Stephen Malkmus’ favourite 10cc song
The 1990s welcomed a new subgenre of indie rock known as slacker rock, which disregarded precise technical prowess in favour of a more laidback sound. One of the biggest bands to emerge from this wave was Pavement, led by Stephen Malkmus.
Between 1992 and 1999, Pavement released five albums, including the particularly acclaimed Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain and Brighten the Corners. Malkmus often wields his voice with unpolished restraint, sometimes singing humorous lyrics that add a distinctive charm to the band’s sound. For example, on ‘Stereo’, Malkmus muses, “What about the voice of Geddy Lee/ How did it get so high?/ I wonder if he speaks like an ordinary guy?”
Since Pavement split in 1999, they’ve reunited several times for live shows. However, Malkmus formed several projects in the aftermath, including Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks and continuing his work with Silver Jews.
Malkmus might have honed a distinctive sound within Pavement, but his influences range from blues bands to traditional Korean music. Talking to The Line of Best Fit, he selected several songs that have inspired him in some way or another throughout his impressive career.
One of his picks was ‘Lazy Ways’ by 10cc, the British art rock outfit that emerged in the late 1960s before rising to greater prominence in the mid-1970s. The band released 11 albums over several decades, becoming known for blending experimental influences into a mainstream pop sound.
The song is taken from How Dare You!, the band’s last album as a foursome, with Malkmus revealing, “I don’t play any 10cc records except this one in my house.” Explaining that his children particularly enjoy the record, he added, “It’s got clever arrangements and relatively sophisticated notes, with diminished chords on the keyboard. I don’t know who the average 10cc fan is though, or if they have a Steely Dan kind of following.”
While 10cc scored many popular hits in the 1970s, they certainly aren’t remembered as significantly as some of their contemporaries. Still, Malkmus greatly appreciates this album, particularly ‘Lazy Ways’, which he finds incredibly evocative. He explained, “I feel the 70s, and I feel a coolness to it all; it’s a little icy and a little bit bleak. Brutalist architecture – when I think of England at that time and the actual environment, that’s what comes to mind. Punk rock is soon to come, and glam is going on at the time, but it’s got a kind of serious melancholy to it, and I like that signal.”
Listen to the song below.
