Pavement (band)
American indie rock band from Stockton, California.
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Pavement is an American indie rock band formed in Stockton, California in 1989. Initially a recording project that avoided press and live performances, the group attracted underground attention with lo-fi releases before evolving into a more polished band. Though only briefly reaching mainstream notice with the single "Cut Your Hair" in 1994, Pavement has been described as one of the most influential bands from the 1990s American underground and has achieved a cult following.
History
Pavement officially formed in Stockton, California, in January 1989 as a studio project of guitarists and vocalists Stephen Malkmus and Scott Kannberg, known originally as "S.M." and "Spiral Stairs". Kannberg had started a band of the same name and played one show in 1987 before disbanding. The group's debut EPs—Slay Tracks: 1933–1969, Demolition Plot J-7, and Perfect Sound Forever—were recorded at Louder Than You Think, the home studio of Stockton local Gary Young, who also played drums.
Upon hearing the duo's songs, Young called Malkmus "a complete songwriting genius". The band was often compared to English rock band the Fall; Fall singer Mark E. Smith claimed Pavement were a "rip-off" with no original ideas, though other Fall members have been more positive. Bob Nastanovich joined as auxiliary percussionist. Pavement's first performance was on December 14, 1989, on college radio station KDVS-FM in Davis.
In 1990, they embarked on their first tour with a third guitarist, Rob Chamberlin, who left before Mark Ibold joined. British band the Wedding Present covered the Slay Tracks song "Box Elder", leading some to believe Pavement's version was the cover. Wedding Present frontman David Gedge gave a Pavement EP to John Peel, who became a major supporter.
Musical style and influences
Pavement is categorized as an indie rock band known for fractured song structures and lo-fidelity production values. Their early releases were noted for low fidelity, with a raw, unpolished sound that welcomed dissonance. The band used heavy guitar distortion and had no designated rhythm and lead guitarist; Malkmus and Kannberg switched roles frequently, though Malkmus played lead for most of their career. Bob Nastanovich filled a role similar to a hip hop group's hype-man, also serving as a second drummer in live performances and singing lead on songs requiring screaming to protect Malkmus's voice.
The band's lyrics, written by Malkmus, employed a stream-of-consciousness style that was humorous and often cryptic, rarely including ballads, love songs, or personal reflections; most were satirical or sarcastic. Malkmus's vocal style was characterized as half-sung, half-spoken. Early influences included English post-punk band the Fall, though Mark E. Smith condemned Pavement as rip-offs. Kannberg cited the Replacements and Swell Maps as influences.
The band also listed Sonic Youth, Echo & the Bunnymen, and R.E.M. as direct influences; they referenced R.E.M. in the song "Unseen Power of the Picket Fence" and covered "Camera" as a B-side, and covered Echo & the Bunnymen's "The Killing Moon" on the Major Leagues EP.
Other media
In 2002, the documentary Slow Century, directed by Lance Bangs, came out as a two-DVD set that gathered every music video the band had made. It also included a wealth of footage from their earliest gigs in 1989 onward, both professional and fan-shot. The documentary ends with the last three songs from their final concert. A hidden easter egg on the DVD shows Malkmus explaining that the handcuffs on his mic stand "represent what it's like being in a band all these years."
A second disc featured a full Seattle show from the Terror Twilight tour plus several songs from their second-to-last performance. In 2004, Rob Jovanovic wrote a biography called Perfect Sound Forever: The Story of Pavement. Reviews were split, with some calling it a fond look back and others noting it repeated much of the Slow Century material. Slanted!
Enchanted! A Pavement Musical, a play built around the band's songs and a Malkmus-like main character, had a limited off-Broadway run starting in December 2022.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which record labels has Pavement (band) released music on?
Pavement has released music on Drag City, Matador, Big Cat, Pony Canyon, Domino, Flying Nun and others.
Who are the current members of Pavement (band)?
The current members of Pavement are listed as Stephen Malkmus, Bob Nastanovich, Scott Kannberg, Steve West and Mark Ibold.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Pavement (band) (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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