Bruce Pavitt

Bruce Pavitt
Pavitt in 2015
Background information
Born	(1959-03-07) March 7, 1959 (age 66)
Origin	Olympia, Washington, U.S.
Years active	1980–1996
Labels	Sub Pop

Bruce S. Pavitt (born March 7, 1959) is the co-founder of independent record label Sub Pop and is considered "one of the founding fathers of the Seattle grunge scene." ^{[1] [2]} He attended Evergreen State College where he hosted a show on Evergreen's KAOS radio station before founding Sub Pop. ^[3]

Career

After briefly attending Blackburn College in Carlinville, Illinois Pavitt transferred to The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington ^[4] where, in 1980, he started a fanzine called Subterranean Pop about American independent rock bands. Pavitt wrote: ^[3]

“We need diverse, regionalized, localized approaches to all forms of art, music, and politics…the most intense music, the most original ideas are coming out of scenes you don’t even know exist. Tomorrow’s pop is being realized today on small decentralized record labels that are interested in taking risks, not making money.”—Subterranean Pop #1, 1980

Three cassette compilations were released through the fanzine. In 1983, Pavitt moved to Seattle and started a record store, Fallout, as well as writing a Sub Pop column for The Rocket , and hosting an independent-label specialty show on KCMU. 1986 saw the release of Sub Pop's (the "-terranean" was dropped earlier from the name) first LP: the Sub Pop 100 . Green River's Dry As a Bone EP followed in 1987.

Bruce Pavitt has since written two books: Sub Pop USA and Experiencing Nirvana. ^{[5] [6] [7]}

In 2017, he created 8Stem, an app which allows users to delete and add new tracks on existing recordings. Users can add lead vocals, bass, drums, instruments, synthesized vocals, and beats. ^[8]

References

1. "Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman". Pitchfork. 7 July 2008. Retrieved 2021-11-09.
2. O'Reilly, Lara. "The founder of Seattle grunge label Sub Pop explains why he jacked it all in to launch a tech startup". Business Insider. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
3. Goldberg, Danny (2019). Serving the Servant: Remembering Kurt Cobain.
4. Mag, Seattle (2022-07-08). "Seattle Superheroes: Sub Pop Founder Bruce Pavitt". Seattle magazine. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
5. Mumford, Gwilym (2015-01-22). "Subterranean homesick muse: Sub Pop's Bruce Pavitt revisits 80s' greatest bands". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 2026-01-07.
6. "Experiencing Nirvana: An interview with Sub Pop founder/author Bruce Pavitt". New Noise Magazine. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
7. Herald-Republic, By Pat Muir Yakima (2015-04-23). "Sub Pop Records founder Bruce Pavitt, among others, will riff on the 'something special' days at CWU event Friday". Yakima Herald-Republic. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
8. Mag, Seattle (2022-07-08). "Bruce Pavitt's New App, 8Stem, Makes You the DJ". Seattle magazine. Retrieved 2026-01-07.

External links

• The Seattle Tattler #2. "Counting the Cobainbuck$". Belltown Messenger, February 2005.