Silver Jews' earliest incarnation was the college band Ectoslavia, formed by future Pavement founders Bob Nastanovich, Stephen Malkmus and frontman David Berman at the University of Virginia in 1989. An exercise in joyous noise, the band disbanded after graduation and the three friends moved to New York to take up various jobs - Nastanovich, a bus driver, and Berman and Malkmus, art museum security guards. Determined to continue the happiness they got from playing with one another, they dubbed themselves the Silver Jews, a reference to the legendary Silver Apples and the tragically blonde Jews that walked New York's streets.

Pavement, a band started by Malkmus post-Ectoslavia, pre-New York, at this point began to gain attention. This attention resulted in a record deal and a constant inferiority plague placed upon the 'Joos with Berman totally at the forefront of the group. Misinformed music fans now saw the band as a side-project and, even worse, Berman as being not good enough to play with Pavement, many band members being shared between the two bands.

The connection to Malkmus and the now blossoming Pavement was not all negative, however. Drag City, then not the bastion of American folk music it is today, agreed to release the band's debut EPs which has led to a fruitful relationship (the label continues to release the band's records, right up to album number 5 in 2005, Tanglewood Numbers).

The Silver Jews these days primarily consists of David and wife Cassie Berman who contribute most of the lyrics, and a changing cast of characters. They have numerous indie stars that rotate in the line up to include Willie T. of Lambchop and Brian Kotzer of Tim Chad and Sherry.

Releases

• Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea - album, out 09/06/2008 on Drag City. 1 review (read/post)
• Tanglewood Numbers - album, out 10/10/2005 on Drag City. (post review)
• Bright Flight - album, out 20/11/2001 on Drag City. 1 review (read/post)
• American Water - album, out 20/10/1998 on Drag City. 1 review (read/post)
• The Natural Bridge - album, out 01/10/1996 on Drag City. (post review)
• Starlite Walker - album, out 24/10/1994 on Drag City. (post review)

Past events

• Thu 29 May at London ULU. (post review)
• Wed 28 May at Liverpool Zanzibar Club. (post review)
• Tue 27 May at Manchester Dance House. (post review)
• Sun 25 May at Paris Le Point Ephémère. (post review)
• Fri 16 May at Dublin Whelan's. (post review)
• Thu 15 May at Galway Roisin Dubh. (post review)
• Wed 14 May at Cork Cyprus Avenue. (post review)
• Sun 11 May at Dundalk Spirit Store. (post review)
• Thu 08 May at Leeds City Varieties Music Hall. (post review)
• Wed 07 May at Brighton Concorde 2. (post review)
• Sat 15 Jul at London Astoria 2 formerly Mean Fiddler. (post review)
• Tue 25 Apr at London King's Cross Scala. (post review)
• Mon 24 Apr at London King's Cross Scala. (post review)

News

• 13/03/2008: Silver Jews to tour UK and Ireland
• 15/01/2008: Les Savy Fav, Portishead, Deerhunter among new acts set for Primavera
• 04/12/2007: Excitement: Telepathe, Deerhunter, Avey Tare for Brooklyn-based comp
• 04/09/2007: Random does not rule: Silver Jews announce new album
• 01/03/2006: Triptych line up announced
• 02/02/2006: Silver Jews play first ever UK shows
• 10/10/2005: Silver Jews untangle a new record

Features

• 04/06/2008: Silver Jews' David Berman in conversation
• 22/05/2008: Explosions' ATP: the DiS review
• 16/05/2007: Versus The Fans, the preview: The ATP Perspective...

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