Pinback

Pinback are a San Diego indie rock band built around Rob Crow and Armistead Burwell Smith IV, who performs as 'Zach Smith'; the two formed the group in 1998 and named it after a character in the 1974 sci-fi film Dark Star. 'AFK' comes from Summer in Abaddon (2004), their first release for storied indie label Touch and Go Records, an album critics singled out for its intricate, layered arrangements. Drummer Chris Prescott joined in 2005 and has played alongside the pair since. Summer in Abaddon and the later Autumn of the Seraphs (2007) and Information Retrieved (2012) all charted on the Billboard 200; Information Retrieved is their most recent studio album.

From the notes for Episode 05 · fact-checked Sep 23, 2026.