Pavement was formed in Stockton, California in 1989 by Stephen Malkmus and Scott Kannberg, and became the defining American indie rock band of the 1990s. Slanted and Enchanted (1992) and Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain (1994) are the canon; the reunions keep proving the songs hold up. Explore Pavement vinyl, CDs, and reissues at Wax Trax Records.
Pavement formed in Stockton, California in 1989 around Stephen Malkmus (vocals, guitar) and Scott Kannberg (guitar, also known as Spiral Stairs). The classic five-member lineup featuring Mark Ibold, Steve West, and Bob Nastanovich solidified after the band's early Drag City singles. Their 1992 debut Slanted and Enchanted (Matador) became one of the defining documents of the 1990s American indie rock movement. Their varied subsequent catalog - particularly the Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain (1994) and the experimental Wowee Zowee (1995) - established them as one of the most important indie rock bands in popular music history, with foundational influence on countless subsequent indie acts (Stephen Malkmus / Pavement reference points across the indie rock canon). The band dissolved in 1999. Malkmus pursued solo work with the Jicks across multiple subsequent decades. They reunited in 2010 for an extensive reunion tour and again in 2022-2024 with commercial success - particularly notable as their 2022 reunion was boosted by the TikTok virality of Harness Your Hopes (a 1997 B-side that became popular on the platform). Their foundational influence on indie rock is widely documented.
Pavement's sound is foundational to 1990s American indie rock - combining indie rock, slacker rock, lo-fi indie, post-punk, alternative rock, and indie folk with Malkmus's distinctive vocal delivery (use of irony, abstraction, and conversational phrasing), Kannberg's signature guitar work, varied compositional approaches, and lyrical content addressing abstract themes drawing on literary, ironic, and pop culture reference points.
Drag City early singles and Matador Records pressings of the Pavement catalog are foundational items in indie rock collecting.
Listeners new to Pavement typically start with Slanted and Enchanted (1992) or Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain (1994).
