Ongoing History of New Music

Ongoing History Daily: Death Cab for Cutie’s name

To understand the name “Death Cab for Cutie,” we have to dig into some history. The group was formed by Ben Gibbard, in Bellingham, Washington, in 1997, as a solo project. It wasn’t until he found himself with a record deal that he pulled together a full band.

He took the name of the group from the title of a song by the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, a surrealist art-pop British band from the 1960s. If you track down video of The Beatles Magical Mystery Tour TV special from late 1967, you’ll hear it.

And there’s one more connection. The Bonzos took the name of their song from a story in an old pulp fiction crime magazine from the 1950s that one of the members found in a street market.

Going back to Friday, the post was on how The Killers’ “Mr Brightside” just won’t die.

Alan Cross

is an internationally known broadcaster, interviewer, writer, consultant, blogger and speaker. In his 40+ years in the music business, Alan has interviewed the biggest names in rock, from David Bowie and U2 to Pearl Jam and the Foo Fighters. He’s also known as a musicologist and documentarian through programs like The Ongoing History of New Music.

Alan Cross has 37986 posts and counting. See all posts by Alan Cross

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