Legendary rock drummer Gary Young has passed away at the age of 70. Former bandmate Stephen Malkmus confirmed the news on Twitter/X today (August 18). In a heartfelt post, Malkmus wrote, “Gary’s Pavement drums were ‘one take and hit record’ … Nailed it so well. RIP.” The cause of death has yet to be revealed.
Pavement, the pioneering indie-rock band Young was a part of, shared an old photo of him doing a headstand onstage during one of their live performances. The band also released a statement, saying that Young was “made to play drums in rock and roll bands” and a “fearless fireball” whose enthusiasm for performing was “relentless and unrepentant.” They went on, “Without Gary, many people would not have noticed us. In all of the best ways, he was a freak-show. He was magnetic. He was magical. He was dangerous.”
Gary Young had joined Pavement in 1989 after Stephen Malkmus and Scott “Spiral Stairs” Kannberg booked his Louder Than You Think Studio to record music. He played drums on four EPs and the band’s debut album, ‘Slanted and Enchanted’, before being replaced by Steve West in 1993. The two reunited in 1999 to produce two ‘Major Leagues’ EP tracks. Young was also featured in ‘Louder Than You Think’, a documentary about his life and career, which premiered at SXSW earlier in the year.
Musicians, friends, and fans have been paying tribute to Gary Young online, remembering him as an incredible talent and an amazing human. Pavement’s tribute to the late drummer concluded with, “Love you Gary. We’re sure you’re doing handstands off of roofs, biting high hat cymbals, fake drowning at the bottom of your pool and dodging rocks glasses and police-fired bullets aimed at your head. Never fear. The Plant Man lives on every time Pavement steps on a stage and will continue to do so.”
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