Everyone's Favorite Indie Rock Cult Band...If You Don't Know Them You Should

Back in 1991 I was invited to a U2 show with a few friend. I thought it was cool that they invited me because I usually went to shows that no one had heard of or just went on my own to shows and then found people I knew at the same show I was at. My friends told me that want to see this tour because of the venue. The Civic Center was not a great place, but we all had connections to get great seats and we could make it a group effort. I knew my connections were in part because of my father. He could get anything at the Civic Center because he built it and was the first person they called when it collapsed on that snowy day in 1979. I got home from school one day to tell my parents that I was going to U2 and my dad handed me two tickets for floor seats. He knew I saw U2 in 1985 with my father and he had a blast. Then I saw them in May of 1987 at the same Civic Center and this time I was with my best friend had a blast again. This time I brought the girl I was seeing and we ran late. We did not miss U2, but we missed the most important act ever to grace the stage of all opening bands. We missed "god-damn" Pavement.

I was not mad at her, but I really wanted to see this band. I never heard of them at that point and not many people did either, but it was worth a shot to know more. I was a bit pissed because I knew that my friend who knew me well would ask me the next day about the opener and I would have to fudge and say "they were awesome." Well the funny thing was they canceled their chance to open and instead we had the Pixies, but damn it I missed that too. I at least knew who the Pixies were and I just wanted to see them at another time. Sadly after the U2 tour the Pixies broke up and I did not see them till 2008. Pavement I never saw again either because they got a bit famous and never came around the area again.



Pavement was a band that was something I always wanted to see. I heard the stuff on the college radio. I even saw the two or three videos on MTV and even saw then on MTV late night alternative TV show 120 Minutes. I thought that Pavement was not your typical Indie-Rock band. They had unusually odd lyrics and really odd musical style. They caught my interest right away and I wanted to heard more.

A few years after the Pavement buzz started. It was around and I jumped right on it. I could not understand why people did not catch on. It was like the biggest cult underground rock band. People that would follow the same music I was following was not following Pavement, but they were following Beck, Live, Weezer, Oasis, Nine Inch Nails, Green Day, Stone Temple Pilots and others. There was not many Pavement fans. It was not till I went back to school in 2000 that there were still a select few who loved them as much as I.



So what attracted me to Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain? The answer is simple. The music is amazing and even better the lyrics are way out there and still have some kind of sense and order. Pavement is a band that is something that should be listened to. The description I could give. Here are a sample of the single from the album. The song and video were very unique for it's time.

Darlin' don't you go and cut your hair
Do you think it's gonna make him change?
"I'm just a boy with a new haircut"
And that's a pretty nice haircut
Charge in like a puzzle
Hitmen wearing muzzles
Hesitate you die
Look around, around
The second drummer drowned
His telephone is found

Music scene is crazy
Bands start up each and every day
I saw another one just the other day
A special new band
I remember lying
I don't remember a line
I don't remember a word
But I don't care, I care, I really don't care
Did you see the drummer's hair?

Advertising looks and chops a must
No big hair!
Songs mean a lot when songs are bought
And so are you
Let's run down to the practice room
attention and fame
a career
career, career, career



If you read those lyrics you can tell they are not exactly about what other bands talk about. There is not about love, lost love, good times, etc. These lyrics are just down right odd. Pavement are a wonderful band that just needs a little time to understand them. All their albums have some kind of unique twist to them that just makes work.

If you want to try something totally new then I suggest Pavement. You cannot go wrong with any of the albums, but this is were I started and it might be the most accessible. Have fun challenging your music friends with them. They might not know or they might and you know they might feel the same way I do. They rock in an odd sorta way. They are just fun and just a little out there for all of us to understand. And, if you are a Pavement fan like me. Hope to see you at one of the reunion shows! Enjoy!!