Pinback is an indie rock band from San Diego, California, currently signed to Touch and Go Records . The band was formed in 1998 by singers, songwriters and multi-instrumentalists Armistead Burwell Smith IV (also known as Zach Smith) and Rob Crow.

The band's moniker is a reference to a character in the film Dark Star (played by Dan O'Bannon, who also co-wrote the film), directed by John Carpenter. Samples from this film are used frequently in the band's early works.

While a rotating cast of instrumentalists find loose assembly under the Pinback name, the partnership of Armistead Burwell Smith IV and Rob Crow is at the heart of some of the most complex, postmodern indie pop happening on the West Coast. In the first few days of 1998, Armistead Burwell Smith IV (of San Diego-based 3 Mile Pilot) and Robert Crow (of Thingy and Heavy Vegetable) formed a part-time recording project under the name Pinback. The simple plan grew more involved while 3 Mile Pilot took