The Jicks formed in 2000 in Portland, Oregon, United States, almost immediately after Pavement's 1999 "hiatus" began. The group's first record - which had a working title of Swedish Reggae - was simply called Stephen Malkmus. It was released by Matador Records on February 13th, 2001. At least a few of the songs were proposed Pavement songs before the group disbanded.
The group made their official live debut at New York's Bowery Ballroom only a few weeks before their first record was released. Around this time, Pavement's auxiliary percussionist Bob Nastanovich began acting as The Jicks' manager.
Pig Lib was the name of the band's second record, which was released in 2003. The songs had a much looser yet darker feel, and the band sounds more comfortable playing with one another. Malkmus has since expressed regret in some of the decisions he made with putting certain songs on this record. The album received decent reviews, gaining 3/5 stars from Allmusic and an 8.0/10 from Pitchfork Media.
For the first several years of The Jicks' existence, no Pavement songs were ever played live. Then on May 23, 2003, spontaneously and without notice, the band opened the evening's show in Milwaukee, Wisconsin with "Summer Babe" from Pavement's Slanted and Enchanted album. What followed was a complete set of Pavement tracks in the chronological order that the band originally released them, playing roughly two-three songs per album. This concert has been dubbed by fans as The Milwaukee Show.
Notably, The Jicks opened up for Radiohead on the band's North American tour in support of their album, Hail to the Thief.
Face the Truth, credited only to Malkmus, came in 2005 to ecstatic reviews, many of them claiming a return to Wowee Zowee-type form. Most of the album was recorded by Stephen alone in his basement, although each member of the Jicks play on at least one song on the record. The band toured only a small amount behind this record, partially due to the fact that Malkmus had a new child.
On October 2nd, 2006, it was reported by Pitchfork that Janet Weiss, drummer of Quasi and the defunct Sleater-Kinney, had officially joined the band, replacing founding drummer John Moen, who left to be the drummer for The Decemberists.
On March 4th, 2008, their latest album "Real Emotional Trash" was released.
In 2011, shortly after recording their fifth album, it was announced that Janet Weiss had left the band. She was replaced by Jake Morris, formerly of Joggers.
On August 23, 2011, the album "Mirror Traffic" was officially released to generally positive reviews.
Vague Space
Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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