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Pavement (band)

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Pavement
Company typePrivate
IndustryMusic
Founded1989 in Stockton, California, United States
FounderStephen Malkmus, Scott Kannberg
Headquarters
Stockton, California
,
United States
ProductsIndie rock music, studio albums, EPs

Pavement is an American indie rock group that originated in Stockton, California in 1989. The band's primary members consisted of Stephen Malkmus (vocals, guitar), Scott Kannberg (guitar, vocals), Mark Ibold (bass), Steve West (drums), and Bob Nastanovich (percussion, synthesizers, vocals). Initially conceived as a recording endeavor that deliberately avoided media exposure and live performances, Pavement attracted underground acclaim through their early records. Over the span of ten years, they released five studio albums and ten EPs before disbanding in 1999 as members explored other musical ventures. The group later reunited for tours in 2010 and again between 2022 and 2024.

Despite their 1994 single "Cut Your Hair" briefly reaching a broader audience, Pavement remained affiliated with independent labels such as Flying Nun and Matador, steering clear of major label deals that many of their peers pursued. They are widely recognized as one of the most impactful American underground bands of the 1990s, with critics like Robert Christgau and Stephen Thomas Erlewine hailing them as the decade’s finest. Pavement has cultivated a devoted cult fanbase.

1987–1992: Formation and Slanted and Enchanted

In January 1989, Pavement was established in Stockton, California as a studio project by guitarists and vocalists Stephen Malkmus and Scott Kannberg, who initially went by the monikers "S.M." and "Spiral Stairs." Kannberg had briefly formed a band under the name Pavement in 1987 but dissolved it shortly thereafter. Their initial EPs—Slay Tracks: 1933–1969, Demolition Plot J-7, and Perfect Sound Forever—were recorded in the home studio of local Stockton musician Gary Young, who also contributed on drums. Young regarded Malkmus as a "complete songwriting genius."

The band was frequently likened to the English rock group the Fall, although Kannberg expressed a preference for Minneapolis's the Replacements. While Mark E. Smith of The Fall dismissed Pavement as lacking originality, other members of his band were more favorable toward them.

Following the release of Slay Tracks, drummer Jason Turner replaced Young but was soon removed due to disagreements with Malkmus, which led to Young's reinstatement. Around this period, Bob Nastanovich joined the lineup as an additional percussionist. Pavement's inaugural live appearance took place on December 14, 1989, during a broadcast on local college radio station KDVS-FM in Davis, California. In 1990, they toured with guitarist Rob Chamberlin, who departed prior to the addition of bassist Mark Ibold.

The British indie band the Wedding Present covered Pavement's track "Box Elder" from Slay Tracks, which caused some confusion leading listeners to believe Pavement’s version was itself a cover. David Gedge, frontman of Wedding Present, played a key role in introducing Pavement to influential DJ John Peel.

By 1992, Pavement had evolved into a full-time ensemble comprising Malkmus, Kannberg, Young, Nastanovich, and Ibold. Their debut album Slanted and Enchanted was officially released after circulating unofficially on cassette for nearly a year. The record fused influences from The Fall and English post-punk act Swell Maps with prominent melodic elements. It has since been celebrated as one of the most seminal indie rock albums of the 1990s and appears on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. Later that same year, they issued the EP Watery, Domestic.

1993–1994: Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain

Throughout the Slanted & Enchanted tour, drummer Gary Young’s unpredictable conduct—such as distributing food to audience members, executing handstands, and tumbling from his stool—exposed a serious alcohol dependency that disrupted the band's cohesion. Stephen Malkmus later admitted that they were initially oblivious to the severity of Young’s condition, resorting to having Bob Nastanovich substitute on drums if Young became incapacitated. Recording sessions in 1993 at Young’s studio proved unsuccessful owing to his lack of readiness and persistent drinking issues.

Following a 1993 tour across Australia, Japan, and Europe, the group resolved to part ways with Young. Steve West, previously a museum security officer connected to Malkmus and David Berman, took over on drums and made his first appearance at a Drag City festival in Chicago. That same year, Pavement contributed the track "Unseen Power of the Picket Fence" to the Red Hot Organization’s AIDS-benefit compilation No Alternative.

The band’s sophomore album, Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain (1994), displayed a transition toward classic rock stylings. The single "Cut Your Hair" achieved substantial airplay on alternative radio and MTV, including a spot on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and features on Beavis and Butt-head. Critics lauded the album, which was later listed among Rolling Stone's 500 greatest albums.

"Range Life," another single from the album, contained lyrics that humorously critiqued peers in the alternative rock scene such as the Smashing Pumpkins and Stone Temple Pilots. Malkmus explained these verses as playful jabs from the viewpoint of an aging hippie persona. In live renditions, references to Stone Temple Pilots were often replaced with other band names. The song ignited friction with Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan, who threatened to withdraw from the 1994 Lollapalooza Festival if Pavement performed. This dispute attracted media coverage for several years.

1995–1997: Wowee Zowee and Brighten the Corners

Released on April 11, 1995, Wowee Zowee encompassed an eclectic range of genres from punk to country over its 18 tracks, frequently abandoning conventional song formats. Malkmus attributed his unconventional choices for singles during this period to heavy marijuana consumption. While he regards this album as Pavement's final "classic" work, Scott Kannberg expressed dissatisfaction due to what he perceived as hurried production under external pressures.

On tour supporting Wowee Zowee, the band often eschewed predetermined setlists in favor of improvisational jams influenced by substance use. Their performances at the 1995 Lollapallooza festival met with hostile crowds; footage shows them being pelted with mud and stones, leading them to dub themselves "The Band That Ruined Lollapallooza."

Afterward, Malkmus along with drummers Nastanovich and West recorded the EP Pacific Trim using prepaid studio time originally booked for Silver Jews, following David Berman's departure from that group.

The 1997 album Brighten the Corners, produced by Mitch Easter, presented a more streamlined and traditional sound emphasizing Pavement's mainstream and classic rock influences. It featured prominent singles like "Stereo" and "Shady Lane" and was one of their better-selling records; notably, it included printed lyrics—uncommon for their releases. Despite commercial progress, internal divisions increased as members devoted time to other projects and family responsibilities.

1998–2000: Terror Twilight and breakup

In 1998, Pavement commenced work on their final studio album, Terror Twilight, initially planning to self-produce at Jackpot! Studios in Portland. However, progress was impeded by distractions such as playing Scrabble among Malkmus, Ibold, Nastanovich, and future Jicks bassist Joanna Bolme. Kannberg grew increasingly frustrated due to Malkmus’s refusal to incorporate his compositions; songs like "For Sale: The Preston School of Industry" were ultimately discarded.

They enlisted Nigel Godrich—renowned for collaborations with Radiohead and Beck—to produce the album. Godrich sought a refined sound aimed at expanding Pavement’s audience beyond their characteristic roughness. Recording shifted from Sonic Youth’s Manhattan studio to RPM Studios near Washington Square Park because of logistical constraints. Godrich’s insistence on multiple takes conflicted with the band’s relaxed approach; he primarily connected with Malkmus while marginalizing other members. Kannberg described this as their most challenging recording experience.

Prior to disbanding, Pavement released one last EP titled Major Leagues, which included three songs by Malkmus, two by Spiral Stairs (Kannberg), plus covers of Echo & the Bunnymen's "The Killing Moon" and The Fall's "The Classical." They then embarked on a six-month global tour marked by escalating internal tensions—particularly between Malkmus and fellow members. Following their 1999 appearance at Coachella Festival, Malkmus announced his desire to end the band.

Their final performance took place on November 20, 1999 at London's Brixton Academy; during this show Malkmus symbolically handcuffed his microphone stand to represent his experience in the band. Two weeks later, their record label declared that Pavement had "retired for the foreseeable future."

By mid-2000, Malkmus instructed Kannberg to update their website confirming that they were no longer active as a band. Kannberg then informed other members personally; Steve West discovered the breakup via online sources without direct notification. Bob Nastanovich later reflected that exhaustion overshadowed any emotional goodbyes.

2010: First reunion and second hiatus

On September 15, 2009, Brooklyn Vegan announced Pavement's planned benefit concerts in New York City's Central Park set for September 21, 2010. Official confirmation followed two days later verifying both the reunion and potential touring plans; however, it was clarified this would not be a permanent reformation. Tickets for the initial Central Park show sold out within two minutes, prompting three additional performances at the same venue. Subsequently, Pavement launched an international tour beginning March 1 in Auckland, New Zealand with further dates in Australia, the UK—including appearances at All Tomorrow's Parties—and Europe. They also performed at prominent festivals such as Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, Sasquatch!, Primavera Sound, Toronto Island Concerts, Open'er Festival, Roskilde Festival, Les Ardentes, and Pitchfork Music Festival.

In March 2010, they released a compilation album titled Quarantine the Past: The Best of Pavement. On June 24 of that year, they played their first hometown show at Stockton's Bob Hope Theatre where original drummer Gary Young joined them for an encore; Young also appeared during their subsequent night’s performance at The Greek Theater in Berkeley.

September 2010 saw Pavement performing on The Colbert Report and Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. After concluding their US tour at Los Angeles’ Hollywood Bowl on September 30th, they played at Las Vegas’ Matador At 21 festival where Scott Kannberg expressed frustration by damaging equipment onstage amid reports of a tense atmosphere within the group. They completed two South American shows in November before entering another hiatus.

Kannberg later joined Malkmus and his band The Jicks for a Pavement encore performance of "Stereo" in Los Angeles in March 2014. In October 2016 during Spiral Stairs' fiftieth birthday celebrations in San Francisco, Kannberg and Gary Young appeared alongside Malkmus and The Jicks for multiple songs across two nights.

2022–2024: Second reunion

On June 1, 2019, Pavement announced plans for a reunion featuring two performances celebrating their thirtieth anniversary at the 2020 editions of Primavera Sound festivals in Barcelona and Porto. Due to delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, these events were postponed first until June 2021 then again until 2022. In September 2021 they revealed a European tour scheduled for late 2022—their first in over a decade—and added North American dates commencing November.

Their first concert since 2010 took place on May 23, 2022 at Los Angeles’ sold-out Fonda Theatre, followed by appearances at Primavera Sound 2022 festivals. Keyboardist and backing vocalist Rebecca Cole, formerly associated with the Minders and Wild Flag, joined them on tour providing additional instrumental depth which enabled rare live renditions of certain songs.

While open to performing new material live, frontman Stephen Malkmus dismissed recording fresh albums as "total cringe." The North American leg began September 7 at San Diego’s Balboa Theater, covering twelve US states plus Canada before concluding October 11 at Austin City Limits festival. Their European dates started October 17 at Leeds’ O2 Academy Leeds, traversing several countries before ending November 11 at Dublin’s Vicar Street.

In early 2023 Pavement toured Japan and Australia—including Hobart’s Mona Foma festival—and New Zealand; additional concerts were planned for Salt Lake City, Reykjavík, and Galway later that year. The band was mentioned briefly in the summer film Barbie. Original drummer Gary Young passed away on August 17, 2023; earlier that year his life was chronicled in a documentary titled Louder Than You Think, which premiered at SXSW.

Pavement closed out their live appearances for 2023 with a set at Cincinnati’s Smale Park during the National's Homecoming festival on September 16. Although members suggested this might be their last show for some time, they subsequently announced participation in São Paulo's C6 Festival scheduled for May 19, 2024. Coinciding with the premiere of Pavements, a documentary about the band debuting at the New York Film Festival, Pavement will perform a one-off concert on October 1, 2024 at New York City’s Sony Hall. Bassist Mark Ibold described this event as their "last show for a long time."

Stephen Malkmus’ new supergroup The Hard Quartet released its debut album on October 4, 2024. While promoting this project he expressed willingness to record a sixth Pavement album but noted that no efforts were made during recent reunions due to a desire to maintain authenticity. In December 2024 Scott Kannberg confirmed that Pavement will contribute their first new song in over twenty-five years to the soundtrack of Pavements.

Musical style and influences

Template:Quotebox Recognized within indie rock circles for their unconventional song frameworks and lo-fi production aesthetics, Pavement distinguished themselves from contemporaneous grunge acts by blending underground American rock with British post-punk elements infused with feedback-heavy textures and loose rhythms according to Heather Phares of AllMusic. They played an influential role shaping modern indie rock identity throughout the ’90s slacker movement era. Their early output embraced rawness and dissonance intended to evoke immediacy.

Frequently employing intense guitar distortion without strict lead or rhythm roles—the majority led by Malkmus but occasionally switching with Kannberg—the band maintained an informal approach instrumentally. Bob Nastanovich functioned as an energetic 'hype-man', though he disliked this label; he also contributed second-drummer duties plus lead vocals on select high-energy numbers to preserve Malkmus’ voice during performances.

Lyrically characterized by stream-of-consciousness style infused with cryptic wit delivered through both singing and spoken word techniques by Malkmus—their songs typically avoided ballads or romantic themes instead favoring satire and sarcasm which bolstered cult appeal.

Early influences included English post-punk pioneers The Fall (band), although Fall's frontman Mark E. Smith dismissed Pavement as lacking originality. Kannberg cited inspirations such as The Replacements (band) and experimental group Swell Maps. Other acknowledged influences encompassed Sonic Youth, Echo & the Bunnymen, and R.E.M.; references appear directly such as R.E.M.’s mention in "Unseen Power of The Picket Fence" from No Alternative, along with covers like R.E.M.'s "Camera" featured as B-side to "Cut Your Hair," plus Echo & the Bunnymen's "The Killing Moon" covered on their Major Leagues EP.

Other media

In 2002 Lance Bangs released Slow Century, a comprehensive documentary packaged as a two-DVD set showcasing all of Pavement’s music videos alongside extensive footage from early concerts dating back to their inception in 1989. The film concludes featuring three songs from their final show ("Stop Breathin'", "Conduit for Sale," "Here"). A hidden easter egg reveals Malkmus discussing how handcuffing his microphone stand symbolized his long tenure within the band. The second disc includes an entire concert recorded during their Terror Twilight tour in Seattle plus selections from one of their penultimate performances.

Rob Jovanovic authored Perfect Sound Forever: The Story of Pavement, published in 2004—a biography receiving mixed critiques: some reviewers noted it largely reiterated content from Bangs’ DVD without substantial new insights while others regarded it as affectionate retrospective documentation.

In December 2022 an off-Broadway musical titled Slanted! Enchanted! A Pavement Musical, featuring songs by Pavement alongside a protagonist modeled after Stephen Malkmus premiered briefly.[1]

Band members

Current lineup

  • Stephen Malkmus – lead vocals & guitar (1989–1999; reunions in 2010 & since 2022)
  • Scott Kannberg – guitar & backing/lead vocals (1989–1999; reunions in 2010 & since 2022), bass (1989–1991), keyboards (1994–1999)
  • Mark Ibold – bass guitar & backing vocals (1991–1999; reunions in 2010 & since 2022)
  • Bob Nastanovich – percussion instruments including synthesizers & harmonica plus backing/occasional lead vocals (1991–1999; reunions in 2010 & since 2022)
  • Steve West – drums & percussion (1993–1999; reunions in 2010 & since 2022)

Current touring musicians

Former members

  • Gary Young – drums (1989 briefly; full-time until mid-1993; reunion shows in 2010; deceased in 2023)
  • Jason Turner – drums (1989)

Former touring musicians

  • Rob Chamberlin – guitar (1990)

Timeline

<timeline> ImageSize = width:900 height:auto barincrement:20 PlotArea = left:100 bottom:95 top:5 right:15 Alignbars = justify DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy Period = from:01/01/1989 till:11/11/2026 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy Legend = orientation:horizontal position:top ScaleMajor = increment:3 start:1989 ScaleMinor = increment:1 start:1989 Legend = position:bottom columns:3

Colors = id:vocals value:red legend:Lead_vocals id:bvocals value:pink legend:Backing_and_occasional_lead_vocals id:guitar value:green legend:Guitar id:keyboards value:purple legend:Keyboards id:bass value:blue legend:Bass,_backing_vocals id:drums value:orange legend:Drums id:percussion value:claret legend:Percussion id:studio value:black legend:Studio_album id:ep value:gray(0.5) legend:EP id:bars value:gray(0.95)

BackgroundColors = bars:bars

BarData = bar:Malkmus text:"Stephen Malkmus" bar:Kannberg text:"Scott Kannberg" bar:Ibold text:"Mark Ibold" bar:Young text:"Gary Young" bar:Fawkes text:"Jason Turner" bar:West text:"Steve West" bar:Nastanovich text:"Bob Nastanovich"

PlotData= width:11 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(10,-4) bar:Malkmus from:01/01/1989 till:20/11/1999 color:vocals bar:Malkmus from:01/01/1989 till:20/11/1999 color:guitar width:3 bar:Malkmus from:01/01/2010 till:end color:vocals bar:Malkmus from:01/01/2010 till:end color:guitar width:3 bar:Malkmus from:01/06/2019 till:end color:vocals bar:Malkmus from:01/06/2019 till:end color:guitar width:3

bar:Kannberg from:start till:20/11/1999 color:guitar bar:Kannberg from:start till:end color:bvocals width:3 bar:Kannberg from:start till:end color:bass width:7 bar:Ibold from:start till:end color:bass bar:Nastanovich from:start till:end color:keyboards width=7 bar:Nastanovich from:start till:end color:bvocals width=3 bar:Nastanovich from:start till:end color=percussion

bar:Fawkes from:start till:end color:drums

LineData = layer:back color:black at:[20]/[04]/[1992] at:[14]/[02]/[1994] at:[11]/[04]/[1995] at:[11]/[02]/[1997] at:[09]/[06]/[1999]

color:#808080 at:[06]/[06]/[1989] at:[01]/[06]/[1990] at:[15]/[04]/[1991] at:[23]/[08]/[1991] at:[25]/[11]/[1992] at:[30]/[03]/[1995] at:[23]/[01]/[1996] at:[10]/[06]/[1997] at:[22]/[06]/[1999] at:[12]/[10]/[1999] </timeline>

Discography

Main article: Pavement discography
Studio albums

References

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  2. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).

Bibliography

  • Jovanovic, Rob (2004). Perfect Sound Forever: The Story of Pavement. Boston: Justin, Charles & Co. .

External links

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