Gary Young, the original drummer of the American Indie-Rock band Pavement, has passed away at the age of 70. The announcement of the drummer’s passing had been confirmed by his wife, Geri Bernstein Young. 

Young was born and raised in Mamaroneck, New York and began his music career in Stockton, California where he performed with a variety of punk-rock bands, which included The Fall of Christianity, along with sets for Black Flag, Circle Jerks and Dead Kennedys. It is in Stockton where Young would eventually join with Stephen Malkmus, Bob Nastanovich, Mark Ibold and Scott Kannberg and form Pavement. 

According to Stereogum, Young performed with Pavement from the late 80’s up until the release of their 1992 EP Watery, Domestic, where he was replaced by Steve West, although he would return to produce the Major Leagues EP. On top of his work on stage, Young was known for his interactions with the band’s audiences, from welcoming guests with cabbages to running around venues and doing handstands during performances. 

After leaving Pavement, Young would go on to release three albums of his own under the name of Gary Young’s Hospital. In 2010, Young would also go on to perform with Pavement again in two special performances. 

Pavement had made a statement regarding Young’s passing on their official Instagram page, with the statement reading “Garrit Allan Robertson Young put Pavement on the map. He recorded all of our records from the Slay Tracks 7 through to the Watery, Domestic EP. He did it all in his garage, a studio called Louder Than You Think… The Plant Man lives on every time Pavement steps on a stage and will continue to do so.”