Pavement

Pavement is an American indie-rock band that was formed in 1989 by Stephen Malkmus and Scott Kannberg. Gradually evolving into a more polished band, Pavement recorded five full-length albums and ten EPs over the course of their decade-long career, though they disbanded with some acrimony in 1999 as the members moved on to other projects.
==History==
===Formation===
Pavement officially formed in Stockton, California, in January 1989 as a studio project of guitarists and vocalists Stephen Malkmus and Scott Kannberg, known originally only as "S.M." and "Spiral Stairs". https://www.loudandquiet.com/short/stephen-malkmus-the-path-to-pavement-included-the-druggy-hardcore-scene-of-central-california/ Kannberg had previously started a band of the same name and played one show in 1987 before quickly disbanding. https://trouserpress.com/pavement-97/ Their debut EPs were the lo-fi releases Slay Tracks: 1933–1969, Demolition Plot J-7, and Perfect Sound Forever. They were recorded at Louder Than You Think, the home studio of Stockton local and former hippie Gary Young who also played drums on the recordings. Upon first hearing the duo's songs, Young was quoted as saying, "this Malkmus idiot is a complete songwriting genius". https://web.archive.org/web/20080311183321/http://www.synthesis.net/music/interview/item-291/1997-02-27-pavement_gear_up 
During this time the band was often compared to English rock band the Fall. Kannberg stated in a 1992 interview that he preferred Minneapolis rock band the Replacements. https://web.archive.org/web/20010528224027/http://www.webinfo.co.uk/crackedmachine/pavement.htm The Fall singer Mark E. Smith claimed that Pavement were a "rip-off" Perry, Andrew. "Alright?". Select. May 1993. and that they did not "have an original idea in their heads"; Herrington, Tony. "Mark E. Smith: Interview". The Wire. September 1996. other members of the Fall have been more positive. Atwal, Sandy. "Fall in a Hole". Imprint. September 30, 1994. 
After the release of Slay Tracks, a new drummer, Jason Turner, was drafted to replace Young. However, after just one tour and a handful of recording sessions, when it became apparent that Turner and Malkmus did not get along, Young was reinstated. Jovanovic (2004), p.78–82. Malkmus later described Turner as "this depressed guy who might assassinate me one day... He's very competitive." Tape Op: The Book About Creative Music Recording, edited by Larry Crane. Interviews with Stephen Malkmus and Gary Young, pp. 68–78 Around the same time, Bob Nastanovich was incorporated into the live Pavement band as an auxiliary percussionist. Malkmus had been roommates with Nastanovich in New York City.
In 1990, Pavement embarked on their first tour, with a third guitarist, Rob Chamberlin, who left to join a band called Sugartime before Ibold joined the group. https://www.facebook.com/438415982983848/photos/pb.100044525882499.-2207520000../451767201648726/?type=3 
===1993-1994===
During the Slanted & Enchanted tour, Gary Young's behavior became more eccentric; he would hand out cabbage and mashed potatoes to fans at the door of the venue, perform handstands, drunkenly fall off his drum stool, and run around the venue while the band was playing. https://web.archive.org/web/20080418074530/http://www.synthesis.net/music/live_music_events/item-3947/2004-05-26-gary_youngs_hospital_mister_metaphor_chimney_sweep_moxies_caf_chico_ca The band only understood how severe Young's drinking problem was after Pavement's first few tours. Malkmus later told Tape Op, "We knew that he was like a hippie and kinda flaky, but we didn't know he had such a bad drinking problem. We found out on that tour, because he really got sick from being nervous... That's why I let Bob be in the band...'Keep the beat going if Gary passes out." In 1993, Malkmus unsuccessfully attempted to record some songs at Young's studio. He later said, "We kind of wanted to not record with him anymore, but we were too nice to fire people or even really talk about it... We tried to record there, but it wasn't sounding good and he didn't have his studio ready and he was also in a drinking funk." Tape Op: The Book About Creative Music Recording, edited by Larry Crane. Interviews with Stephen Malkmus and Gary Young, pp. 68–78 
At the conclusion of a 1993 tour of Australia, Japan, and Europe, the group held a meeting in a hotel room in Copenhagen. Malkmus, Kannberg, and Ibold remained silent while Nastanovich, Young's best friend at the time, argued with Young. Young agreed to leave the band. He was replaced by Steve West, who had been a fellow museum security guard at the Whitney Museum of American Art along with Malkmus and David Berman. Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain: LA's Desert Origin's CD. Liner notes by Spiral Stairs 
===1995-1997===
On the Slow Century DVD, Malkmus attributed his odd choice of singles to his marijuana smoking, stating that "I was smoking a lot of grass back then but to me they sounded like hits." Although Malkmus has said in recent interviews that the album is the last "classic Pavement record", Kannberg has voiced regrets about Wowee Zowee. "We made some mistakes on that record... we were kind of pressured into putting out a record a little faster than we were ready to. I mean, I'm totally into the record. It's just if we had another six months to think about it, it would've been much different." https://web.archive.org/web/20080418071709/http://www.synthesis.net/music/interview/item-291/1997-02-27-pavement_gear_up
Their studio time was originally reserved for a Silver Jews recording, but frontman David Berman walked out in frustration and the trio decided not to waste prepaid recording time.
===1998-2000 (Breakup)===
Kannberg was frustrated over the sessions, particularly at Malkmus's refusal to include any of Kannberg's songs on the album. "For Sale: The Preston School of Industry" and one other song penned by Kannberg were briefly worked on during the sessions, but abandoned. Jovanovic (2004), p.177. 
Nigel Godrich, known for his work with Radiohead and Beck, was hired to produce. https://web.archive.org/web/19990908220450/http://www.chartattack.com/features/99/pavement/index.html He wanted to make an album that "stood up straighter" and would "reach people who were turned off by the beautiful sloppiness of other Pavement records". https://www.theguardian.com/culture/live/2020/feb/21/nigel-godrich-webchat-ultraista-radiohead-producer The group began work in Sonic Youth's studio in lower Manhattan, New York. Jovanovic (2004), pgs. 174-186 Godrich found the studio limiting, so they moved to RPM Studios near Washington Square Park. https://pitchfork.com/news/71720-stephen-malkmus-opens-up-about-recording-overproduced-terror-twilight-with-nigel-godrich/ According to Nastanovich, Godrich struggled with the band's casual approach, and called for more takes than they were used to. Though Nastanovich said Godrich took on a "substantial challenge" and "did a good job", he felt he only connected with Malkmus and disregarded the other band members; Nastanovich realized after several days that Godrich did not know his name. Jovanovic (2004), pgs. 174-186 Kannberg was unhappy that Malkmus was not interested in working on songs Kannberg had written, and said it was the hardest Pavement record to make. 
Pavement embarked on a six-month world tour for Terror Twilight, during which time relationships within the group frayed, especially between Malkmus and the other members. After their show at the 1999 Coachella Festival, Malkmus told his bandmates he did not want to continue. Jovanovic (2004), p.187. During the final concert of the tour, at Brixton Academy in London on November 20, 1999, https://www.nme.com/news/music/pavement-48-1391954 Malkmus had a pair of handcuffs attached to his microphone stand and told the audience: "These symbolize what it's like being in a band all these years." About two weeks later, a spokesperson for their record label told NME that Pavement had "retired for the foreseeable future". https://www.nme.com/news/music/pavement-48-1391954 
In mid-2000, Malkmus called Kannberg and told him, "You need to change the website to say we aren't a band any more. People keep asking me if we're breaking up and you know we're not a band any more, right?" Jovanovic (2004), p.194. Kannberg told Malkmus that he needed to call the other members of the band to inform them that the band was finally breaking up, but Malkmus refused and Kannberg was left with the task of informing them. West said he had never received any call about the breakup from anyone in the band, and discovered that Pavement had dissolved via the internet. Nastanovich later said "there was too much exhaustion for heavy emotion". http://www.hecklerspray.com/the-spray-qa-bob-nastanovich-pavement-silver-jews-ponies/20051392.php 
===First Reunion & Second Hiatus (2010)===
On September 15, 2009, Brooklyn Vegan reported that Pavement were scheduled to perform multiple benefit show dates in New York City's Central Park from September 21, 2010. http://www.abrooklynvegan.com/archives/2009/09/the_pavement_re.html/ Official statements by the band, label, venue and promoter were released on September 17, 2009, confirming the reunion. https://pitchfork.com/news/36505-holy-shit-pavement-reunion-is-real/ The announcement included one concert in Central Park and the promise of a tour, but said that the reunion may only be a one-off event. It said, "Please be advised this tour is not a prelude to additional jaunts and/or a permanent reunion." http://www.crookedrain.com/ Tickets for the first Central Park concert sold out in two minutes, leading to the announcement of three more shows at the same venue. https://pitchfork.com/news/36529-pavement-add-second-reunion-show/ 
In September 2010, Pavement appeared on The Colbert Report and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. https://www.spin.com/2010/09/watch-pavement-rock-colbert-report/ After concluding their proper US tour at the Hollywood Bowl on September 30, the band played the following night in Las Vegas at the Palms Casino as a part of the Matador At 21 festival. During their set, Scott Kannberg kicked his monitor and smashed his guitar into his amp in frustration of not being able to hear himself while performing. NME noted the band had an "icy atmosphere onstage". https://www.nme.com/news/pavement--2/53261 The band honored a further two South American show commitments in November 2010.
Kannberg joined Malkmus and the Jicks onstage at the El Rey Theater in Los Angeles on March 28, 2014, for an encore performance of the Pavement song "Stereo". https://pitchfork.com/news/54569-watch-stephen-malkmus-and-spiral-stairs-perform-pavements-stereo-with-the-jicks/ On October 1 and 2, 2016, Malkmus and the Jicks performed at Spiral Stairs' 50th birthday celebration at the Chapel in San Francisco. On the first night, Kannberg joined Malkmus and the Jicks for four songs. The following night, Kannberg played three more songs with the group, joined by Gary Young on the final two. https://www.jambase.com/article/stephen-malkmus-covers-grateful-dead-reunites-members-pavement
===Second Reunion (2022-Present)===
On June 1, 2019, Pavement announced that they would reunite to perform two 30th-anniversary shows at the 2020 Primavera Sound festivals in Barcelona and Porto. https://www.spin.com/2019/06/pavement-will-reunite-for-two-primavera-sound-performances-in-2020/ Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the festival was cancelled, and their performances were rescheduled and announced as part of Primavera Sound's June 2021 lineup. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/primavera-sound-june-2021-lineup-1005587/ In March 2021, the festival was delayed to 2022. In September 2021, Pavement announced a European tour for late 2022, their first in 12 years, https://www.facebook.com/pavementtherockband/posts/388277382666455 and announced a North American leg on November 2, 2021. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/pavement-reunion-tour-north-america-dates-2022-1251496/ 
Original drummer Gary Young died on August 17, 2023, at the age of 70. https://www.brooklynvegan.com/gary-young-pavements-original-drummer-has-died/ A documentary on Young's life, Louder Than You Think, had premiered earlier that year at SXSW. https://loudandclearreviews.com/louder-than-you-think-film-review-gary-young/ 
In November 2023, the band announced a new performance at Sao Paulo's C6 Festival on May 18-19, 2024. https://www.brooklynvegan.com/pavement-taking-reunion-tour-into-2024/
==Discography==
===Albums===
*Slanted and Enchanted (1992)
*Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain (1994)
*Wowee Zowee (1995)
*Brighten the Corners (1997)
*Terror Twilight (1999)
===Compilations & Reissues===
*Westing (By Musket and Sextant) (1993)
*Stuff Up the Cracks (1994)
*Slanted and Enchanted : Luxe & Reduxe (2002)
*Crooked Rains, Crooked Rains: LA's Dessert Origins (2004)
*Wowee Zowee: Sordid Sentinels Edition (2006)
*Brighten the Corners: Nicene Creedence Edition (2008)
*Quarantine the Past: The Best of Pavement (2010)
*The Secret History, Vol. 1 (2015)
*Terror Twilight: Farewell Horizontal (2022)
===Live Albums===
*Live Europaturnén MCMXCVII (2008)
*Live Europaturnén MCMXCVII (2) (2009)
===EPs===
*Slay Tracks: 1933-1969 (1989)
*Demolition Plot J-7 (1990)
*Perfect Sound Forever (1991)
*Summer Babe (1991)
*Watery, Domestic (1992)
*Rattled by La Rush (1995)
*Pacific Trim (1996)
*Shady Lane (1997)
*Spit on a Stranger (1999)
*Major Leagues (1999)
===Singles===
*Be the Hook (2022)
==Tours==
==Notes==
==References==
Category:Music YouTubers
Category:American YouTubers
Category:Users who joined in 2020