Death Cab for Cutie is an American alternative rock band, formed in Bellingham, WA, in 1997. The band is composed of Ben Gibbard (vocals, guitar, piano), Nick Harmer (bass), Dave Depper (guitar, keyboards, vocals), Zac Rae (keyboards, guitar), and Jason McGerr (drums). The band was originally a solo project by Gibbard. Upon getting a record deal, he expanded the project into a complete band, which released a debut album, Something About Airplanes, in 1998.