Pavement - Painted Soldiers

APR 09 1996 · 12:00

Pavement - Painted Soldiers (1996) Director: Dan Koretzky & Rian Murphy Era: Mid-90s American Indie Rock (1995–1997) - Peak slacker-era alternative, lo-fi aesthetic ethos, Matador Records underground scene at commercial crossroads High. A confirmed, sourced music video with verified director credits, tied to a notable 1996 film soundtrack and representing an under-documented corner of Pavement's visual history. Its non-single status, insider directorial pedigree, and inclusion in 'The Slow Century' DVD compilation make it a primary document of mid-90s Matador-era indie visual culture. Essential for any comprehensive Pavement archive. Context: Produced in 1996 during the twilight of Pavement's peak commercial visibility, 'Painted Soldiers' exists as a curiosity in the band's video catalog, made but never released as a standalone single, and tied instead to the Kids in the Hall film 'Brain Candy.' The video reflects the Matador Records / Drag City underground ethos: self-deprecating, comedic, anti-MTV-glamour, and built around personality rather than production value. The song was written and sung by Scott Kanneberg rather than Stephen Malkmus, giving it a slightly different tonal center within the Wowee Zowee era. The video's comedic band-replacement premise echoes the irreverent, self-aware humor that defined Pavement's visual output and broader slacker-culture moment in mid-90s American indie rock. Director notes: Co-directed by Dan Koretzky and Rian Murphy, the same team behind Pavement's 'Cut Your Hair' (1994). Both directors were veterans of Drag City Records, Pavement's early indie label, lending the video a decidedly insider, low-budget comedic sensibility. The video features a narrative premise in which Scott 'Spiral Stairs' Kanneberg ejects his bandmates and replaces them. It was included in the 'Pavement: The Slow Century' compilation assembled by Lance Bangs, where Rian Murphy provided director commentary. The song originated as a contribution to the 1996 Kids in the Hall film 'Brain Candy' and was later reissued on 'Wowee Zowee: Sordid Sentinels Edition' (2006). The video was never accompanied by a commercial single release in the traditional sense.