Halfway through our interview, the ever-gleeful Bob Nastanovich suddenly picked up a vinyl copy of Acaraki, a 2014 album by the experimental band Senyawa, from Yogyakarta.

“This album is one of the greatest albums I’ve heard in the last decade,” he gushed. “Fantastic, it’s so far out.”

Senyawa’s acclaim within Indonesia and in international festivals might be renowned, but it was on another level to hear it from a member of one of the most influential 90s rock bands.

Formed in 1989 in Stockton, northern California, the United States, Pavement was a US lo-fi (“low-fidelity”, referring to its early modestly-recorded releases) indie rock band which went on to become one of the most influential 90s bands. 

“I often hear our band’s name mentioned as influences, which I’m grateful for, but then I listened to [other alternative 90s bands] and in most cases, it’s pretty unfair. There are just many bands influenced by Stereolab, Sonic Youth or other bands from the same era or before,” he said.

At the time of speaking with The Jakarta Post on March 24, Nastanovich was in Paris, Tennessee, the US, a small city with a population of about 10,000. He talked with an air of excitement about the city’s fame as home of the world’s biggest fish fry.

“They fry a lot of catfish here,” he chuckled.

Nastanovich also shared that Pavement will start rehearsing for their long-awaited tours on May 5, headlining two Primavera Sound festivals in Barcelona before hitting northern US and European cities.

Asked about where his other bandmates were, he answered matter-of-factly:

“I don’t know,” he laughed. “I’ll find out on May 5.”

Which probably sums up the band’s relationship at this stage. As a band famous for living in different parts of the country (which led to their strain and eventual break-up), each member has long separated and gone their own way since the band’s dissolution in 1999. Only certain festivals brought them back together in 2010 for a tour, with a big emphasis on “no promise of a permanent reunion”.

But for Nastanovich, their first reunion in 2010 showed that they were still the same Pavement, with mostly good performances and a small number of bad ones. “Typical Pavement,” he said.

Hype-man: Bob Nastanovich screams out the lyrics during a Pavement set for Matador at 21, the record label's 21st anniversary in Las Vegas, Nevada on Oct. 4, 2010. (YouTube/Courtesy of Pitchfork) (YouTube/Courtesy of Pitchfork)

Gen Z renaissance

Aside from their melodic, woozy and “slacker” energy — a label the band has often rejected — Pavement was known for its lyrical relatability to its fans old and new.

“We were a bit taken aback by how well-received Pavement was [during the 2010 reunion tour],” he said.

And that reception has only multiplied by millions, stream-wise. The band’s rare 1999 B-side “Harness Your Hopes” was picked up by Spotify’s streaming algorithm and blew up in 2020, even to the band’s surprise. The song also went viral on TikTok, with younger generations using the song as a track for danceable videos on the Gen.Z-dominated social platform.

“I think probably the most appealing aspect of Pavement is that we left the impression to young people that anybody can do it,” he said. “Like, ‘If these guys can be successful, then we have a chance, too!’”

Music across the world

It would not have been Nastanovich -- a renowned fan of thoroughbred horse racing – if he did not share his love of the game and all its glory.

“I’ve owned horses now for 25 years. And I’m very thrilled to have not only horses running in the UK and in the US, but I also have two mares that are pregnant!” he said, adding that one of them had just given birth. “So yeah, I’m still well-invested.”

Outside his work on the horses, Nastanovich is an owner of the Brokers Tip Records label and cohosts the “3 Songs” Podcast on Soundcloud. 

“I’m constantly listening to music from all over the world, and I’ve found out in the last decade that really interesting stuff comes from unexpected places,” he said. “That’s another great aspect of streaming — I never would’ve heard of Senyawa in 1992, even though I was on tour all the time reading publications,” he added. 

Nastanovich stumbled upon the band in his “lengthy searches on the internet,” which led him to buy several copies of their vinyl albums and share with his friends.

“I love all of their materials, but that record there is striking,” Nastanovich pointed out Acaraki. He has three Senyawa albums so far.

“They’re the only Indonesian band I’m familiar with, so you guys can tell me more, or maybe email me!” he invited.

Part of the fun: Bob Nastanovich plays the tambourine during a Pavement set at Tripod, Dublin on May 4, 2010. (Courtesy of Matador/Fiona @redheadwalking) (Courtesy of Matador/Fiona @redheadwalking)

Past regrets

In the last decade, Pavement has only been releasing expanded or deluxe editions of its past albums. And perhaps hoping for a retrospective assessment from fans, the band is now putting out a reissue version of their divisive last album Terror Twilight from 1999.

“I think the best thing about [Terror Twilight] is that the record sounds different than any other Pavement records,” he said.

Nastanovich’s personal favorite, though, was its third album Wowee Zowee.

“Wowee Zowee is special to me because everybody in the band made a significant contribution,” he said.

Infamously, the opposite happened in Terror Twilight, which led to the band’s demise in 1999.

“It was not a smooth recording experience,” he admitted. “We started making the record and soon realized that really only [frontman Stephen] Malkmus knew the songs. He was in the uncomfortable position of having to teach his bandmates his music, which he had done before but nowhere near to the extent of Terror Twilight,” he said.

Asked whether he regretted anything from their final recording session, Nastanovich said yes, but with a completely different and selfless reason.

“In hindsight, it was unfair to [Malkmus]... our lack of preparedness was unfair to him,” he gracefully assessed. “That record easily could’ve been a solo record, he was very patient.”

“I think if we re-recorded it halfway through 1999 it would've sounded different; we would have a better grip on the songs from touring,” he thought. “But overall, I’m fine with it.”

Looking back to their times in the 2010s also put Nastanovich in a happier mood. He talked about the band’s “Date with IKEA” contest in 2009 (which is based on the title of a Pavement song) and his lasting friendship with the winner, Jenny Bergen, and her husband; about fans that would recognize him on the street and about his growing role in the band over time. But his excitement remains geared toward the reunion tour.

“We’re going to try to reintroduce a lot of material that we’ve never played, so I’m really looking forward to that challenge,” he said.

“That’ll be interesting to see if we can pull it off, I’m sure in some cases it’ll work, and then in other cases it’ll be like, ‘Ah, I remember why we never played this song live,’” he laughed.