Not all of my interview with Stephen Malkmus, master of adroit indie rock, made it into the paper. Here are the unreleased b-sides:

How have the first couple shows been?

It’s been awesome, I think. Yeah. Strong. Hurtful (?). Decadent.

How’s it been integrating Janet Weiss?

She fits in pretty well. She’s into the same kind of music as us, and she’s born to tour. It’s pretty perfect, she’s pretty old friends with Joanna [Bolme, also of Quasi], like really old.

So you’re working on some new (“ballsy”) material on this tour?

Yeah, definitely. That’s what it’s all about, really. We like to play some of the old ones, but the purpose for playing with Joana and Janet and Mike and doing this tour is to evolve—not necessarily the purpose, but it’s natural for us, so that’s what we’re doing.

Any plans to record after tour?

Yeah there are. I wish it could come out so soon. I wish it could come out in the Fall, but I’ll probably be foiled…

There were some remixes of “Kindling for the Master” (by Major Swellings and Hot Chip), did you select those artists or did you know them?

I didn’t know any of them. I’d heard of Hot Chip. My label, Domino, it was their idea, and they’re, you know, cool. I’m not cool. I don’t have my ear to the ground or know the kind of people that’d be good for that. So they arranged it, which was pretty nice of them. That song was kind of disco anyway, although not how I’ve heard disco. It’s not made with the official tools of disco, so it doesn’t sound good enough.

Was this the first time you’ve been remixed?

It seems like the first time. Someone did something with a Pavement song once, “Stereo” maybe. They’ve been doing that for like 20 years.

Dance remixes of rock songs?

Yeah, it’s pretty corny, but you know it’s also kind of fun if the song’s really right for it.

How involved have you been with putting together the Pavement re-issues?

Just a couple of liner notes, really. Not much, I’ve been working on new stuff that’s more important to me than that. I’m totally grateful that Matador wanted to make these things, it’s really nice, but I’m just not listening to it or excited about it so much as much as I am the new stuff. It’s pathetic, but that’s just the way it is.

Have you ever thought about doing any other writing?

I’m not that in to that. This is good for me, you know. It’s physical and some writing too. I’m not even that good of a writer, frankly. I don’t deserve to be. If I weren’t playing and doing this specific thing, people would see through my tired act quickly. Some people are into that, they go to writer parties, they want to write. I don’t even like writing, I like to watch TV—I like watching sports…maybe the Wire.