Steve West (musician)

Last updated

Steve West
Born (1966-12-08) December 8, 1966 (age 57)
Charlottesville, Virginia, United States
Origin Rockbridge County, Virginia
Genres
Instrument(s)Drums
Years active1993–present
Labels
Member of
Formerly of Silver Jews

Stephen West (born December 8, 1966) [1] is an American musician. From 1993 to 1999 he was the drummer for the indie rock band Pavement appearing on four of their studio albums. He has also become active as an artist in Rockbridge County, Virginia. [2]

Contents

Early life

A native of Richmond, Virginia, West went to high school with future Pavement bandmate Bob Nastanovich; the two first met when West was fourteen years old. [3] : 48  He then attended Virginia Commonwealth University, where he majored in art, before moving to New York City and working as a security guard at the Whitney Museum. One of his coworkers at the Whitney was Stephen Malkmus, another of his future bandmates in Pavement. [1]

Career

Pavement: 1993–1999; 2010; 2019–2023

West was recruited to join Pavement in 1993, after the band dismissed their original drummer, Gary Young. West's first performance with the band was on their 1994 album Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain ; he remained in the band until they broke up in 1999. [1] [4] While in Pavement, West was frequently criticized and disparaged by Malkmus for not being technically proficient enough. [3] : 177  West has been described as an "infinitely more competent" drummer than Young, [5] although Young himself disagreed. [6] He is the subject of "Westie Can Drum", a B-side released on the Pavement single "Stereo". [7]

He has appeared on their 2010 reunion tour as well as their 2022-2023 tour.

Marble Valley: 1997–present

While a member of Pavement, West started a solo project, Marble Valley, of which he is the frontman. Marble Valley released its debut album in 1997. [1] In 2010, Marc Hawthorne of SF Weekly described Marble Valley as "...a strange bird, playing around with pop, postpunk, psychedelics, rap, and whatever else it can get its hands on in service of songs that can go from weird to weirder." [8]

Silver Jews: 1994

He performed drums and backing vocals on the Silver Jews album Starlite Walker .

Personal life

As of 2003, West lived in rural Virginia with his wife and children. [9] He lived in Brisbane, Australia.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pavement (band)</span> American indie rock band

Pavement is an American indie rock band that formed in Stockton, California, in 1989. For most of their career, the group consisted of Stephen Malkmus, Scott Kannberg, Mark Ibold (bass), Steve West (drums), and Bob Nastanovich. Initially conceived as a recording project, the band at first avoided press or live performances, while attracting considerable underground attention with their early releases. Gradually evolving into a more polished band, Pavement recorded five full-length albums and ten EPs over the course of their decade-long career, though they disbanded with some acrimony in 1999 as the members moved on to other projects. In 2010, they undertook a well-received reunion tour, followed by another international tour in 2022–24.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephen Malkmus</span> American musician (born 1966)

Stephen Joseph Malkmus is an American musician best known as the primary songwriter, lead singer and guitarist of the indie rock band Pavement. He performs with Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks, Pavement, and as a solo artist.

<i>Slanted and Enchanted</i> 1992 studio album by Pavement

Slanted and Enchanted is the debut studio album by American indie rock band Pavement, released on April 20, 1992, by Matador Records. It is the only Pavement album to feature drummer Gary Young.

<i>Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain</i> 1994 studio album by Pavement

Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain is the second studio album by American indie rock band Pavement, released on February 14, 1994, by Matador Records. The album saw the band move on towards a more accessible rock sound than that of their more lo-fi debut Slanted and Enchanted and achieve moderate success with the single "Cut Your Hair". The album also saw original drummer Gary Young replaced by Steve West. It was a UK Top 20 hit upon release, although it was not so successful in the US charts.

<i>Wowee Zowee</i> 1995 studio album by Pavement

Wowee Zowee is the third studio album by American indie rock band Pavement, released on April 11, 1995, by Matador Records. Most of it was recorded at Easley Recording in Memphis, Tennessee, where some members of the band had previously worked on Silver Jews' 1994 album Starlite Walker. The album showcases a more experimental side of the band, marking a return to the clatter and unpredictability of their early recordings after the more accessible sound of their 1994 studio album Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain. Its eclectic nature ranges from mellow yet distorted melodies to noise and punk rock, while the lyrics generally explore humorous and cryptic themes. At nearly one hour long, Wowee Zowee is Pavement's longest studio album, filling three sides of a vinyl record. Side four was left blank.

<i>Terror Twilight</i> 1999 studio album by Pavement

Terror Twilight is the fifth studio album by the American indie rock band Pavement. It was released on June 8, 1999, on Matador Records in the US and Domino Recording Company in the UK.

<i>Slay Tracks: 1933–1969</i> 1989 EP by Pavement

Slay Tracks: 1933–1969 is the debut EP by American indie rock band Pavement. Pavement—at that time, a duo of just its two founding members Stephen Malkmus and Scott Kannberg (guitar)—recorded Slay Tracks with producer and future member Gary Young (drums) during a four-hour session. Pavement self-released the EP as a 7" vinyl record on the band's own record label Treble Kicker in 1989. The music of Slay Tracks was influenced by indie and punk rock bands such as Swell Maps and The Fall, and many of the lyrics were inspired by life in the band's hometown of Stockton, California.

<i>Demolition Plot J-7</i> 1990 EP by Pavement

Demolition Plot J-7 is the second EP by American indie rock band Pavement, released on June 1, 1990. The EP was the band's first release on Chicago independent label Drag City, and its first release that was not self-issued. It is also the band's only release to feature drummer Jason Turner. Demolition Plot J-7 shared many of the same indie and punk rock influences of Pavement's 1989 debut Slay Tracks: 1933–1969, but also diversified the group's sound by incorporating keyboards.

<i>Watery, Domestic</i> 1992 EP by Pavement

Watery, Domestic is the fourth EP by American indie rock band Pavement. It is their final release to feature drummer Gary Young as a member.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks</span> American rock band

Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks is an American rock band consisting of Stephen Malkmus, Mike Clark, Joanna Bolme, and Jake Morris. Malkmus was the main singer and songwriter behind the influential 1990s indie rock band Pavement.

<i>Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain: LAs Desert Origins</i> 2004 compilation album by Pavement

Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain: LA's Desert Origins is a compilation album by Pavement released on October 26, 2004. It contains the band's 1994 album, Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain, in its entirety, as well as outtakes and other rarities from that era, some of which had previously been unreleased.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cut Your Hair</span> 1994 single by Pavement

"Cut Your Hair" is a song by American rock band Pavement from their second album, Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain. It was written by Pavement songwriter and lead singer Stephen Malkmus. The song snidely attacks the importance of image in the music industry. In one verse, Malkmus sarcastically recites a fictitious ad looking for a musician to join a band: "advertising looks and chops a must/ no big hair".

Robert Nastanovich is an American musician and member of the indie rock band Pavement, as well as a former member of Silver Jews, Ectoslavia, Pale Horse Riders, and Misshapen Lodge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Janet Weiss</span> American rock drummer (born 1965)

Janet Lee Weiss is an American rock drummer, a member of Quasi and former member of Sleater-Kinney. She was the drummer for Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks, leaving after the album Mirror Traffic, and contributed to the Shins' fourth studio album, Port of Morrow (2012). She was also the drummer for the supergroup Wild Flag.

Garrit Allan Robertson Young was an American musician and music producer. He was best known as the original drummer of the indie rock band Pavement from its inception in 1989 until his departure in 1993.

<i>The Natural Bridge</i> 1996 studio album by Silver Jews

The Natural Bridge is the second studio album by indie rock group the Silver Jews. Released in 1996 as an LP and CD on Drag City (DC101) in America and Domino (WIG28) in Europe, The Natural Bridge was engineered and mixed by Michael Deming and Thom Monahan and features cover art by Mike Flood. Featured musicians include: David Berman; Matt Hunter; Rian Murphy; Peyton Pinkerton; and Michael Deming.

<i>Major Leagues</i> (EP) 1999 EP by Pavement

Major Leagues is the final EP by American indie rock band Pavement. It was released on October 12, 1999, on Matador Records. To date, it is their final release of original material excluding reissues.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Range Life (song)</span> 1995 single by Pavement

"Range Life" is a song by American indie rock band Pavement, the third single from their 1994 album Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pavement discography</span>

The discography of Pavement, a Stockton, California-based indie rock group, consists of five studio albums, five double-length reissues of the albums, one compilation, ten extended plays, and thirteen singles. This list does not include material performed by members or former members of Pavement that was recorded with Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks, Silver Jews, Preston School of Industry, Free Kitten, The Crust Brothers, or any other associated solo or side projects.

Marble Valley is a band formed by Steve West, the drummer of the indie rock band Pavement.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Ankeny, Jason. "Marble Valley Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved December 22, 2017.
  2. ↑ Allen, Mike (September 8, 2017). "Pavement drummer, Steve Keene show work at Roanoke College". The Daily Progress. Retrieved December 22, 2017.
  3. 1 2 Jovanovic, Rob (2004). Perfect Sound Forever: The Story of Pavement. Justin, Charles & Co. ISBN   9781932112078.
  4. ↑ Itzkoff, Dave (September 17, 2009). "Pavement Will Return". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved December 22, 2017.
  5. ↑ Groot, Joey (April 16, 2014). "6 Great Bands with Unconventional Drumming: Pavement, the Velvet Underground, and more". Music Times. Retrieved December 29, 2017.
  6. ↑ "Straight Outta Stockton: Life Lessons from Pavement's Gary Young". Noisey. August 19, 2015. Retrieved December 29, 2017.
  7. ↑ Patterson, Troy (March 18, 2010). "Pavement's Greatest Hits". Slate. Retrieved December 22, 2017.
  8. ↑ Hawthorne, Marc (June 23, 2010). "Pavement's Promise". SF Weekly. Retrieved December 22, 2017.
  9. ↑ Hogan, Mike (February 1, 2003). "Stephen Malkmus". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved December 29, 2017.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.