Darlings of the 90s US independent scene, Pavement were formed in 1989 in Stockton, California, USA, by college drop-outs Stephen Malkmus (b. 30 May 1966, Santa Monica, California, USA; vocals/guitar) and Scott "Spiral Stairs" Kannberg (guitar). Later they extended to a five-piece by adding Gary Young (b. 3 May 1954, Mamaroneck, New York, USA; percussion), a venerable live attraction who was as likely to perform handstands on stage as any musical duties and who also recorded the early Pavement EPs at his home studio, plus Bob Nastanovich (b. 27 August 1967, Rochester, New York, USA; drums) and Mark Ibold (b. 1962, USA; bass). However, as three of the band was located on the east coast (New York), rehearsals were initially limited to perhaps once a year, and recording sessions and tours proved equally sporadic, resulting in songs that were "meant to sound like Chrome or the Clean, but ended up sounding like the Fall and Swell Maps.' Their debut release was 1989's Slay Tracks (1933-1969), the first in a series of EPs for the Drag City label that charmed the critics, culminating in the highly influential Perfect Sound Forever (1991). The band's eclectic stew of musical styles was heard to great effect on their debut long-player for Matador Records, Slanted And Enchanted (1992), with Malkmus' dry, free-ranging lyrics also attracting praise for their acute observational scope.
Young left the band in 1993 (replaced by Steve West) when his stage behaviour became unbearable, but neither this, nor the insistence of UK critics that the band was a pale imitation of the Fall, hindered their rise to the top of the US alternative scene. Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain (1994) and Wowee Zowee! (1995) offered a more angular, less instantly accessible formula, with many of the tracks opting for outright experimentalism. Malkmus defended it thus: "It's still a warm and open record if people are willing to join us".
By the time of 1997's Brighten The Corners, the band was being primarily identified as an important influence on UK act Blur's new lo-fi direction, which somewhat detracted from Malkmus' ability to write a song as engagingly melodic as "Shady Lane'. Terror Twilight (1999) benefited from Nigel Godrich's production and earned the band an unlikely UK Top 20 placing, which was somewhat apt considering Malkmus" continuing obsession with all things English. The band was subsequently put on indefinite hold, allowing Malkmus to work on his excellent self-titled solo debut. Just as impressive was Kannberg's 2001 album All This Sounds Gas, recorded under the moniker Preston School Of Industry.
