AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Pavement

Artist:Pavement

Song:Cut Your Hair

Album:Quarantine the Past: The Best of Pavement

Pavement never had a hit single. But they were a successful album and touring band in the 90s. The 1994 single Cut Your Hair is probably their  best known song because of the video. They split up in 1999 and have reunited to tour. The lead singer and main songwriter of Pavement is Stephen Malkmus. He started Pavement with guitarist Scott Kannberg in Stockton, CA in 1989. At first it was just supposed to be the two of them in the studio. But then Pavement was turned into a band with Mark Ibold on bass, Gary Young on drums and Bob Nastanovich on percussion. After releasing a couple of EPs, they started playing live shows. Pavement was frequently compared to the British band The Fall. By 1992 Pavement was a full time band. They released an album and toured. But they were having trouble with Young caused by heavy drinking. The problem was they recorded at his studio. Young agreed to leave and was replaced by Steve West. They signed with the indie label Matador and the 1994 album Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain sold well on the strength of the video for the single Cut Your Hair. MTV loved it. Like most of Pavement's songs, it was written by Malkmus and produced by the band. The song is sarcasm about record companies telling bands how they should look. The video was shot in a barber shop. Subsequent albums weren't as successful. Outside producers were brought in to try and give Pavement a more commercial sound. When that didn't work out, they weren't getting along anyway and split up in 1999. Malkmus formed Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks and they have released several albums. Kannberg started the band Preston School of Industry. Ibold joined Sonic Youth. He is currently a bartender in New York City. Nastanovich owns and breeds race horses in Des Moines, IA. They all returned for Pavement's 2010 reunion. That's when this comp was released. They reunited again in 2022. They didn't record new music. They have also played shows to promote the new documentary Pavements. Malkmus has a new band The Hard Quartet and that's keeping him busy. Pavement did record a new song for the documentary. But I think it's unlikely that they will record again. Here's the video for Cut Your Hair by Pavement.