Death Cab Singer Slams 30 Seconds To Mars

Death Cab For Cutie's Ben Gibbard and Nick Harmer said in a recent interview that they think Jared Leto of 30 Seconds To Mars should stick to acting because he's "acting the part" right now in his band.

"Not to throw anyone under the bus, but Jared Leto and his band 30 Seconds to Mars - he's acting the part," Harmer said in an interview with website the Big Takeover.

"He's a professional actor in music; so there's no way to feel any sincerity about his position as a musician," says frontman Gibbard. "Because he makes a living playing characters - so why wouldn't he be able to take a step forward? Then you're also acting what you think a rock star should act like."

"People embrace that and they put him on posters and they're a wildly popular band with some people," Harmer continues. "And they just look at that and think 'Oh, that's what rock stars do: they wear eyeliner.' I don't know, it's just a weird thing to me."

Death Cab For Cutie have recently unveiled the Ross Ching directed video for "Little Bribes," a song from their recent EP, The Open Door as well as announcing dates for a July tour, listed below:

07/03 - San Diego, CA - Belly Up Tavern
07/05 - Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Bowl (w/Los Angeles Philharmonic)
07/11 - Berkeley, CA - Greek Theatre
07/12 - Reno, NV - Grand Sierra Resort & Casino
07/13 - Salt Lake City, UT - Red Butte Garden Amphitheatre
07/14 - Morrison, CO - Red Rocks Amphitheatre
07/16 - Vancouver, BC - Pacific Coliseum
07/17 - Troutdale, OR - Edgefield Amphitheatre
07/18 - Redmond, WA - Marymoor Park
07/19 - Redmond, WA - Marymoor Park

Thanks for the report to AlternativeAddiction.com.

Comments

[Redxrock]

First!

Go death cab. rippin on other bands... whatever. just don't stop making music

[Echoplex]

They're both emo bands that haven't done anything new in years. And what is the point of this article in general, besides listing a tour schedule

[TheReverend724]

I personally dislike Leto as both a musician and as an actor

Go Death-Cab!

[tjstrain]

wow death cab real mature....just b/c TSTM isn't the exact same type of band as you doesn't mean you need to bash them, sounds like death cab is just pissed that leto was successful as an actor and a musician

[JBailey23]

i saw a show with leto on it and i gotta say, that guys a douche. I'm on deathcabs side even though this is pointless...

[jamesisgod1022]

I just think its funny that Leto and his brother were playing music together long before he started acting. His first passion was too be a rock star. They were playing long before death cab ever camew into the picture.

[CrowLord]

well, seen as Jared Leto is older than Ben Gibbard, that is to be expected silly. just because someone starts before you doesn't mean that you lose the right to criticize them.

the point that they are trying to make is that Leto is perpetuating a ridiculous stereotype of what being in a band is about and how people in bands have to dress, and they dislike that as it is an incorrect image.

[slypoonce]

not a fan of 30 seconds to mars.. but there's really no point in ben and nick saying those things. i don't see how it gets them ahead in life.

[axlanian]

Echoplex wrote:

They're both emo bands that haven't done anything new in years. And what is the point of this article in general, besides listing a tour schedule

My thoughts exactly.

[Vin2254]

Echoplex wrote:

They're both emo bands that haven't done anything new in years. And what is the point of this article in general, besides listing a tour schedule

death cab for cutie may have some emo qualities, but they are not emo. i think they are good musicians. and they just released a cd barely a year ago.

[David_Bowie=GOD]

TheReverend724 wrote:

I personally dislike Leto as both a musician and as an actor

Go Death-Cab!

Agreed!

[FearOfTheDuck]

Both terrible bands lol

[koolfoolinapool]

Vin2254 wrote:

Echoplex wrote:

They're both emo bands that haven't done anything new in years. And what is the point of this article in general, besides listing a tour schedule

death cab for cutie may have some emo qualities, but they are not emo. i think they are good musicians. and they just released a cd barely a year ago.

I love how the fans of emo bands always deny that the emo band is in fact emo.

It's just a trend. I could call them a scene kids band too but emo is just fine.

[bf313]

I will not deny that death cab is emo but emo or not they are still an amazing band. Emo does not make a band good or bad its just how they chose to express themselves as musicians. I am not a fan of 30 seconds to mars but they can do wat ever they want.

FearOfTheDuck wrote:

Both terrible bands lol

and FearOfTheDuck i looked at the music u listen to on yr profile and i kno this band is not wat u listen to but don't just hate because there not iron maiden or someother metal band

[TheMartyr559]

deathcab for cutie is full of gay emo's...im pretty sure jared leto can run circles around them vocally for days. i dont even like them but i respect him as a singer

[jbridge90]

bf313 wrote:

I will not deny that death cab is emo but emo or not they are still an amazing band. Emo does not make a band good or bad its just how they chose to express themselves as musicians. I am not a fan of 30 seconds to mars but they can do wat ever they want. and FearOfTheDuck i looked at the music u listen to on yr profile and i kno this band is not wat u listen to but don't just hate because there not iron maiden or someother metal band

Horrible grammar. Besides that, I get the point you're trying to make, but your rant seemed like you were trying harder to convince yourself of that then anyone else.

But regardless, I agree. Emo is a trend. Whatever, who cares. Music is music. If you don't like it, then cool, you're probably not the target audience anyways. Every band has a target audience.

My question is why does it matter that he wears eyeliner? Tons of bands wear makeup and eyeliner. He's a vocalist. If he can hold notes, and write ok lyrics, then why doesn't he have every right to dress however he likes?

This seems like more of a publicity stunt/personal feud than anything else

[korbhag]

Of course you can't look like a rock star when you play sleepy music... Worst opening band I ever saw (when they opened for Franz Ferdinand 3 years ago).

(And of course I'm talking about Death Cab here)

[loganpwns]

lmaooooo

He's got a point, however, im not sure he specifically is the one who should be slamming other bands, but whatevs.

[ThatWouldBeJon]

lol this is like vegans vs vegitarians in a sence there the same damn thing!

[Cobrevolution]

Both bands should give up music.

[Raven]

Honestly, it's a little unfair. I agree with the image portion, because it's just like Green Day.
Leave the image out of it people, we don't LISTEN to how the band looks, man.

I think it's a little unfair though, how he associates his acting to his music. Look at it this way, music is the same as acting just on a different art form. Audible and visual. Isn't art in general just acting out your emotions? articulating how you feel? Maybe because he's an actor, it helps him express his emotion through singing performance a lot better.

Either way, both bands suck. Death Cab is all right, they have some killer jams and lyrics don't get me wrong, but STFU with that pretentious musician shit. I thought we were done when Tom DeLonge did it, now Ben Gibbard? Gtfo.

[dabonehead182]

I like death cab for cutie but ben gibbard shouldn't pull a brandon flowers. Brandon Flowers is an egotistical prick who thinks the killers are the greatest band since the beatles which they're not. They're good but not that great. I just think it's a bitch move to diss a band.

[southern_stylin]

I wish my lawn was emo.... then it would cut itself.

Seriously though, Leto was good in Requiem for a Dream and played his part well in Fight Club. Who is Ben Gibbard and what movies has he been in? So far that's at least one thing Leto can do better. And what the hell is Death Cab For Cutie?

[Idiot_Son]

this article should be titled "Death Cab Singer Jealous of 30 Seconds To Mars". i'm not a fan of either, but this is childish attention seeking on the part of Gibbard and Harmer.

[pawnshopguitars]

I am not a fan of either band. But to say that because someone is an actor means he can't feel sincerity in music shouts of ignorance to me; if music moves you, it doesn't matter what other jobs you have. You can still be sincere and "feel" the music. Maybe it's because "Death Cab for Cutie" jumped on a bandwagon, and therefore aren't original enough to be sincere about the music and so he doesn't know what he's talking about?

[pawnshopguitars]

Raven wrote:

Honestly, it's a little unfair. I agree with the image portion, because it's just like Green Day.
Leave the image out of it people, we don't LISTEN to how the band looks, man.

I think it's a little unfair though, how he associates his acting to his music. Look at it this way, music is the same as acting just on a different art form. Audible and visual. Isn't art in general just acting out your emotions? articulating how you feel? Maybe because he's an actor, it helps him express his emotion through singing performance a lot better.

Either way, both bands suck. Death Cab is all right, they have some killer jams and lyrics don't get me wrong, but STFU with that pretentious musician shit. I thought we were done when Tom DeLonge did it, now Ben Gibbard? Gtfo.

Dammit, I should have just quoted you instead of commenting xD

[XtractionProces]

I have a problem with my girlfriend's short skirts.

...That's basically what he's saying here. Move along people.

[larrytheguitar]

Leto is pure autotune. And that doesn't even save their live performances. DCFC labeled them perfectly "actors."