Know By Heart", on the song "The Postman".
Contributed backing vocals on the 2002 John Vanderslice album "Life and Death of an American Fourtracker", on the song "Me and My 424".
Played drums on the song "Carparts" for The Long Winters' 2002 album, The Worst You Can Do Is Harm.
Performed drums on label-mate's Kind of Like Spitting 2002 album, Bridges Worth Burning, further contributing vocals to the album's untitled last track.
Collaborated with Andrew Kenny on Home Volume V, released March 30, 2004, as part of the Home EP series.
Contributed vocals for Styrofoam's 2004 album Nothing's Lost on the track "Couches in Alleys."
Provided backup vocals on the song "Midnight Again" for Certainly, Sir's 2005 album TAN!
Contributed vocals to a song ("Handle with Care") on Rilo Kiley frontwoman Jenny Lewis's side project Jenny Lewis with the Watson Twins's 2006 album, Rabbit Fur Coat.
Co-wrote the film score for the 2007 film Kurt Cobain About a Son, about the Nirvana lead singer, with producer Steve Fisk.
Contributed backing vocals to "Lost Verses" on the 2008 release by Sun Kil Moon, "April".
Appeared on the 2008 Nada Surf album Lucky, on the song "See These Bones"..
Appeared on the 2009 charity CD compilation Dark Was the Night, along with Feist, on the track "Train Song".
Collaborated with Jay Farrar on all tracks to the soundtrack of the 2009 documentary film One Fast Move or I'm Gone, about Jack Kerouac's time spent at Big Sur.
Provided back-up vocals for the song "Warm to the Blade" by The Wooden Birds off their 2011 album, Two Matchsticks.




Discography


Death Cab for Cutie


1997 You Can Play These Songs with Chords
1998 Something About Airplanes
2000 We Have the Facts and We're Voting Yes
2001 The Photo Album
2003 Transatlanticism
2005 Plans
2008 Narrow Stairs
2011 Codes and Keys




Ben Gibbard


2004 Home Volume V (A split LP with Andrew Kenny)


The Postal Service


2003 Give Up


All-Time Quarterback!
1999 ¡All-Time Quarterback!
1999 The Envelope Sessions
2002 ¡All-Time Quarterback!


All about: Zooey Deschanel