Itap a few days before the Super Bowl and Stephen Malkmus wants to talk about the Broncos.
“I’ll be rooting for the Broncos because Pete Carroll is a jagbag,” Malkmus said, referencing “Wig Out at Jagbags,” the newest release from his band the Jicks. “If you want to know about the album title look at Pete Carroll.”
Going on about Denver’s tight end and his appreciation for Peyton Manning, this endorsement (for what was ultimately the losing team) comes from an icon of ’90s slacker rock and one of music’s least-likely sports fans.
Although unexpected, you can’t blame Malkmus for seeking hobbies outside of music. Starting in the early ’90s with his landmark band Pavement, he’s spent his career talking to music fans and critics who regard him as an indie legend. Just last month Rolling Stone referred to him as, “the longest-running rock artist who’s never made a weak record” — a title he’s quick to discredit.
“Thatap not true. I’ve made weak records,” Malkmus said, naming the 1999 Pavement album “Terror Twilight” and his 2005 solo album “Face of Truth.”
As a sports fan who understands his flaws, Malkmus is almost more normal dude than he is rock god, which is how he comes across in his music. After touring through Europe, Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks will kick off the U.S. leg of their “Wig Out at Jagbags” tour at Colorado’s Gothic Theatre on Feb. 12.
Reverb: So, how’s the European tour going so far?
Stephen Malkmus: Itap going good now. The start was kinda weak, which is too bad because we have most of our fans in England. We just weren’t ready yet and we were kinda sick. But now that we’ve gotten out of there itap been much better. We’re in more of a groove now. In the start in England we didn’t know what we were doing and they were bigger shows. Now, we have our group identity. It takes a band like a week or two to get that.
You wrote most of “Wig Out at Jagbags” in Berlin. Were there any influences musically or lyrically that came through?
Not specifically, unless it’s kind of cosmopolitan. Berlin is just much more of a world city than Portland. You know, itap much more diverse and there’s people from all over. So I think there’s sort of an openness to it. But I’m definitely not using keyboard presets from the Berlin clubs.
On this new record you seem to be dwelling on the passage of time quite a bit.
I don’t know if that was my intention, but I think itap a realistic depiction of what I think about. When you’re 25, looking forward, there’s more that could happen. But when you get older the significance of some things becomes more defined and you can think about what got you there. And itap interesting, itap inspiring. The music itself can capture those emotions.
You’ve now made more albums with the Jicks than with Pavement. With that in mind, what do you think the legacy of the Jicks will be?
Certainly itap not going to be up there with Pavement. People that eclipse or keep up with their original band are people like Neil Young or Nick Cave. They each released much more minor things in their first bands. They were less of a cultural moment for those people. I don’t think itap possible to double up. Who really wants someone to be special twice? So, No one wants anyone to be special twice. I think the Jicks are going to be secondary to Pavement in people’s minds.
With you coming to Denver, what are your thoughts on pot being legalized?
Well, I don’t smoke marijuana any more but I think it should be legalized. I don’t have any problems with it. Itap less toxic than alcohol and alcohol is legal. And if per chance some government money could go to schools instead of drug dealers, thatap fine with me. I don’t have problems with people who grow weed or sell weed, but I would imagine they’re not really into charity. Conceptually all drugs should be legalized, but I don’t know if itap a reality.
What changed your mind on weed?
I just got bored with it I guess. Itap something you get in your system. When I smoked it more when I was younger, I was kind of addicted to it. I don’t need it. But I have friends who smoke.
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