Nick Harmer

They were one of the major bands associated with the rise of indie rock, with their 2000s-era output producing several platinum-selling albums and charting singles. The band has received numerous accolades, including multiple Grammy Award nominations. In April 2024, Consequence named Harmer the ninety-fourth greatest bass guitarist of all time.

• Name — Nick Harmer • Birth Name — Nicholas Scott Harmer • Born — 23 January 1975 • Birthplace — Landstuhl, Germany • Genre — Indie rock • Occupation — Bassist, keyboards, songwriter • Years Active — 1996–present

Harmer was born on January 23, 1975, in Landstuhl, Germany. He grew up in the Pacific Northwest, attending high school at Governor John R. Rogers High School in Puyallup, Washington. Harmer then attended Western Washington University in Bellingham, earning a degree in English in 1998. While at Western Washington, in 1996, he joined the band Eureka Farm with his college roommate and future Death Cab bandmate Ben Gibbard.

Gibbard had left Eureka Farm to start Death Cab for Cutie. Looking to form a full band after releasing early demo songs, Gibbard recruited Harmer, who joined the band in 1997. They would be joined by another Eureka Farm alumnus, drummer Jason McGerr, in 2003. Harmer and Gibbard are the only members of the band to have played on every DCFC album, and Harmer has numerous co-writing credits, including We Laugh Indoors, The New Year, Grapevine Fires and I Will Possess Your Heart.

Harmer lives in the Seattle area with his wife Kate and family, postponing Death Cab for Cutie shows in 2015 to attend the birth of a child. Harmer has taught with the 826 Valencia organization, and has been involved with the Kiva organization, offering micro-finance to social impact businesses and non-profit organizations.

• You Can Play These Songs with Chords (1997) • Something About Airplanes (1998) • We Have the Facts and We're Voting Yes (2000) • The Photo Album (2001) • Transatlanticism (2003) • Plans (2005) • Narrow Stairs (2008) • Codes and Keys (2011) • Kintsugi (2015) • Thank You for Today (2018) • Asphalt Meadows (2022) • I Built You a Tower (2026)