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Stockton CA, United States (1989 – 1999, 2010 – present)

Pavement are an American band from the 1990s. Although they experienced only moderate commercial success, they achieved a significant cult following, and their music has been a major influence on many bands of the late 1990s and beyond. They are largely considered as one of the first rock bands of the current age to gain a moderately wide degree of success without the support of a major label. In effect, the band gave rise to a deluge of indie rock bands who have succeeded on that same premise.

Beginnings and Slanted and Enchanted
Pavement formed in Stockton, California, in 1989 as a studio project of guitarists and vocalists Stephen Malkmus and Scott Kannberg, known originally only as “S.M.” and “Spiral Stairs”, respectively. Their debut EPs were extremely lo-fi releases titled Slay Tracks (1933-1969), Demolition Plot J-7, and Perfect Sound Forever. They were recorded at Louder Than You Think, the home studio of infamous Stockton local and former hippie Gary Young. The eccentric and aging hipster also provided drums. Upon first hearing the duo’s songs, Young was quoted as saying, “this Malkmus idiot is a complete songwriting genius”.
Pavement’s most obvious influence during this time was English rock band The Fall, although Kannberg stated in a 1992 interview that he preferred The Replacements to The Fall. The Fall’s primary member, Mark E. Smith, would often angrily claim through the years that Pavement was a “rip-off” of his band and that they didn’t “have an original idea in their heads”. However, some of the other members of The Fall actually enjoyed Pavement.
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indie, indie rock, lo-fi, alternative, rock
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