Death Cab For Cutie's Guide To Seattle: Watch A Preview Here!

Our 'Death Cab for Cutie: Seattle Sonics' series kicks off Tuesday on MTV.com, the same day Codes and Keys hits stores.
By James Montgomery


Death Cab for Cutie's Nick Harmer and Ben Gibbard
Photo: MTV News

Death Cab for Cutie originally formed sometime around 1997, in the idyllic college town of Bellingham, Washington (unofficial nickname: "The City of Subdued Excitement"), but it was in a city 90 miles south where they'd really make their mark: Seattle.

Most of the band had grown up in towns surrounding the Emerald City during the height of the so-called "grunge explosion," and their teenage years progressed somewhat accordingly — Ben Gibbard, who was raised in Bremerton, would take a 55-minute ferry trip across the Puget Sound to watch bands play at the now-defunct OK Hotel in downtown Seattle — so, when they decided to make the move from Bellingham to the proverbial big city to try their hand at becoming a real rock band, well, it was sort of the stuff of dreams. Only, things didn't quite work out the way they had planned.

DCFC's early years were a struggle, marked by lousy, low-paying jobs and thinly attended gigs. When Gibbard took up residence in a tiny apartment on Corliss Avenue, working as what could charitably be described as a medical tech (he basically washed testing equipment), there were times when he thought about packing it in and heading back home. It seemed simpler than striking out as a rock frontman.

But he didn't, and slowly, people began paying attention. Released on Seattle's Barsuk Records, early efforts like We Have the Facts and We're Voting Yes (most of which was written in that apartment on Corliss) and The Photo Album were met with much acclaim, and Death Cab for Cutie were on their way. Only, in a lot of ways, they've never really left ... Seattle is, was, and probably always will be their spiritual home.

And those sentiments are readily apparent on the band's May 31 album, Codes And Keys, Codes And Keys, which is about several things, most of which seem to be about the eternal longing for home, no matter how far away from it you may be. So, in celebration of the new album, earlier this month, we asked Death Cab to show us around their adopted hometown of Seattle ... the venues they haunted as teens, the places they worked before they made it big, the studio where they recorded parts of the new album. But it's much more than a guided tour; it's also a history lesson, both in terms of the band, and the Seattle music scene too.

We're calling it "Death Cab for Cutie: Seattle Sonics," and it begins Tuesday on MTVNews.com. But as we head into the long weekend, we figured we'd give you a taste of what's to come. Click on the teaser clip featuring Gibbard and bassist Nick Harmer recalling the glory of all-ages OK Hotel shows, and the havoc parent-mandated curfews wrecked on those magical nights. Enjoy, and make sure to check back on Tuesday, when the history lesson truly begins.

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1664751/death-cab-for-cutie-ben-gibbard-seattle-sonics-preview.jhtml

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Jessica Alba: Shopping with Honor

Tending to some errands ahead of the holiday weekend, Jessica Alba and Honor Marie were spotted doing a bit of grocery shopping in Beverly Hills, CA on Friday (May 27).

Sporting a gorgeous long dress and jacket, the ?Machete? mama and her darling tu-tu-wearing daughter stocked up on healthy foods as they made their way around Whole Foods.

In related news, as the spokeswoman for Safer Chemical, Healthy Families, Alba recently took her message to Washington D.C. where she supported the overhaul of the Toxic Substances Control Act, which regulates the government?s control of chemicals.

"Like many other moms out there, I try to buy safe products for my family, but that can't be the only solution. You can't hire a team of scientists to do your shopping for you. At some point the government has to step in and ensure that chemicals are safe before our children are exposed to them," Jess was quoted as saying.

Source: http://celebrity-gossip.net/jessica-alba/jessica-alba-shopping-honor-509617

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"The Descendants" Trailer: Watch Now!

Revving up excitement for George Clooney's latest big screen effort, "The Descendants" has released an all-new movie trailer!

The Alexander Payne-directed film sees Clooney's character, Matt King, act as an indifferent husband and father of two girls who is forced to re-examine his past and embrace his future when his wife suffers a boating accident off of Waikiki.

That tragic event leaves Matt to wrestle with a decision to sell the family's land, which was handed down from Hawaiian royalty and missionaries.

Also starring Shailene Woodley, Matthew Lillard, and Judy Greer, the drama/comedy is set to hit theaters December 16th.

Source: http://celebrity-gossip.net/george-clooney/descendants-trailer-watch-now-509540

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Oprah Winfrey?s Final Show Breaks Ratings Records

Yesterday’s finale of The Oprah Winfrey Show was the highest-rated episode of the hit daytime talk show in more than 17 years. According to The Wrap, the episode “received a 13.3 household rating in overnight metered markets, its best rating since the 13.4 for a Feb. 21, 1994, episode titled ‘People Shed Their Disguises.’ ” OK! [...]

Source: http://www.okmagazine.com/2011/05/oprah-winfreys-final-show-breaks-ratings-records/

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