It's sorta weird how 'mainstream' indie has gotten. I'm not really 'lamenting' it, but sorta shocked that we're finally at a point where a popular indie-ish band is pulling the whole 'overcoming substance abuse addiction'. Sort of a generic 'album buzz narrative', and I'm not sure if that type of story even 'endears' u to new markets.

I think he is just trying to make his personal brand 'more edgy' or something. But he should probably just 'become an alcoholic' and go on some sweet benders.

In the three years since Death Cab for Cutie released Narrow Stairs, frontman Ben Gibbard has turned his life around: He married his sweetheart, actress and singer Zooey Deschanel, began running in marathons, and overcame a serious drinking problem, the singer reveals in the June issue of SPIN.

Speaking with writer John Sellers, Gibbard opens up about how he kicked the bottle in 2008 and replaced that vice with a healthier addiction to running. His thirst for alcohol was partly borne out by the intensity of writing music for Death Cab, especially during the sessions for Narrow Stairs, which he calls the group's most "depressing record."

"Writing is such a solitary act," Gibbard says. "You spend hours alone, only with your thoughts, and you torture yourself. It's a tendency of many writers to temper the self-destructive act of writing with other self-destructive acts. I certainly was one of those people for a long time."

I feel kinda bad 4 Zooey Deschanel. Like she probably 'picked him up' from a dark place in his life, and he is probably 'keeping it together' 2 preserve their relaish, but now she is sorta like 'ughhh.... I should have married [buzzworthy actor/musician of today].'

He told some 'bender' story, except it didn't involve cocaine or prostitutes or watching snuff films. Instead, it involved 'five beers, five shots, and pizza.'

Gibbard says that he realized he needed to change after a particular bender with a friend in Big Sur, CA. "It was so stereotypically my own little Kerouac Big Sur weekend," Gibbard says. "And I remember being on the flight home, going, 'You know what? I really have to do something about this. This has really gotten out of control. But I have a friend's birthday tonight, and I need to go out and have a beer with him.' Cut to three in the morning, five beers and five shots in, eating a pizza. I woke up the next morning and I was like, 'That's it. I'm done. I have lost the ability to control this.'"

"A great bender means there will be pizza." -a 12 year old bro

Really want to hear some thing dark, about doing lines of blow at 10 am, staying up for weeks at a time, accidentally dabbling in meth, losing your teeth, having your social security card stolen by a prostitute, and paying 'down on their luck' souls to perform untold sexual acts on one another with a group of your closest bender bros.

<3 Benders <3

So what is he like now? Has he totally changed? Is he healthy in spirit, mind, and body?

These days, Gibbard prefers running long distances — he recently completed the L.A. Marathon in under four hours — and spending time with his wife, Deschanel, whom he started dating soon after hopping on the wagon. "Quitting had been such a positive change in my life," he says. "Nothing was going to make me want to go back to that. But I want to qualify that. I'm not, like, walking around with a chip in my pocket. I don't have a sponsor. I don't go to AA. It's not like that."

Do u think he was an 'alcoholic' or 'just livin buzzband life'?
Was he 'really' an alcoholic?
Do u wish u could go on buzz benders every nite?

Speaking of 'getting sober', how did it impact the tone of their new album?

Getting sober has had a big impact on Gibbard's writing for the band's new Codes and Keys (out May 31), their least mopey album yet.

Do u <3 the 'getting sober' narrative?
Do u think he 'really had a problem' or just 'kicked back some brews'?
Did Benjamin Gibbard ever get past the 'daddy' + 'girl' issues from his earliest albums?
Has 'healthy' Ben Gibbard 'lost his swag'?
Is he just trying to 'appeal to Christian middle America'?
r u sober or do u still vibe out on benders?

Ben Gibbard

Alternative Celebrity

Ben Gibbard is the lead singer of the Death Cabs and the now defunct Postal Service. Zooey Deschanel married him to be more indie.

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Death Cab for Cutie

Buzzband

Death Cab for Cutie was one of the first 'mainstream indie' bands, but now no1 really cares abt them any more because they just play forgettable soft rock. Ben Gibbard is the lead singer but he arguably should have

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