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."
Pencil Rot
Stephen Malkmus Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And he's giving me shocks
Save me from me, save me from me
His name is leather mcwhip
And he needs to be stopped
Fly above me, fly above my roam
Fly above me, fly above me
Well I never had much of a lovely goal
Leave me halving, halving ever
It's like my mind's been touched
Though I never was born
Please deform me, please deform me
Let me out
Of my head
In my bed
It's a lovely leather brown poison
No more shine
With the frame
Of a brain
It's a lovely leather brown poison
It's pencil rot!
Stephen Malkmus's song Pencil Rot touches upon the theme of inner demons and the singer's personal struggles. The opening lyrics of the song are indicative of this, as the artist talks about the villain in his head that's giving him shock. Here, the shock could represent the agitation or distress felt by the singer. The next few lines introduce the villain's name, Leather McWhip, and his need to be stopped. The artist pleads for salvation from his own demons - pleading to the listener to fly above him, saving him from himself.
The song then changes tone as the artist talks about his personal struggles with finding a purpose in his life. Malkmus's references to halving are suggestive of his feeling inadequate or incomplete. He then talks about feeling as though his mind has been touched, as if it is reminiscent of being altered in some way. These feelings make him wish for a deformity that could fix him - indicating his strong need for change.
The chorus is the most powerful part of the song, where the singer cries out to be let out of his head. He longs for a state of being where he can escape the pain and turmoil he feels within himself. Leather McWhip is described as a lovely brown poison, indicating that his internal struggles are alluring to him. In conclusion, the song lyrically showcases the inner turmoil felt by the singer, and his need to free himself from his own demons.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a villain in my head
I have negative thoughts and feelings in my mind
And he's giving me shocks
These negative thoughts and feelings are causing me pain
Save me from me, save me from me
I need help dealing with my own negative thoughts and feelings
His name is leather mcwhip
My negative thoughts and feelings have a name, Leather McWhip
And he needs to be stopped
I need to find a way to stop these negative thoughts and feelings
Fly above me, fly above my roam
I wish I could escape from these negative thoughts and feelings
Well I never had much of a lovely goal
I have struggled to find a positive purpose in my life
Leave me halving, halving ever
I feel like I am only half of what I could be
It's like my mind's been touched
My mind feels altered or changed
Though I never was born
Even though I have always existed
Please deform me, please deform me
I wish to be changed or transformed
Let me out
I want to escape from my negative thoughts and feelings
Of my head
I want to escape from my own mind
In my bed
I want to be free from my thoughts and feelings even in my sleep
It's a lovely leather brown poison
My negative thoughts and feelings are toxic but also strangely alluring
No more shine
I have lost my positive outlook
With the frame
My mind, including my thoughts and feelings, feels restricted and confined
Of a brain
The negativity is a part of my very being
It's a lovely leather brown poison
My negative thoughts and feelings are toxic but also strangely alluring
It's pencil rot!
These negative thoughts and feelings are like a disease that is slowly destroying me
Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: Stephen Joseph Malkmus
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind