Stephen Malkmus

Going the solo route after the breakup of Pavement, his iconic 1990s indie rock band, Stephen Malkmus has carried on his former group's quirky legacy while adding new dimensions to his songwriting with his solo career. Malkmus formed The Jicks in Portland in the early 2000s, rounding up a cast of local musicians that included Sleater Kinney's Janet Weiss on drums. Early albums displayed the playful wordplay and shaggy indie rock that Pavement fans had come to know and love, while later efforts have found Malkmus embracing his inner guitar god, with long, jammy passages often taking center stage. Both with the Jicks and on his own, Malkmus has found a new outlet that is quickly becoming as beloved and respected as the now legendary output of his former band.