This sucks. For those of you who, like me, still (and always will) hold on tightly to the early 2000’s sad-face music of your nobody-understands-my-pain adolescence, I’ve got some bad news. Death Cab for Cutie‘s own multi-instrumentalist/producer Chris Walla has called it quits.
Walla released a statement via Slog about his departure, stating, “I think I long for the unknown. It might be that simple.” Read the full diatribe below.
His final show with DCFC is at the Rifflandia Festival in Victoria, BC, Canada on September 13.
Says Walla:
Short version: I’m leaving Death Cab for Cutie. My last show with the band will be September 13, 2014, at the Rifflandia Festival in Victoria, BC. I hope you guys can make it.
Longer version: I think I long for the unknown. It might be that simple.
I will miss being a quarter of this band, and will support whatever course Death Cab for Cutie chooses from here. I am profoundly grateful to Ben, Nick, and Jason, for the experiences that define my adult life. Truly grateful, beyond words. Thank you.
I am also grateful to, and deeply humbled by, all of our fans. Without you, music would be mere ‘content’, and nothing could possibly be sadder than that. Thank you all, so dearly.
We’ve just finished our eighth album, which is our first with an outside producer. That producer is a fellow named Rich Costey, and working with him in this capacity is one of the greatest joys of my professional life. Thank you, as well.
There are so many others to whom I am grateful—our crew, our management, our families, the Atlantic, Barsuk and Elsinor labels, the Billions team. Thank you all.
Deciding to leave the band was not, and is not, easy. It’s really, really sad. I love my bandmates, and I’m proud of what we’ve done, and mercifully, those things don’t change with my departure. Moving forward, my plans are simply to continue making music, producing records, and erring on the side of benevolence and beauty whenever possible. Darkness may find me, but I shall never choose it.
The rest of the band had a little something to say as well on their Facebook page:
We’ve had an incredible 17 years of making music with Chris. We are very proud of what we’ve accomplished together, including our 8th studio album which we have just put the finishing touches on.
We will miss Chris and wish him all the best in the next chapter of his career. We are excited about sharing new music, and seeing all of you very soon.– Ben, Nick and Jason
I’m sad and feeling confused and abandoned. Also conflicted, because when I feel this way, I usually turn to Transatlanticism, but I think that will just make it worse this time.
Emily is an over-enthusiastic lover of music, books, movies, fashion, and culture in general. Her love of music spans across all genres (what is a genre anymore? she waxes poetic to herself), though she was nursed on true punk and will never understand “redneck country” music – tractors are not and cannot be sexy. Emily currently lives in Brooklyn, NY and considers herself to be a great wit, though she is still waiting on validation from a credible source.