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joshthevegan
Unlike most of the other guitarists on this list, Stephen Malkmus is not known for his flashy, intricate playing. Instead, this frontman of both Pavement and Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks is renowned for his creative approach to songwriting and instrumentation.
His earliest works with Pavement are a blend of hardcore punk and atonal art-rock in the spirit of Sonic Youth. As the years have gone by, however, his penchant for surrealistic pop music has come more and more to the forefront in his writing. While it is easy to get distracted by the zany non-sequitors of his lyrics, his guitar innovations are every bit as fascinating and important to his legacy.
Shortly before their break up in 1999, Pavement appeared on HBO's Reverb. This performance of "The Hexx" was the last song from that performance, and it perfectly exemplifies SM's unique guitar prowess.
