Merge Records
250px
Founded	1989
Founder	Laura Ballance Mac McCaughan
Distributor(s)	ADA
Genre	Indie rock
Country of origin	United States
Location	Durham, North Carolina
Official Website	mergerecords.com

Merge Records is an independent record label based in Durham, North Carolina. It was founded in 1989 by Laura Ballance and Mac McCaughan. It began as a way to release music from their band Superchunk and music created by friends, and has expanded to include artists from around the world and records reaching the top of the Billboard music charts.

History[link]

After releasing a number of 7" records and cassettes, the first Merge Records full-length CD release came on April 1, 1992 with MRG020 Superchunk - Tossing Seeds, the band's first collection of singles.

The label's first album to reach the USA Billboard 200 was the Arcade Fire's Funeral, a 2004 release.^[1] Arcade Fire gave the label its then highest-charting release with their follow-up, 2007's Neon Bible, which debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200,^[2] and, later, reaching #1 with their third album, 2010's The Suburbs.^[3] Other Billboard Top Ten releases include Spoon's Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga and Transference, along with She & Him's (actress/musician Zooey Deschanel along with M. Ward, a popular Merge folk musician) Volume Two. Other notable Merge releases include Neutral Milk Hotel's In the Aeroplane Over the Sea, The Magnetic Fields's 69 Love Songs, Caribou's Polaris Prize-winning Andorra, M. Ward's Hold Time, Camera Obscura's Let's Get Out of This Country, and She & Him's Volume One.

In February 2009, due to adverse market conditions it was announced that Touch and Go Records would no longer manufacture and distribute records for Merge and many other independent record labels;^[4] Merge had been "under the Touch and Go umbrella" ever since its 1992 release of Tossing Seeds.^[5] Merge quickly reached an agreement with the Alternative Distribution Alliance to continue distribution of its releases.^[6]

In September 2009, Algonquin Paperbacks released Our Noise: The Story of Merge Records, a book chronicling the label's history.^[7] This followed a 6-day music festival in Chapel Hill and Carrboro, NC, featuring over 40 Merge acts from around the world^[8] celebrating the 20th anniversary of the label's first release. The label also released a subscription-only 17-disc box set SCORE! 20 Years of Merge Records^[9] throughout the 20th anniversary year curated by pop culture tastemakers the likes of David Byrne, Amy Poehler, Zach Galifianakis, Jonathan Lethem, Peter Buck, David Chang, Mindy Kaling and more, with all proceeds going to charities.

In August 2010, Merge Records released Arcade Fire's The Suburbs to critical acclaim, preceding the band's headlining appearance at Lollapalooza. The album went straight to number one on the US and UK charts. Famed director and Monty Python member Terry Gilliam also directed a live online broadcast of the bands's concert from the historic Madison Square Garden in New York following the album's release, which was streamed live by an estimated 1.8 million unique viewers. The Suburbs won the Grammy for Album of the Year at the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards on February 13, 2011.

Artists[link]

See also[link]

• Merge Records discography

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (April 2009)

Redd Kross
Redd Kross 2007
Background information
Also known as	Red Cross, The Tourists
Origin	Hawthorne, CA, U.S.
Genres	Power pop Alternative rock Pop punk Hardcore punk
Years active	1980–1997 2004–present
Associated acts	Black Flag
Members
Jeff McDonald Steve McDonald Robert Hecker Roy McDonald
Past members
Dez Cadena Gere Fennelly Greg Hetson Glenn Holland Janet Housden Victor Indrizzo Jack Irons Eddie Kurdziel Tracy Lea Johnny Nobody Dave Peterson Vicki Peterson Brian Reitzell Ron Reyes John Stielow

Redd Kross, a rock band from Hawthorne, California had their roots in 1978 in a band called The Tourists begun by Jeff and Steve McDonald while the brothers were still in middle school. With the addition of friends Greg Hetson and Dave Keller on guitar and John Stielow on drums, the band's first gig was opening for Black Flag.

Band history[link]

Red Cross[link]

At the time of their first self-titled EP, in 1980, the band changed their name to Red Cross, which was allegedly inspired by the masturbation scene in the film, The Exorcist. Ron Reyes became the drummer. Eventually, Hetson left to join the Circle Jerks (and later Bad Religion) and Reyes left for Black Flag. Keller left to join Trixie and the Doorknobs as its guitarist and singer. To complete the lineup on their first full-length album, Born Innocent, they assembled a revolving door of musicians including original drummer John Stielow and drummer Janet Housden. Full of the brothers' pop culture obsessions, Born Innocent featured odes to Linda Blair (who starred in a television movie of the same name), a cover of "Look on Up from the Bottom" by the Carrie Nations from Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, and Charles Manson (whose song "Cease to Exist" they covered). The album also contains nods to Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker, Tatum O'Neal, and Lita Ford. Not long after the release of the album, the group was threatened with a lawsuit from the International Red Cross and changed their name to Redd Kross, allegedly being inspired by Redd Foxx.

Redd Kross[link]

In 1984, Redd Kross returned with drummer Dave Peterson to record Teen Babes from Monsanto, an album featuring songs originally by such artists as KISS, David Bowie, The Rolling Stones, and The Shangri-Las.

In 1984, lead guitarist Robert Hecker joined the band, as Redd Kross embarked on tour in support of Teen Babes from Monsanto.

In that same year, they were featured on the soundtrack of Desperate Teenage Lovedolls with their cover of the Brady Bunch Kids' "It's a Sunshine Day". Jeff and Steve appear in the movie, along with Robert in the sequel Lovedolls Superstar which the brothers co-wrote with Dave Markey and Jennifer Schwartz. Both movies are available now on DVD.

In 1985, drummer Roy McDonald (formerly of The Things, and no relation to the brothers) joined the band.

In 1987, Redd Kross released Neurotica, an album reportedly influenced by Saturday morning cartoons and breakfast cereal (one of the songs was called "Frosted Flake"). Although the album itself was successful, the band's label, Big Time Records folded. The band continued to tour during these years however, and in 1988, drummer Victor Indrizzo joined the band.

Tater Totz[link]

As The Tater Totz, the McDonalds teamed with Pat Fear of White Flag and Michael Quercio from The Three O'Clock and released Alien Sleestaks from Brazil, the title a tribute to the series Land of the Lost. Another cover collection, it included songs originally by Queen and Yoko Ono, and featured a cover of The Beatles' "I've Just Seen A Face" with lead vocals by guest Danny Bonaduce. The second Tater Totz album, in 1989, included Cherie Currie of The Runaways, and Pat Smear. A third Tater Totz album was released called Tater Comes Alive. A side project, Anarchy 6 had two releases, Hardcore Lives! and a cassette only album Live Like a Suicidal, and was featured in Lovedolls Superstar.

1990s[link]

On February 20, 1990, Redd Kross appeared on Episode 2 of the cult Public-access television show "Decoupage" with Summer Caprice.^[1][2]

In 1990, Redd Kross signed with Atlantic Records, releasing Third Eye, and appeared with David Cassidy in the film Spirit of '76, and issued several singles, including "Annie's Gone", which had some mild success on college radio. Former Red Hot Chili Peppers / future Pearl Jam drummer Jack Irons joined for the Third Eye tours, and appears in the promotional video for "Annie's Gone", which saw some light rotation on MTV. Brian Reitzell succeeded Irons as drummer in the band, and appears in the promotional video for "1976".

In 1991, Robert Hecker took leave from the band.

The album Phaseshifter was released in 1993, with new band members Eddie Kurdziel, Gere Fennelly, and Brian Reitzell. The videos for "Jimmy's Fantasy" and "Lady In The Front Row" were both shown on MTV's 120 Minutes. They toured on Phaseshifter for over a year, headling their own shows as well as tours supporting The Lemonheads and The Spin Doctors in late 1993 and Stone Temple Pilots in 1994. In 1995, Jeff and his wife, Charlotte Caffey (from The Go-Go's), had a daughter, named Astrid.

In 1997, Redd Kross released Show World, produced by Chris Shaw (who also produced albums for Weezer and Soul Asylum) and toured supporting The Presidents of the United States of America. The band took an indefinite hiatus after the Show World tour, and their future was uncertain after the untimely death of guitarist Eddie Kurdziel on June 6, 1999.

Current[link]

On July 1, 2006, Redd Kross returned to the live stage after almost a decade's absence. The Neurotica-era line up of Jeff McDonald, Steven McDonald, Robert Hecker and Roy McDonald performed a career-spanning set at the REDCAT (Roy and Edna Disney/Cal Arts Theater) at Disney Hall in Los Angeles. The band has subsequently gone on to play at the Azkena Festival in Spain, the Detour Festival in Los Angeles, give a performance of their entire first EP in honor of Rodney Bingenheimer's being awarded a star on Hollywood Boulevard, and a set consisting of the entire Born Innocent album opening for Sonic Youth (who performed Daydream Nation) at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles. They toured Spain and England in January, 2007. They have played a number of one-off shows including Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, and San Francisco. In 2008 they played the Coachella Festival in Coachella, California; ATP vs Pitchfork festival in Sussex, England; and NXNE Festival in Toronto, Ontario. In 2010, Redd Kross headlined the Turbo Rock Festival in Spain.^[3] In 2011 they headlined the POP Montreal Festival.

Redd Kross toured Australia as part of the Hoodoo Gurus' 30th Anniversary on the "Dig It Up" Festival concert series. Jason Shapiro of the band Celebrity Skin played guitar, sitting in for Robert Hecker on these dates.

Their new album, "Researching The Blues" will be released on Merge Records August 7, 2012.

Related projects and soundtracks[link]

• In the summer of 2002, Steven McDonald mashed-up The White Stripes' album White Blood Cells. McDonald's album was entitled Redd Blood Cells, and featured the same track listing as the original, but with added bass tracks from McDonald. The album was an internet-only release, with 2 new songs appearing every week, along with a diary of liner notes from Steven as he worked through the process of being "Steven White". The album received very good reviews, and grew so popular that the server crashed when over 50,000 people went to download tracks on the same day.
• In addition to the Lovedolls films and Spirit of '76, members of Redd Kross have appeared in a few films of director Allison Anders. Steve, Jeff, and Brian played members of Matt Dillon's Beach Boys-esque rock band in Grace of My Heart. Jeff played a junkie songwriter in Sugar Town. Jeff and Steve both featured in Things Behind The Sun.
• Redd Kross songs appear on various on the soundtracks to Good Burger, PCU, Bordello of Blood, An American Werewolf in Paris, and Varsity Blues.
• Steven produced all of Imperial Teen's records, usually with the band and his wife, Anna Waronker. He was Beck's bassist for the Sea Changes tour. Steven also has produced Turbonegro's 2005 release Party Animals, and has had a hand in producing/recording with bands such as Be Your Own Pet, The Format, and Neon.
• Steven plays bass on the 2006 release "Hello Young Lovers" by Sparks and has also been their touring bassist.
• The McDonald brothers also produced The Donnas in 1999, on their album Get Skintight.
• Ze Malibu Kids is a band featuring the McDonald brothers, Anna Waronker, and Astrid, that released an album entitled "Sound It Out" in 2002.
• Robert Hecker has released two albums with the band IT'S OK, entitled "IT'S OK", and "Dream". Robert also appears as a special guest on a number of Chemical People records, featuring Dave Naz on drums.
• Janet Housden went on to be in several popular and not-so-popular L.A. combos, including the Lovedolls, the Waifs, the Superkools, the Excessories, and currently plays with the Shakes and the Hi Ho's. She also starred in Desperate Teenage Lovedolls and its sequel, Lovedolls Superstar, as Patch "Christ" Kelly.
• Roy McDonald has been playing with The Muffs (led by former The Pandoras member Kim Shattuck) since the mid 90s.
• Jeff McDonald produced the Sympathy for the Record Industry debut (and only) release by The Beards, which features Kim Shattuck, and Lisa Marr.
• Steven McDonald plays bass with OFF! (band) featuring Keith Morris from the Circle Jerks.
• They have done one song It's a Scream for the 2000 film Shriek If You Know What I Did Last Friday The Thirteenth but no soundtrack or the song was ever released on CD.
• Vicki Peterson performed one show with Redd Kross, playing guitar for them at the Pomona Valley Auditorium in the spring of 1984. This performance is captured in the documentary A History Lesson Part 1.

Discography / videography[link]

Albums[link]

• Born Innocent (1982)
• Teen Babes From Monsanto (1984)
• Neurotica (1987)
• Third Eye (1990)
• Phaseshifter (1993)
• Show World (1997)
• Researching the Blues (2012)

EPs[link]

• Red Cross (1980)
• 2500 Redd Kross Fans Can't Be Wrong (1993)

DVDs[link]

• Got LIVE if you must (2008)
• A History Lesson Part 1 (2010)

Singles[link]

Compilation appearances[link]

• Hell Comes to Your House (1981)
  • Includes "Puss 'n' Boots"
• American Youth Report (1982)
  • Includes "Notes and Chords Mean Nothing to Me"
• Enigma Variations (1985)
  • Includes "Citadel"
• Shared Vision – The Songs Of The Beatles (1993)
  • Band covers Beatles song "It Won't Be Long"
• If I Were a Carpenter (1994)
  • Redd Kross performs a cover of "Yesterday Once More"
• Poptopia! Power Pop Classics of the '90s (1997)
  • Includes "Lady In The Front Row"
• KISS Tribute In Japan (1998)
  • With Kanako Nakayama, Redd Kross performs a cover of "Hard Luck Woman"

References[link]

External links[link]

• Redd Kross official website
• The Bubblegum Factory: Redd Kross Fan Page with bio, press info, gig posters, photos and complete discography.

Zooey Deschanel
Deschanel performing as part of She & Him at Terminal 5 in New York, 2008
Born	Zooey Claire Deschanel (1980-01-17) January 17, 1980 (age 32) Los Angeles, California, United States
Occupation	Actress, model, singer, songwriter, musician
Years active	1998–present
Spouse	Ben Gibbard (m. 2009) «start: (2009)»"Marriage: Ben Gibbard to Zooey Deschanel" Location: (linkback:http://en-wiki.pop.wn.com/index.php/Zooey_Deschanel)
Parents	Caleb Deschanel (father) Mary Jo Deschanel (mother)
Relatives	Emily Deschanel (sister)

Zooey Claire Deschanel ( /ˈzoʊ.iː deɪʃəˈnɛl/ ZOH-ee day-shə-NEL; born January 17, 1980) is an American actress, musician and singer-songwriter. In 1999, Deschanel made her film debut in Mumford, followed by her breakout role as young protagonist William Miller's troubled older sister Anita in Cameron Crowe's 2000 semi-autobiographical film Almost Famous. Deschanel soon became known for her deadpan or "Manic Pixie Dream Girl" supporting roles in films such as Elf (2003), The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005), Failure to Launch (2006), Bridge to Terabithia (2007), and Happening, TheThe Happening (2008). She then began playing lead roles in films, including Yes Man (2008) and (500) Days of Summer (2009).^[1][2][3] She currently stars in the Fox series New Girl. She has been nominated for Golden Globe and Grammy Awards.

For a few years starting in 2001, Deschanel performed in the jazz cabaret act If All the Stars Were Pretty Babies with fellow actress Samantha Shelton.^[4] Besides singing, she plays keyboards, percussion, banjo and ukulele.^[5] She also often sings in her films. Deschanel teamed up with M. Ward to release their debut album Volume One (recorded with M. Ward under the moniker She & Him) which was released in March 2008. The follow-up album Volume Two was released in the U.S. in March 2010. She married Death Cab for Cutie frontman Ben Gibbard in September 2009, and filed for divorce from him in December 2011.

Early life[link]

Born in Los Angeles in 1980, Deschanel is the daughter of cinematographer/director Caleb Deschanel and actress Mary Jo Deschanel (née Weir). She is of French (from her paternal grandfather) and Irish descent.^[6] She was raised as a Roman Catholic. ^[7] She was named after Zooey Glass, the male protagonist of J. D. Salinger's 1961 novella Franny and Zooey.^[8] Her older sister, Emily Deschanel, is also an actress and stars in the TV series Bones.

Deschanel lived in Los Angeles, but spent much of her childhood traveling because her father shot films on location; she later said that she "hated all the traveling ... I'm really happy now that I had the experience, but at the time I was just so miserable to have to leave my friends in Los Angeles and go to places where they didn't have any food I liked or things I was used to."^[9] She attended Crossroads, a private preparatory school in Santa Monica, California, where she befriended future co-stars Jake Gyllenhaal and Kate Hudson.^[8][10] She sang throughout high school, planning to pursue a career in musical theatre and attending French Woods Festival of the Performing Arts.^[6] She attended Northwestern University for seven months before dropping out to work as an actress.^[9]

Career[link]

Acting[link]

Deschanel appeared in a guest role on the television series Veronica's Closet before making her film debut in Lawrence Kasdan's 1999 comedy Mumford, and later in the year she appeared (non-singing) in the music video for The Offspring's single "She's Got Issues". In her second film, director Cameron Crowe's semi-autobiographical Almost Famous (2000), Deschanel played Anita Miller, the protagonist's rebellious older sister. The film received critical praise,^[11] but was not a box office success. She also appeared in Jimmy Fallon's "Idiot Boyfriend" music video as his lead girl.

Deschanel played supporting roles in a series of films that include Manic (2001), with Don Cheadle and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Big Trouble (2002), with Tim Allen and Rene Russo, Abandon (2002) alongside Katie Holmes, Benjamin Bratt and Melanie Lynskey, and The Good Girl (2002) alongside Jennifer Aniston and Jake Gyllenhaal. In late 2002, The New York Times reported that Deschanel was "one of Hollywood's most sought-after young stars,"^[8] and the Los Angeles Times wrote in early 2003 that Deschanel had become a recognizable type, due to "her deadpan, sardonic and scene-stealing [film] performances" as the protagonist's best friend.^[6] Deschanel objected to her typecasting, arguing, "A lot of these roles are just a formula idea of somebody's best friend, and it's like, I don't even have that many friends. In high school, I stayed home all the time, so I don't know how I'm everybody's best friend now."^[6]

Deschanel appeared in Frasier, starring as Roz's out-of-control cousin, Jen, in the season 10 episode 'Kissing Cousin' in 2002. That year, she also appeared in the film The New Guy as Nora, the guitar player in the lead character's band, Suburban Funk.

After turning down several supporting roles, Deschanel played her first lead role in All the Real Girls (2003). Her performance as Noel, a sexually curious 18-year-old virgin who has a life-changing romance with an aimless 22-year-old, received critical praise,^[6] and she received an Independent Spirit nomination for Best Actress.^[12] Later in 2003, Deschanel played a deadpan department store worker opposite Will Ferrell in the comedy Elf, which became a box office hit.^[13]

Zooey Deschanel with co-star Joseph Gordon-Levitt at a premiere for (500) Days of Summer in March 2009

In 2004, Deschanel starred in Eulogy, and in 2005 as Trillian in the film adaptation of Douglas Adams' science fiction novel The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Also in 2005, she played the main character, Reese Holden in the film Winter Passing with supporting role from Will Ferrell. Deschanel then played Sarah Jessica Parker's neurotic roommate in Failure to Launch (2006), and appeared on four episodes of the Showtime television series Weeds from 2006 to 2007, playing Andy Botwin's quirky ex-girlfriend, Kat. In September 2006, Variety announced that Deschanel would play 1960s singer Janis Joplin in the film The Gospel According to Janis, to be co-written and directed by Penelope Spheeris.^[14] Deschanel planned to sing all of Joplin's songs, and took four months of singing lessons "to approximate Joplin's gritty vocals."^[14] The film, scheduled to begin shooting on November 13, 2006,^[14] was postponed indefinitely.^[15] However, the project is now back on track and will be released in 2012.^[16]

In 2007, Deschanel appeared in two children's films: Bridge to Terabithia, in which she played Jesse's quirky music teacher, and the animated film Surf's Up, in which she voiced a penguin named Lani Aliikai. She played DG, the lead in the Sci Fi Channel miniseries Tin Man, a re-imagined science fiction version of L. Frank Baum's children's book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Tin Man aired on Sci Fi in December 2007. Deschanel also narrated the children's book Players in Pigtails.^[17]

On April 27, 2008, she performed on The Simpsons, playing the role of Mary, Cletus's daughter,^[18] and in June she starred opposite Mark Wahlberg in M. Night Shyamalan's poorly received environmental thriller The Happening.

Also in 2008, Deschanel starred in Gigantic, and later that year in the comedy film Yes Man, opposite Jim Carrey.^[19]

Deschanel was next seen as the title character in the 2009 award winning romantic-drama-comedy (500) Days of Summer, opposite Joseph Gordon-Levitt (for a second time after Manic). The film, about the development and demise of a relationship, received widespread praise and was directed by long-time commercial and music video director Marc Webb.^[20] The film received a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Motion Picture (Comedy or Musical), but was ultimately defeated by The Hangover.^[21]

Deschanel guest starred in a Christmas 2009 episode of Bones as Brennan's never-before-seen cousin.^[22] In the first-ever on-screen pairing of the Deschanel sisters, Zooey portrayed Margaret Whitesell, a distant relative of Emily's Dr. Temperance Brennan. Brennan's father, Max Keenan (guest star Ryan O'Neal), invites Margaret to spend Christmas with him and his daughter.^[23]

A pilot was made for the HBO series I'm with the Band: Confessions of a Groupie, in which she plays the role of Pamela Des Barres, who wrote a memoir based on her own experience as a former groupie.^[24] In 2011, Deschanel portrayed the role of Belladonna in the fantasy-comedy film Your Highness^[25] alongside Natalie Portman and James Franco. She is currently appearing as the lead in the Fox series New Girl, created by Elizabeth Meriwether. Deschanel also hosted Saturday Night Live on February 11, 2012.^[26]

Film-related music[link]

The New Guy (2002) was the first of Deschanel's films in which she sang onscreen. In Elf, she sings with Will Ferrell in the bathroom shower scene on "Baby, It's Cold Outside", and was also heard singing it on the soundtrack with Leon Redbone. Her piano composition "Bittersuite" was used thematically in the dark, off-beat 2004 dramedy Winter Passing, in which she starred alongside Will Ferrell and Ed Harris. Subsequently, Deschanel also sings in Winter Passing ("My Bonnie Lies over the Ocean").

Others include: the television musical Once Upon a Mattress ("An Opening for a Princess", "In a Little While", "Normandy", and "Yesterday I Loved You"); an old cabaret song in The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford ("A Bird in a Gilded Cage"); and the 2007 short film Raving ("Hello, Dolly!").

Deschanel and the cast of school children sing the Steve Earle song "Someday" and War's "Why Can't We Be Friends?" in the 2007 film Bridge to Terabithia.

In the film Yes Man, Deschanel sings several songs featured in the film and on the film soundtrack, and is shown singing "Uh-Huh" and "Sweet Ballad" alongside San Franciscan all-girl electro soul-punk group Von Iva in a fictional band called "Munchausen by Proxy".

In (500) Days of Summer Deschanel sings a cover of "Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want" by The Smiths—it also appears on the soundtrack of the film, as performed by She and Him. She also sings a cover of "Sugar Town" by Nancy Sinatra. (500) Days of Summer director Marc Webb also directed Deschanel and Gordon-Levitt in a music video, Bank Dance, with the She & Him song "Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?".

Deschanel sings "The Greatest Most Beautiful Love Song in All the Land" with James Franco in the film Your Highness. She also appears in a number of songs (with M. Ward) on the soundtrack album for the 2011 release of Disney's Winnie the Pooh. Deschanel wrote and sings the theme song to her current television series New Girl.^[27]

Non-film music[link]

Deschanel and M. Ward performing as She & Him on a Wurlitzer Electric Piano at the Newport Folk Festival (August 2, 2008)

In 2001, Deschanel formed If All the Stars Were Pretty Babies, a jazz cabaret act with fellow actress Samantha Shelton.^[8] The pair performed around Los Angeles.^[28]

In March 2007, Deschanel contributed vocals to two songs "Slowly" and "Ask Her to Dance" on the album Nighttiming by Jason Schwartzman's band Coconut Records. In May 2007, singer/songwriter M. Ward, who had previously performed with Deschanel onstage, said that he was "just finishing work" on her debut album,^[29] which will feature songs written by Deschanel and produced by Ward.^[30] Fox reported that Deschanel and Ward were recording under the moniker She & Him. Their first album, titled Volume One, was released by Merge Records on March 18, 2008.^[31][32]

On March 23, 2010, the second She & Him album, Volume Two, was released.^[33] In spring of 2010, She & Him went on tour in the USA and Europe to promote the album.^[34]

Deschanel and M. Ward both featured on The Place We Ran From, the 2010 album by Snow Patrol member Gary Lightbody's side project, Tired Pony. Deschanel contributed vocals to the tracks "Get On the Road" and "Point Me at Lost Islands", while M. Ward contributed vocals and guitar to the track "Held in the Arms of Your Words" and guitar to the track "That Silver Necklace".^[35]

Deschanel also recorded "The Fabric of My Life" for a 2009 advertising campaign for Cotton Incorporated.^[36]

Deschanel also performed "God Bless America" during the seventh inning stretch during game three of the National League Championship Series between the Philadelphia Phillies and San Francisco Giants on October 19, 2010 at AT&T Park in San Francisco, California.^[37]

On October 23, 2011, Deschanel performed "The Star-Spangled Banner" before game four of the World Series between the Texas Rangers and the St. Louis Cardinals at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington in Arlington, TX.^[38]

Deschanel contributed a cover of Buddy Holly's "It's So Easy" for the tribute album Listen to Me: Buddy Holly, released on September 6, 2011. She had previously appeared on Rave On Buddy Holly with She & Him performing "Oh Boy", released in June 2011.

A Very She & Him Christmas was announced on Pitchfork.com in September 2011. The 12-track Christmas album was released October 25, 2011 under Merge Records.^[39]

On December 28, 2011, she and Joseph Gordon-Levitt recorded an informal version of "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?" for her Hellogiggles YouTube Channel. It was immensely popular and within four days had over 6 million views.^[40]

Deschanel is also featured on She & Him bandmate M. Ward's sixth solo album, A Wasteland Companion.^[41]

Other work[link]

Deschanel was a judge for the ninth Independent Music Awards.^[42]

She has signed on to represent Rimmel, a cosmetics brand.^[43]

In May 2011, she launched HelloGiggles, an entertainment website geared towards women, with producer Sophia Rossi and writer Molly McAleer.^[44]

In 2012, she was featured in a commercial for the iPhone 4S (Siri).

Coal Miner's Daughter the Musical: During a May, 2012 performance at the Ryan Auditorium Country music singer Loretta Lynn announced that she was in the development stages of creating a Broadway musical from her autobiography and Deschanel would play the title role. Lynn said "…there's a little girl back stage that's going to do the play of 'Coal Miner's Daughter' on Broadway." She then brought Deschanel onstage and the two sang a duet of the title song.^[45]

Personal life[link]

In December 2008, Deschanel became engaged to musician Ben Gibbard, lead vocalist for The Postal Service and Death Cab for Cutie.^[46] The couple married on September 19, 2009 near Seattle, Washington.^[47] On November 1, 2011, they announced their separation after two years of marriage.^[48] Deschanel subsequently filed for divorce on December 27, 2011, citing irreconcilable differences.^[49]

Deschanel became an aunt on September 21, 2011, when her sister Emily gave birth to a son, Henry.^[50]

Deschanel—who is allergic to eggs, dairy, and wheat gluten^[51]—formerly adhered to a vegan diet.^[52] She was featured on episode eight of season one of Bravo's Top Chef Masters, in which the chefs participating in the competition were challenged to cater a vegan lunch party for her family and friends using no eggs, dairy, soy, or gluten.^[53] However, according to a March 2010 interview with Health magazine, she had to come off the diet because her food sensitivities made it too difficult for her to stay healthy as a vegan.^[54]

Filmography[link]

Discography[link]

Soundtracks[link]

• 2003: Elf "Baby, It's Cold Outside" with Leon Redbone
• 2005: Once Upon a Mattress (TV movie) "In a Little While" with Matthew Morrison
• 2008: Yes Man; "Yes Man", "Sweet Ballad", "Uh-huh", "Keystar" with Von Iva, by "Munchausen By Proxy" a fictional band that appears in the film, and "Can't Buy Me Love" with Jim Carrey^[56][57]
• 2009: (500) Days of Summer "Sugar Town"
• 2011: Winnie the Pooh "A Very Important Thing to Do", "Everything is Honey" with Jim Cummings and Robert Lopez, "Winnie the Pooh" with M. Ward, "So Long" with M. Ward, "Finale" with Jim Cummings, Robert Lopez and cast
• 2011: Your Highness "The Greatest Most Beautiful Love Song in All the Land" with James Franco

Appearances on other albums[link]

• 2008: Acid Tongue – Jenny Lewis "The Next Messiah", "Carpetbaggers", "Trying My Best to Love You", "Jack Killed Mom"
• 2009: Hold Time – M. Ward "Never Had Nobody Like You", "Rave On"
• 2010: The Place We Ran From – Tired Pony "Get on the Road", "Point Me at Lost Islands"
• 2011: Listen to Me: Buddy Holly "It's So Easy" (tribute album)
• 2012: A Wasteland Companion – M. Ward "Sweetheart"

She & Him[link]

Studio albums

• 2008: Volume One^[58] (No.71 US)^{[citation needed]}
• 2010: Volume Two (No.6 US)
• 2011: A Very She and Him Christmas

Singles

• "Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?" (January, 2008)
• "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" (December, 2009)
• "In the Sun" (February, 2010)^[59]
• "Thieves" (June, 2010)

Soundtracks

• 2009: Sweetheart "I Put A Spell On You" (Starbucks' CD)
• 2007: The Go-Getter "When I Get To The Border"
• 2009: (500) Days of Summer "Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want"

Awards and nominations[link]

• 2003: Mar del Plata Film Festival for Best Actress; All the Real Girls (Won)
• 2004: Chlotrudis Award for Best Actress; All the Real Girls (Nominated)
• 2004: Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead; All the Real Girls (Nominated)
• 2009: Satellite Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy; (500) Days of Summer (Nominated)
• 2011: Satellite Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Musical or Comedy Television Series; New Girl (Nominated)
• 2011: Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Television Series Musical or Comedy; New Girl (Nominated)
• 2012: Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media; "So Long" (Nominated)

References[link]