Returning alt rock dons Pavement have spoken about their posthumous rise to fame.
As the standard cliché goes, Pavement were ignored in their own lifetime. Which isn’t quite true – the band’s material was warmly received, and while it didn’t set the charts alight they did build a cult following.
However it was nothing on the scale which they now enjoy. Ten years of being cited as an influence, of having critics (hello!) re-trace their steps have led to Pavement reforming to play to thousands of fans at a time.
So where did it all go right? Stephen Malkmus told Spin recently that their posthumous rise to fame coincides with the commercial success of indie rock in general.
“What else can you do to give people something different? People seeing Vampire Weekend or TV on the Radio, they’re watching them climb the mountain of their career. We climbed the mountain and we went back down.”
Pavement are set to hit the UK later this year, playing a four night residency in London’s Brixton Academy. Curating All Tomorrow’s Parties, the band have ruled out any new material – at least for the time being.
“If the band likes hearing people cheer, and getting a check, as is the case with us,” says Malkmus, “then it usually ends up working out, even if they’re just ham-and-egging out the same old chords.”
Self-deprecating humour, muted cynicism and of course great songs – it’s nice to have Pavement back.
