On December 5, 1997, Steve Malkmus, frontman of Pavement, joined forces with Silkworm, the Seattle/Montana trio, for a benefit concert in Seattle whose recording became their debut release, Marquee Mark on Telemomo. Malkmus is celebrated for his intricate, enigmatic songwriting and his exacting, forceful guitar technique. Although his name might eclipse the lesser-known Silkworm, the threesome supplies unbroken momentum that propels their playing and presents songs whose lyrics turn out to be unexpectedly reflective. Silkworm comprises bassist/vocalist Tim Midgett, guitarist/vocalist Andy Cohen, and drummer Michael Dahlquist. The musicians first crossed paths with Malkmus at the 1996 Lollapalooza festival, after which their friendship took root. Once Malkmus settled in Portland, proximity and rapport drew him into closer contact with his Seattle circle. The four even tried writing “fight” songs for a National Football League commercial, though the project never came to fruition. Andy Cohen is credited with coining the name The Crust Brothers. At first the title may look like a device to clutter a club’s calendar, yet it actually sprang from the classic-rock duo The Dust Brothers. The connection grows clear once the set of classic-rock gems on their first album is heard. Malkmus had already stirred considerable attention with another side project, The Silver Jews. Its founder, David Berman, recalls that the group formed at the University of Virginia well before Pavement offered its forward-looking insights.
