Louder Than You Think: A Lo-Fi History of Gary Young & Pavement, the original motion picture soundtrack from the 2023 documentary film, has been confirmed for release via digital outlets, Special Edition CD and black and colored vinyl editions in early 2026 on Independent Project Records. The first single from the soundtrack, “Please Be Happy (For Us),” from Gary Young & Pavement is out today.

Proudly resistant to genres and conventions, the Louder Than You Think soundtrack tells the story of Gary Young, a true original in life and behind the drum kit, who, when he was approaching the ripe old age of 40, joined twenty-somethings Stephen Malkmus and Scott Kannberg (Spiral Stairs) to become the original drummer, as well as producer, for soon-to-be indie royalty Pavement. More than just a soundtrack, the release features rare and never-before-heard tracks from the underappreciated Stockton music scene of the ‘80s and ‘90s, including bands like Fall of Christianity (the Stockton rebels that struck a chord with a teenage Spiral Stairs), CRLLL, The Authorities, Gary Young’s Hospital, and Hot Spit Dancers. The album also includes tracks scored for the film from Edward W. Dahl (Jodorowsky’s Dune) and Noah Georgeson (Joanna Newsom, Devendra Banhart, Cate Le Bon).

“Louder Than You Think is the story of original Pavement drummer Gary Young,” said Pavement’s Scott Kannberg. “This soundtrack captures the spirit and warped vision that could only come from Gary and the ‘underbelly of California,’ Stockton!” 

Pavement themselves make memorable appearances throughout the record with ultra-rare live tracks, as well as something quite special: born as a ditty improvised by Gary during filming, “Please Be Happy (For Us)” turned into something rather special after his old friend Scott ‘Spiral Stairs’ Kannberg created a suitably trippy musical track (spiced with some Stephen Malkmus feedback yowls). It’s both a surprising reunion and a heartwarming send-off recorded for the movie shortly before Gary’s passing in August 2023. 

Directed by Jed I. Rosenberg and produced by Jeffrey Clark, Brian Thalken and Kelly Thomas with Scott ‘Spiral Stairs’ Kannberg on executive producer duties, Louder Than You Think: A Lo-Fi History of Gary Young & Pavement is the SXSW-winning documentary dedicated to the wild polymath best known as the original drummer for Pavement: his one-of-a-kind history is surveyed from the early hardcore punk and post-punk days to the merry chaos of Hospital, whose ‘Plantman’ ended up being an improbable MTV favorite. 

Proudly resistant to genres and conventions, the Louder Than You Think soundtrack is a musical history tour of not only its mercurial subject but also the Stockton music scene of the ‘80s and ‘90s as seen through the lens of the LSD and alcohol-fueled hippie who helped define the sound of all things lo-fi, indie rock and slacker in between headstands.