I was working the graveyard shift at a gas station in 1994 in Cleveland, when an RV pulled up to the pumps. Out of it came several slacker types to buy miscellaneous gas station fare for the road. Out of simple curiosity I asked if they were with a band. “Yeah,” one of the guys said, “we’re Pavement. Ever heard of us?”
I actually had heard of them, but never heard them. I listen to albums much more than the radio, as if that would have made a difference at the time (on Cleveland radio, nonetheless.) After a further exchange of pleasantries (and the restroom key) I made a half-promise to the guys that I talked to that I’d give them a listen, when I got a chance.
I finally got that chance… twelve years later. I checked out Slanted & Enchanted: Luxe & Reduxe from the library, and upon first listen I asked myself two questions:
1.) How did it take me 12 years to fulfill my (unnecessary) promise to listen to the band?
2.) When am I going to stop slapping myself in the head for waiting to get into the band Pavement until they were long gone?
Truth is, I don’t regret it all that much. There were too many good bands at the time to get into all of them. The thing that sets this one apart is that I actually told the band themselves, as if I was going to run out and buy Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain the next day, and I didn’t.
Besides, by waiting I was able to immediately buy the deluxe versions of their first 3 CDs. These come with thirty tracks instead of twelve. This is just the kind of thing that makes music fans grit their teeth when they already bought the album ten years ago.
This is why I have a new policy of getting into bands from ten years ago, or at least the ones that I made promises to. Oh, plus they have to be good.
Sorry, Nickelback.
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Ah. I so know where you are coming from.
I haven’t had the gas station encounters with indie bands (actually when working part time at a gas station in Surbiton I had Joan Armatrading as a customer – she likes her HulaHoops) but I’m finding myself getting into all sorts of bands years after they have gone thanks to my iPod.
I’ll go searching for some track I used to play on the radio years ago, and end up downloading the whole album, and when the album tracks come around on random play I kick myself for never having listened to them in the 80s/90s/whenever.
The Adventures, Fra Lippo Lippi, Won Ton Ton and Love are bands I’ve really grown to love long after their productive periods.
Pavement were a good band, better discovered late than never!
Steve
True about music downloads as well… if not for iTunes I’m sure I would be missing tons from my collection.
Looking back, also, I think maybe I wouldn’t have appreciated them as much had I gotten into them at the time. Oh well, all speculation.
Thanks for the comment!