Gary Young, the original drummer for indie-rock band Pavement, has passed away at the age of 70. The news was confirmed by frontman Stephen Malkmus on social media. Young’s drumming style, characterized by his “one take and hit record” approach, was an integral part of Pavement’s sound.
Malkmus and guitarist Scott “Spiral Stairs” Kannberg founded Pavement in 1989 in Stockton, California. They recorded their first EP at Young’s small studio in Stockton, which led to him becoming the band’s first drummer. When they were working on their influential debut album “Slanted and Enchanted” in 1992, they returned to Young’s studio. Bob Nastanovich, who joined the group during this time, credits Young for bringing the album together and considers Pavement lucky to have found him.
Young’s studio, called Louder Than You Think, was a somewhat makeshift environment, with a 15-track machine due to one track not working properly. Despite this, “Slanted and Enchanted” went on to become one of the greatest albums ever made and earned a spot on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. The album’s fuzzy recording style influenced many other artists and is considered a quintessential indie-rock album.
Young’s onstage antics also contributed to Pavement’s reputation, as he would distribute food to fans and perform headstands during live performances. Nastanovich remembers Young as someone who could consume large quantities of vodka. Although Young left Pavement after their 1992 EP “Watery, Domestic,” he later returned to produce tracks on their final EP “Major Leagues” in 1999 and reunited with the band for two shows in 2010.
In addition to his work with Pavement, Young released solo projects and collaborated with recording engineer Richard Selleseth. In 2016, he worked on the record “Malfunction.” A documentary about his life titled “Louder Than You Think” premiered at SXSW this year.
The music world has lost a talented musician, and Pavement fans are mourning the loss of their original drummer. Gary Young’s contributions to indie-rock and his unique personality will always be remembered.