Popular '90s Musician Stephen Malkmus Turns 60 Today

On May 30, 1966, 90's rock icon Stephen Malkmus was born in Santa Monica, California. The musician would later become famous as the frontman of Pavement, one of the leading alt-rock bands of the 1990s.

Malkmus formed Pavement alongside his close friend Scott Kannberg after graduating from UVA in the late '80s. After pulling a larger band together to form Pavement's official lineup, they released their debut studio album, Slanted & Enchanted, in 1992.

The record was an immediate success that shook the world of alternative rock in America, though it failed to break into a more mainstream market. It didn't leave a mark on the Billboard 200, and from the outside, Pavement was viewed as a band solely for die-hard rock fans.

In the years since, however, critics have reevaluated Slanted & Enchanted in the wake of Pavement's later success, citing it as a formative '90s rock record. It appeared on Rolling Stone's famous list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, and is widely recognized as some of Pavement's best work. The album was supported by singles "Summer Babe" and "Trigger Cut", the latter of which finally charted in the United Kingdom.

Pavement's second album, Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain, spawned the hit single "Cut Your Hair", which pushed the band even further into the spotlight through airplay on MTV and an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. It remains their only song to chart on the Billboard Alternative Airplay chart, where it reached No. 10.

Pavement's next two albums, Wowee Zowee and Brighten the Corners, made less of an impact on the charts but were still warmly received by fans for their grunge, classic rock, and punk influences. The band was forming its own unique sound that was hard to compare to any other mainstream artists, which helped them remain relevant and fresh all throughout the decade.

By their fifth studio album, Terror Twilight, the tensions within Pavement were already beginning to strain. Kannberg was reportedly frustrated with Malkmus' refusal to work on songs Kannberg had written, which made the recording sessions particularly frustrating and often volatile.

By 1999, these internal conflicts made it impossible for Pavement to continue making music. Malkmus reportedly told his bandmates that he was leaving the band after their 1999 Coachella set, and at their show in London later that year, he held a pair of handcuffs to the crowd and proclaimed: "These symbolize what it's like being in a band all these years." (via NME).

Despite the band's unfortunate end, Pavement is still remembered as a pioneering voice in indie rock music, paving the way for several other bands to reclaim a similar sound in the decades that followed.

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on May 30, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published May 30, 2026 at 6:09 AM.