Malkmus knew fellow Pavement songwriter Scott Kannberg (aka Spiral Stairs), of the Preston School of Industry, since childhood in Stockton, California. Malkmus attended the University of Virginia, where his father is also an alumnus. While at UVA, he also met Bob Nastanovich, another member of Pavement.
Malkmus currently resides in Portland, Oregon with his partner, artist Jessica Jackson Hutchins. In 2005, Hutchins gave birth to the couple's first child, a daughter named Lottie.
In 2008 Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks released the album, Real Emotional Trash — the group’s first album with new drummer Janet Weiss from Sleater-Kinney. In 2020, Stephen released Traditional Techniques. Reviewing the album for AllMusic, Stephen Thomas Erlewine described the album as "an amiably trippy and decisively mellow psych-folk adventure."
10. Vague Space
Stephen Malkmus Lyrics
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Do you really care what, when, why, or how?
I came to crave your spastic touch
The honest way you move is too much
Before we can change we could levitate
Erase mistakes of the forest greats
Fermented minds could make them shake
Permission granted for the wolverine stakes,
A Love to tear you off
The formless matters of the brain
Inequality of the drifting chain
A moment I could learn to love
The salutations to the levels above
We'll split the difference, call it quits
This is no new romantic blitz-krieg
Pull off the foil and watch it break
A whisper's crushing all the sympathy gates
A Love to tear you off
In this song, Stephen Malkmus touches on themes related to relationships, transformation, and a search for deeper meaning. The opening lines, "Do you want to know where it stands right now? Do you really care what, when, why, or how?" suggest a general sense of uncertainty and anxiety about the current state of affairs in the singer's life. The repetition of the phrase "A Love to tear you off" throughout the song can be interpreted in different ways, perhaps as a desire to move on from a past relationship, or as a willingness to undergo personal transformation (which can sometimes be painful and involve leaving old parts of oneself behind).
The lyrics also suggest a yearning for connection and understanding: "The honest way you move is too much," "A moment I could learn to love," and "salutations to the levels above" all convey a sense of wanting to connect with and be inspired by something greater than oneself. The references to "the forest greats" suggest the idea of change and growth taking place on a larger, evolutionary scale, while "permission granted for the wolverine stakes" portrays an energy and intensity that is both fierce and playful - another indication of the singer's desire to break free from constraints.
Overall, the lyrics of "Vague Space" paint a picture of a person who is grappling with some of life's big questions - who am I, where am I going, and how can I discover deeper meaning and purpose? Through the use of vivid imagery and poetic language, Malkmus captures the complexity of these questions and presents a compelling portrait of a person on a journey of self-discovery.
Line by Line Meaning
Do you want to know where it stands right now?
Are you curious about the current situation?
Do you really care what, when, why, or how?
Do you genuinely have an interest in the specifics?
I came to crave your spastic touch
I yearn for your erratic, unpredictable contact
The honest way you move is too much
Your authentic movements are overwhelming
Before we can change we could levitate
We could defy gravity before we make any progress
Erase mistakes of the forest greats
Correct the errors caused by the experienced
Fermented minds could make them shake
Intoxicated thoughts could cause a commotion
Permission granted for the wolverine stakes
Authorization given for high-stakes action
A Love to tear you off
An intense emotion that could cause destruction
The formless matters of the brain
The intangible aspects of the mind are significant
Inequality of the drifting chain
The unfairness of societal hierarchy
A moment I could learn to love
An experience that could be cherished
The salutations to the levels above
The greetings towards those in power
We'll split the difference, call it quits
We will compromise to resolve the matter
This is no new romantic blitz-krieg
This isn't a sudden passionate attack
Pull off the foil and watch it break
Remove the covering and see it fall apart
A whisper's crushing all the sympathy gates
A soft, quiet sound is overpowering our ability to empathize
Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: STEPHEN MALKMUS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind