Movies

Why the story of Pavement required a documentary, a biopic, a musical and a museum — all in one movie

BBG News

In the ’90s, Pavement, a band known for pioneering lo-fi indie rock, was always on the brink of broader commercial fame but never quite reached it. Instead, they were cherished like a hidden gem by their fans, who admired their mysterious, nonchalant attitude towards mainstream success, their casual disregard for traditional stardom, and their overall rebellious spirit. This admiration has only intensified over the years.

The film “Pavements” is uniquely unconventional, mirroring the band’s own eccentricity. It blends real-life footage from their record-breaking 2022 reunion tour, sequences from a fantastical stage musical, an extensive gallery showcasing their memorabilia, and a humorous take on a biopic, all crafted exclusively for the movie.

For film director Alex Ross Perry, it ultimately came down to the challenging and impossible-to-answer query: Could the band during their era have grown even larger than they actually did? This question sparked an electrifying flash of creativity within him.

Perry recently shared on a Zoom call from his home in upstate New York that he aimed to create a film focusing on Pavement as the world’s most significant and impactful band, a sentiment echoed by approximately 100,000 white Gen-X nerds. This description, he believes, is factual.

Perry wonders, “What if we treat that notion not as a hypothesis but as an established fact, and construct a fictional universe where this music has led to various structures honoring its creators – like a museum, a stage play on Broadway, or even an unflattering biopic? Let’s assume that is the cultural legacy of Pavement.

During the course of Perry working on his ambitious project, an unexpected turn of events occurred: a B-side track called “Harness Your Hopes,” released in 1999, skyrocketed to become Pavement’s most successful song yet. This surge in popularity was driven by social media algorithms. As a result, success that had previously eluded Pavement was now happening at unprecedented levels.

The inspiration for making the movie originated from Pavement’s long-term record label, Matador Records. Chris Lombardi, the founder of Matador, remembers being the one who initially proposed Perry’s idea to Stephen Malkmus, the band’s famously quiet lead songwriter, vocalist, guitarist, and unofficial leader.

According to Lombardi, during a call from Los Angeles, he explained that the intention was to make it seem puzzling and unusual. Malkmus found this amusing and responded, “Even if it’s not good, the songs are strong enough.

Perry, aged 40, is most recognized for his creation of humorous yet poignant independent films like “Listen Up Philip” and “Her Smell.” More recently, he collaborated on “Rite Here Rite Now,” a concert movie for the Swedish heavy metal group Ghost, which incorporated fictionalized aspects as well.

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Alex Ross Perry, known for his independent filmmaking in titles like “Listen Up Philip,” “Golden Exits,” and “Her Smell,” is also a connoisseur of theatrical metal, as evidenced by his latest work, “Rite Here Rite Now.

The stage production titled “Slanted! Enchanted! A Pavement Musical” featured Keegan DeWitt and Dabney Morris’ arrangements of the band’s music, with stars like Michael Esper, Zoe Lister-Jones, and Kathryn Gallagher. For a brief period, it was performed in New York City. In contrast, the NYC museum exhibit, “Pavements 1933-2022: A Pavement Museum,” combined authentic artifacts from the band’s past with fictional awards, unattained gold and platinum records, advertising campaigns they were not associated with, and various items like a purported Gary Young toenail clipping, the original drummer.

In the screenplay segment of our project, named “Range Life: A Pavement Tale,” inspired by one of their bittersweet songs, Perry penned approximately 50 pages. This script focuses on the year 1995 and the creation of their third album, “Wowee Zowee.” Initially considered complex and puzzling, this three-sided record (the fourth side was intentionally left blank) is now broadly acclaimed and cherished.

According to Perry, if we’re planning a predictable, award-hungry biographical film, the pivotal moment would be “Wowee Zowee.” That’s the heart – it’s the most compelling part of the biopic. It’s where they abruptly halt their own rise to success. This is when they release an album that is now widely regarded as their masterpiece, but was not appreciated in its initial release.

In every film, there’s a scene where something wild takes place during a massive concert – like Live Aid, Newport, or any other big event we’re familiar with. Perry remarks that this was the case for their band during one stop on the 1995 Lollapalooza tour, when they were pelted with mud by the crowd. He jokingly mentions that he wrote only the “Wowee Zowee” section of “Range Life,” stating that the first page of his script would end up being page 70 in “Range Life.

As the band’s follower, I gathered an ensemble of talented actors who could convincingly star in a standard drama. Joe Keery, known for his role in “Stranger Things,” took on the character of Malkmus. Nat Wolff became our guitarist and songwriter Scott Kannberg. Fred Hechinger, from “Thelma,” joined as percussionist Bob Nastanovich. Jason Schwartzman portrayed Lombardi, while Tim Heidecker stepped into the shoes of Gerard Cosloy, a co-owner of Matador records.

Because of limitations on time and funds, approximately 15 to 20 pages from “Range Life” were shot for the film, featuring crucial scenes like a fictional meeting between the band and record executives where they discuss the unmarketable style of their new album, as well as a scenario in which Malkmus politely turns down an invitation to appear on a Saturday Night Live episode hosted by Quentin Tarantino (it’s important to note that neither event took place in reality).

Chris Lombardi stated, “Malkmus seemed to say no to everything. It wasn’t hard to imagine him refusing something as significant as ‘SNL,'” Perry commented. “And I replied, ‘Very well, that’s going in the film.’ Whether he declined ‘SNL’ back in 1995 or not, he’s rejecting it now for the movie.

In their time, the band wasn’t shy about creating their own legends. Lombardi recalls that the record label circulated a story that the band had refused an invitation to be on “Beverly Hills, 90210,” but in reality, they were never asked to appear on the show.

Nastanovich (the actual one), who serves as Pavement’s unofficial in-house historian due to his exceptional memory, shares that they appeared frequently on television. “The episode we did for ‘Leno’ was particularly disappointing,” he admits, “but it was so awful that it became amusingly bad. We only made a few appearances on that show. Apart from ‘Letterman’ and ‘Saturday Night Live,’ we were quite the regulars on many channels, including MTV. Regrettably, we made some rather embarrassing moments on all of those networks.

Delving into the fictional accounts and inconsistencies that make up the band’s past, Perry stumbled upon a dynamic, fluid approach he now refers to as “tetragonal movie-making.

Perry explains, “We’re not using scripts on set, instead we say, ‘Guys, we’re still improvising our lines.’ In fact, we opened our film set to the public for four days, welcoming 3,000 visitors to the museum. Many people walked through our film set unaware it was one, and they are unknowingly part of a movie that closely follows the dramatic structure I’ve planned.

At the museum, Malkmus himself acted out, pretending on camera to genuinely appreciate some of the most outrageously fake exhibits, such as an Absolut vodka ad (“Absolut Pavement”), which he treated like real art. This gave Perry material that he wouldn’t review until later. Several cameramen were moving around during the event. (Simplified and rephrased)

Perry expresses that Malkmus’ reaction to the museum visit was a surprise because he found it very amusing. The exhibit resonated with him, as he believes Malkmus understood the humor, which stemmed from Malkmus’ persona and songwriting style for over three decades. This style is characterized by an apparent involvement in the music scene, yet a clear indication that he doesn’t fully embrace it. That contradiction was the inspiration behind the museum, created to reflect that spirit.

In due course, the band experienced a stage performance that resembled a real movie premiere, complete with red carpet photos and a post-show question-and-answer session in front of a live audience. The film, titled “Range Life,” was actually edited together for this occasion by Robert Greene, a frequent collaborator of Perry’s who is also known for directing hybrid documentaries like the 2016 movie “Kate Plays Christine.

The incident occurred at a local cinema in Brooklyn. There’s general consensus that the band was visibly startled by what they witnessed.

Perry remarks that if one deliberately creates something lacking quality, overuses common expressions like a piano playing predictable notes, and presents it in a traditionally uninspiring way through poor filming, it’s hardly engaging or enjoyable to view.

According to Lombardi’s remembrance, he expressed to his girlfriend, “I believe I’ve just ended Pavement.” (This version maintains the original’s sentiment and flow while making it slightly more conversational.)

Nastanovich expressed his worry, saying, “I definitely didn’t want to be portrayed in a harmful or unfavorable manner.” His main apprehension as he left the situation was this very concern.

Lombardi comments, “It’s unsettling to watch someone else portray you on screen, especially when they’re discussing aspects of your life that didn’t occur. Seeing it play out feels like a mind-boggling experience. Is this meant to be funny? Or is it making me feel queasy? I found it quite a journey to come to terms with it all.

Perry fully grasps why the bandmates were puzzled by the ongoing project they witnessed.

He says, “Picture a scenario where you’re so unique that you’ve never watched a typical Hollywood biopic. Now envision these common tropes unfolding for the very first time in your life, and they’re all centered around you. It would be utterly perplexing. People wouldn’t grasp the tone because it was something entirely new to them.

Perry exclaimed, “This isn’t the movie,” and we responded, “You’re absolutely right, it’s not.” In fact, it’s clearly not the movie.

Despite only brief glimpses of “Range Life” in the final film “Pavements”, Keery’s portrayal of Malkmus is surprisingly moving. Backstage footage shows him meticulously preparing for the role, which ironically mocks the fervor and self-erasure often associated with Method acting. During voice coaching sessions, he comically claims to have obtained a photo said to depict the inside of Malkmus’ mouth.

At present, Keery is traveling with his musical group, Djo, and therefore couldn’t provide a comment. However, Perry recognizes that the project posed a significant challenge for himself and the fellow cast members.

Perry remarks, “What he agreed to and his daily actions are incredibly daring.” He explains, “For any actor, it’s a massive gamble to stand in front of a camera, use your real name, poke fun at yourself a bit. Mock your profession, your peers, certainly your publicists, and do all this without appearing rude.

In my own words, I’m saying this has no precedent. Being the trailblazer means you could be the first pancake, which sometimes needs discarding. Here, there’s a possibility that our efforts might not pan out. There was no sign of success in what we were attempting.

Perry feels grateful that the band has given him the responsibility of telling their tale, and he’s excited about how it’s become a fresh page in their historical journey.

Perry remarks, “No other band possesses a 30-year history, significance, and worth, yet none have less than 0.0% of the caution guarding that legacy compared to other bands. This lack of protective instinct would hinder any attempt at creating something intriguing. Bands with such value typically aim for products that serve as marketing tools, enabling them to generate income and maintain their status.

Last autumn, the movie had its debut at the Venice Film Festival. Following that, it was shown at the New York Film Festival. Notably, all five band members made an appearance on stage after the movie ended in this latter event.

Essentially, Perry stated that two significant events transpired that night. Firstly, we elevated this band from their humble origins – performing in underground clubs and on college radio – to a stage at Lincoln Center, which represents an extraordinary career trajectory. Interestingly, just three days prior, it was Elton John who unveiled his Disney+ documentary. Thus, the Pavement has never been associated with such a prestigious company before.

He also mentions that his prediction from four years ago has been validated, which he finds satisfying. For all that time, he had been assuring everyone: “Believe me, this project will turn out to be quite fascinating. It’s unlike anything ever done before.” He didn’t claim it would be flawless or free of difficulties and disagreements. Instead, he assured that if people watched the movie with an open mind, they would acknowledge that it was a singular accomplishment, capturing the essence of this band in a way that truly reflects who they were, are, and will remain. And indeed, we managed to achieve that.

The unusual techniques used by ‘Pavements’ distinctively convey the enigmatic essence of their music, an aspect that might not be achieved through conventional methods, while also preserving an air of mystery.

According to Lombardi, the band embodies the essence of an era characterized by self-published fanzines, independent record labels, playing intimate gigs, and creating music for the love of it. They’re not aiming for grand capitalization but rather focusing on crafting excellent tunes for their friends, collaborating with musicians they enjoy working with, socializing at enjoyable venues, and simply expressing themselves freely.

About Perry’s movie, Lombardi appears impressed. “It’s challenging to capture,” he notes about the band’s atmosphere. “They managed to grasp where those people are coming from, which isn’t simple at all. They pulled it off and I’m genuinely pleased with the outcome.

Nastanovich states, ‘If someone finds it difficult to reach me, that’s not the case. I’m quite accessible.’ I can clarify things for them, distinguishing between truth and falsehood.

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2025-05-09 03:02

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