We are devastated by the death of Jimmy Lee Lindsey Jr., aka Jay Reatard. Jay was as full of life as anyone we’ve ever met, and responsible for so many memorable moments as a person and artist. We’re honored to have known and worked with him, and we will miss him terribly.
I was on a flight to NY this afternoon and when I landed there were about two dozen text messages about Jay Reatard’s passing. It is the height of understatement to say I’m upset, confused and deeply saddened by the loss of one of the more amazing people I’ve been fortunate to know. In record company parlance, yeah, we’ve lost (let’s go down the checklist) a phenomenal performer, songwriter, and insatiable music lover. But we’ve lost a great friend as well, and that’s the part that hurts the most.
We’re not the only ones feeling that way right now, obviously. Jay’s friends all over the country, heck, all over the world are dealing with this. I know his various scrapes over the years have made for cheap internet fodder, but the people who cared about him are gonna remember a real person that mattered to them. Our thoughts are with that very large group of people this evening.
In addition to their previously mentioned February 6 show at Beerland as part of the Casual Victim Pile festivities, Harlem are heading to the greater NYC area for what our pal Cronos might call “a promo tour” in mid February. Other activities that week may or may not include radio sessions, meetings with foreign dignitaries and a visit to one of those “Fame” high schools (but only if we can obtain permission first).
Wed, 2/10 – Mercury Lounge (early show) (tickets)
Fri, 2/12 – Monster Island (with Frankie + The Outs, The Siberians)
Sat, 2/13 – Union Pool -(with Jemina Pearl)
‘Hippies’ (LP/CD/digital album) is in stores and/or available via popular download services April 6.
Though you’d be inclined to say we’re biased, we certainly cannot argue with J. Mascis’ listing Kurt Vile’s Childish Prodigy in his top picks for 2009. Following the kind plug, Dinosaur Jr. will be taking Kurt Vile & The Violators on tour this month:
Fri-Jan-15 Milford, CT Daniel Street
Sat-Jan-16 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom
Sun-Jan-17 Brooklyn, NY Music Hall of Williamsburg
Tue-Jan-19 Ithaca, NY Castaways
And don’t forget that Kurt is poised to hit the road with Fucked Up in February:
Fri-Feb-12 Oberlin, OH The ‘Sco (Dionysus Disco) / Oberlin College
Sat-Feb-13 Chicago, IL Empty Bottle
Sun-Feb-14 Bloomington, IN The Video Saloon
Mon-Feb-15 Cincinnati, OH Southgate House
Tue-Feb-16 Baltimore, MD Otto Bar
Wed-Feb-17 Philadelphia, PA The Barbary
Thu-Feb-18 Hoboken, NJ Maxwell’s
Fri-Feb-19 Brooklyn, NY Europa
Sat-Feb-20 Boston, MA Middle East
Sun-Feb-21 Montreal, QUE La Sala Rossa
Fri-Feb-26 Toronto, ONT Opera House
Finally, Kurt will be appearing in Philadelphia tomorrow, with the awesomely-returned Strapping Fieldhands
Fun and informative! Pre-order the epic Fucked Up singles comp Couple Tracks: Singles 2002-2009 here. Out January 26.
The band is on tour in February:
Friday 12 Oberlin, OH The �Sco (Dionysus Disco) @ Oberlin College w/Kurt VIle
Saturday 13 Chicago, IL Empty Bottle w/Kurt VIle
Sunday 14 Bloomington, IN Video Saloon w/Kurt VIle
Monday 15 Newport, KY Southgate House w/Kurt VIle
Tuesday 16 Baltimore, MD Ottobar w/Kurt VIle
Wednesday 17 Philadelphia, PA The Barbary w/Kurt VIle
Thursday 18 Hoboken, NJ Maxwell’s w/Kurt VIle
Friday 19 Brooklyn, NY Europa
Saturday 20 Boston, MA Middle East Downstairs w/Kurt VIle
Tuesday 23 St. Catherines, ON L3 Nightclub w/Leatherface, Yesterdays Rising, Orphan Choir
Congrats to Shearwater and all you lucky fans out there. Shearwater’s Golden Dossier — a full-color, 75-page, 8 x 10.5” companion piece to The Golden Archipelago (February 23) – has now been fully funded via Kickstarter.com!
Thanks to all who have have pledged toward this project. To those still interested in getting your hands on TheGolden Dossier, there’s time. The window to purchase your copy through Kickstarter is January 31. After that, they’re gone.
Quarantine The Past: The Best Of Pavement comes out on March 9, 2010. This fully remastered 23-track compilation will be available on MID-PRICED double LP, CD and digital album formats. The tracks span the entirety of Pavement’s career from 1989 to 1999, from the scratchy and mysterious sounds of their early vinyl-only releases to the rich, multilayered warmth of their final recordings. Although the compilation does not include any unreleased material, it definitely digs deeper than the hits.
Preorder (with 15% discount) direct from Matador HERE
Simultaneously, we will be re-releasing Pavement’s complete Matador LP catalog (the 5 albums including the “Watery, Domestic” 12″ EP) on L(ow) P(rice) vinyl. (The premium deluxe vinyl we have released on the first four albums will continue to be available.)
Quarantine The Past lands in stores as Pavement embark on their first live appearances since the fall of 1999. Dates begin in New Zealand on March 1 and continue through Australia and Europe over the spring and summer, with 4 dates in New York’s Central Park next September. More US shows will be announced shortly.
We are holding a Guess The Track Listing Contest. The album contains 23 tracks, all previously released, and the first track is “Gold Soundz” (MP3 of remastered version below). Prizes will be awarded as follows:
FIRST PRIZE for the track listing closest to the actual track listing
SECOND PRIZE for the most imaginative track listing
FOUR RUNNERS-UP in either of the above two categories (4 runner-up prizes total)
First prize will be a pair of tickets, with flights and hotel rooms, to see Pavement at Central Park Summerstage on Tuesday, September 21, 2009 2010. Plus a complete set of Pavement Matador 12″ vinyl.
Second prize will be having your track listing pressed up in a special limited-edition vinyl double LP for Record Store Day (April 17). You will receive 5 copies of your best of selection. Plus a complete set of Pavement Matador 12″ vinyl.
Runner-up prizes will be complete sets of Pavement Matador 12″ vinyl.
To participate, please make your choice of 23 tracks (remember, the first one is “Gold Soundz”) below – click on the ALBUM COVER to get started:
A few more clues: 3 pre-Matador tracks are included, plus one song that originally came out on a compilation. Every Matador album is represented, plus Watery, Domestic.
Deadline for entries is 2 weeks from today: TUESDAY, JANUARY 19.
Entry is open to anyone worldwide, with the exception of those listed under the contest rules and restrictions.
Mon Mar 01, 2010 – Auckland – Auckland Town Hall
Thu Mar 04, 2010 – Sydney – Enmore Theatre
Fri Mar 05, 2010 – Sydney – Enmore Theatre
Sat Mar 06, 2010 – Meredith – Golden Plains Festival
Sun Mar 07, 2010 – Adelaide – Thebarton Theatre
Mon Mar 08, 2010 – Perth – Metro City
Wed Mar 10, 2010 – Brisbane – Tivoli Theatre
Fri Mar 12, 2010 – Melbourne – Palace Theatre
Tue May 04, 2010 – Dublin – Tripod SOLD OUT
Wed May 05, 2010 – Glasgow – Barrowland Ballroom SOLD OUT
Fri May 07, 2010 – Paris – Le Zenith
Sat May 08, 2010 – Amsterdam – Paradiso
Mon May 10, 2010 – London – Brixton Academy
Tue May 11, 2010 – London – Brixton Academy SOLD OUT
Wed May 12, 2010 – London – Brixton Academy SOLD OUT
Thu May 13, 2010 – London – Brixton Academy SOLD OUT
Fri May 14, 2010 – Minehead, West Somerset – All Tomorrow’s Parties SOLD OUT
Sat May 15, 2010 – Minehead, West Somerset – All Tomorrow’s Parties SOLD OUT
Sun May 16, 2010 – Minehead, West Somerset – All Tomorrow’s Parties SOLD OUT
Tue May 18, 2010 – Brussels – Ancienne Belgique SOLD OUT
Wed May 19, 2010 – Berlin – Astra
Thu May 20, 2010 – Praha – Palac Akropolis
Fri May 21, 2010 – Vienna – Arena
Sat May 22, 2010 – Munich – Muffathalle
Mon May 24, 2010 – Rome – Atlantico
Tue May 25, 2010 – Bologna – Estragon
Thu Jul 01, 2010 – Roskilde – Roskilde Festival
Fri Jul 02, 2010 – Roskilde – Roskilde Festival
Sat Jul 03, 2010 – Roskilde – Roskilde Festival
Sun Jul 04, 2010 – Roskilde – Roskilde Festival
Thu Aug 12, 2010 – Oslo – Oyafestival
Sat Aug 14, 2010 – Gothenburg – Way Out West Festival
Tue Sep 21, 2010 – New York, NY – Central Park Summerstage SOLD OUT
Wed Sep 22, 2010 – New York, NY – Central Park Summerstage SOLD OUT
Thu Sep 23, 2010 – New York, NY – Central Park Summerstage SOLD OUT
Fri Sep 24, 2010 – New York, NY – Central Park Summerstage SOLD OUT
And yes, a deluxe version of Terror Twilight is planned for next fall, to complete the deluxe editions of each Pavement album that we have been issuing every two years.
Though you’d be inclined to say we’re biased, we certainly cannot argue with J. Mascis’ listing Kurt Vile’s Childish Prodigy in 
