Music From Episode # 56 –Slowly TypedPerformed by Pavement
In 1989 two guys got together and made noise. (SM and Spiral Stairs) And make noise they did and that led to a crazy punk rock hippy entering the scene. (Gary Young) Because of that, this many years later we have a pretty decent discography from a band called Pavement. It is hard for me to pin point the genius I find in this band but whatever they had just worked. And it worked really well. In my opinion, it worked so well that you can hear Pavement in many of the new bands that start up each and everyday. I saw another one just the other day, a special new band. Known as “Two Words One I.” They Rock but this is about Pavement.
As the years dragged on more people showed up and the band became, along with many bands including the Flaming Lips, the unsung heroes in the battle of the music known as “dudes that dress like chicks with feathered mullets and huge packages in to small pants crying rock.” Obviously, the “Grunge” scene over shadowed good bands. And maybe that is for the best. What if Wayne or Steve had shot themselves because of the pressures of fame and junk? What was to become of Pavement over the years is a fine tuned hit machine. There is something juvenile but Earth shattering about the song writing. They definitely write genius lines. But the most amazing aspect is how far they evolved as a band building soundscapes (first time I ever used the word soundscapes and it felt fantastic.) that ranged from rocking into jazzy yet whimsical ditties.
Pavement performed their last show in 1999. Due too what I assume to be lack of interest in doing something you don’t want to do anymore. I know no details of the break up but the word on the street (wikipedia) is that Malkmus just didn’t want to do it anymore. From personal experience, to be in a position to tell your band mates you just don’t want to do it anymore is a difficult thing to do and is the payoff to many nonverbal actions that tend to cause friction amongst a group. A 10 year run is a great achievement in my book. And in those 10 years they taught us many great things such as: “You got to pay your dues before you pay the rent. The Smashing Pumpkins are nature kids but they don’t have no function, I don’t understand what they mean and I could really give a fuck. Spit on a stranger! Who was it that said the world was mainly all divorces and spare change? Let's lethalize our slingshots and swallow propane.” I could go on forever but you should listen to them tell you about it.
Beyond the contributions these guys made as Pavement, they continue to influence music on their on own. Last time I spied SM he was playing in The Jicks and it was a kick ass show. Last time I spied Mark Ibold he was playing bass for Sonic Youth, who was opening up for Wilco. Last time I spied Spiral Stairs he was playing and singing in a great band called Preston School of Industry, who happened to be opening up for Wilco but it was a separate affair. That could be one of the coolest things about Pavement. When you start digging you find all kinds of cool connections. Sort of like Silver Jews for instance.
-Rob
As the years dragged on more people showed up and the band became, along with many bands including the Flaming Lips, the unsung heroes in the battle of the music known as “dudes that dress like chicks with feathered mullets and huge packages in to small pants crying rock.” Obviously, the “Grunge” scene over shadowed good bands. And maybe that is for the best. What if Wayne or Steve had shot themselves because of the pressures of fame and junk? What was to become of Pavement over the years is a fine tuned hit machine. There is something juvenile but Earth shattering about the song writing. They definitely write genius lines. But the most amazing aspect is how far they evolved as a band building soundscapes (first time I ever used the word soundscapes and it felt fantastic.) that ranged from rocking into jazzy yet whimsical ditties.
Pavement performed their last show in 1999. Due too what I assume to be lack of interest in doing something you don’t want to do anymore. I know no details of the break up but the word on the street (wikipedia) is that Malkmus just didn’t want to do it anymore. From personal experience, to be in a position to tell your band mates you just don’t want to do it anymore is a difficult thing to do and is the payoff to many nonverbal actions that tend to cause friction amongst a group. A 10 year run is a great achievement in my book. And in those 10 years they taught us many great things such as: “You got to pay your dues before you pay the rent. The Smashing Pumpkins are nature kids but they don’t have no function, I don’t understand what they mean and I could really give a fuck. Spit on a stranger! Who was it that said the world was mainly all divorces and spare change? Let's lethalize our slingshots and swallow propane.” I could go on forever but you should listen to them tell you about it.
Beyond the contributions these guys made as Pavement, they continue to influence music on their on own. Last time I spied SM he was playing in The Jicks and it was a kick ass show. Last time I spied Mark Ibold he was playing bass for Sonic Youth, who was opening up for Wilco. Last time I spied Spiral Stairs he was playing and singing in a great band called Preston School of Industry, who happened to be opening up for Wilco but it was a separate affair. That could be one of the coolest things about Pavement. When you start digging you find all kinds of cool connections. Sort of like Silver Jews for instance.-Rob
PavementStephen Malkmus a.k.a. SM • Scott Kannberg a.k.a. Spiral Stairs • Mark Ibold • Bob Nastanovich • Steve West Gary Young
Studio albums
Slanted and Enchanted • Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain • Wowee Zowee • Brighten the Corners • Terror Twilight
Compilations and reissues
Westing (By Musket & Sextant) • Slanted and Enchanted: Luxe & Reduxe • Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain: LA's Desert Origins • Wowee Zowee: Sordid Sentinels Edition • Brighten the Corners: Nicene Creedence Edition
EPs
Slay Tracks (1933–1969) • Demolition Plot J-7 • Perfect Sound Forever • Watery, Domestic • Pacific Trim
Singles
"Summer Babe" • "Trigger Cut" • "Cut Your Hair" • "Gold Soundz" • "Range Life" • "Rattled by la Rush" • "Dancing with the Elders/Chemical" • "Father to a Sister of Thought" • "Stereo" • "Shady Lane" • "Spit on a Stranger" • "Carrot Rope" • "Major Leagues"
Video releases
Slow Century
Associated acts
The Jicks • Silver Jews • Preston School of Industry • Free Kitten • The Crust Brothers •
(It 's too bad they didn't dress like a club team. If they would have chosen Man. U. they could have said they played football or futbal.)
Members
Song for Episode:
Former members
Albums
I have been lucky enough to have seen a couple D4 shows in my day. So, I can honestly say D4 shows kick ass! With them releasing a new album recently, here’s to hoping we will have another chance. Needless to say D4 is in my life to stay. Platonically… of course. I mean how could I ever turn my back on a band that taught me the true meaning of the fruit cocktail. If you do not know the true meaning of the fruit cocktail I recommend you check into it and if you have trouble finding the true meaning of the fruit cocktail drop an e-mail and I’ll try to have a special screening to enlighten you all. D4 truly puts the “F” back in “ART.” As well as, giving me a perfect outro. “Check out my new dance I call it the walk away.
Last night Joe Metro and I saw The Revival Tour at the Hi Tone in Memphis Tennessee. It was a nice drive in the Missouri rain; Arkansas and Tennessee’s skies were much the same. Did you know these new fancy phones come with GPS? Well, I didn’t and when I found out I spent the duration of the trip figuring out ways I could dodge a laser from outer space. You see I was certain my head was bound to be incinerated. Why else is there a blue dot following you the entire trip? By the time we entered The Volunteer State I had convinced myself I could, in fact, dodge a laser from outer space and knew that this night was to be a glorious one.
The Revival Tour is one of the best ideas I have ever heard of. Punk rockers picking folk songs, now that is pure genius. I had known of Chuck because of Hot Water Music, Ben Nichols because of Lucero, and Tim Barry because he used to hit on my buddies girlfriend but he is from a band called Avail. Hearing these guys play folk music was a real treat for me. You see one time I moved into to a punker’s apartment and with me I brought things like a banjo, a mandolin, a saw, some Dylan cds, and most importantly some Townes Van Zandt cds. A lot of jokes can be made about a boy from St. Peters that picks a banjer. These years transformed me from a slow and easy folkie into a hate breeding punk rocker that played folk music, sort of hard and I was in a three-piece horror rock band with the Devil and Doug. Due, to this transformation I had really gotten into Hot Water Music, amongst many other life changing punk rock bands. The result of seeing this show ended in me being the victor and he who laughed last. V I C T O R Y, you hear that Metro. V I C T O R Y!!!
The show opened with every one playing together. That includes Tim, Chuck, Ben, as well as Jon Gaunt on fiddle, Digger Barnes on stand-up bass fiddle, and Todd Beene on pedal steel. They took turns playing each other songs, which is the greatest thing about seeing this show. I got to see Chuck and Tim sing Lucero songs and Tim sing on Chuck songs… and etcetera, etcetera. It was especially nice hearing them play original music together as opposed to cover songs. Then Tom Gabel (Against Me!) took the stage. He was the guest during this leg of the tour. And Each Name on the bill got their very own solo set. Well, that’s mostly true. People would wander up and do songs with one another during those solo sets. This being the 50Th show on the tour they were sounding goddamned magical together. Then, we got Tim. Then, we got Chuck. Then, we got Ben. Then, we got everyone together again to bring it all home. But home was like 300 something miles away and it was 1:30 am. What ar
**A special true story from The Revival Tour 2008 in Memphis. Okay, there was a punker at the show. You know the type he had a baby fin, tight black jeans, and various mediocre punk band patches safety pinned to his hoodie. Now, there is nothing wrong with patches on hoodies as long I think that band is cool. Anyway, I guess this show was so good it made this punker realize his worst nightmare. Punk rockers playing folk music and doing it well, apparently, it made this punker realize he had been lying to himself. Music doesn’t have to be screamed at you accompanied by pick slides and distortion to carry a message you relate to. I love good punk music but I also realize you can play most of those songs slow acoustically and find that they still rock… and pick slides do indeed fucking rule. Obviously, this was overwhelming for him and he proceeded to puke right there on the floor. Personally, if I was Chuck I would feel like a bad ass. To be able to play music so good that a punker personifies your name on the floor of a bar is a fantastic feat.
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