Ian asks Stephen Malkmus the eternal question: Did Pavement shred? Or did they rock? Stephen Malkmus submits to Ian’s tender interrogation in this edition of Soft Focus. Getting started, Ian asks what it’s like to be raised on the faux-Mississippi Delta. After Stephen reveals his distaste for the art world, Ian asks about the lasting effects of working at a gallery. After briefly discussing his oscillating music taste, Stephen says he’s going on 17 years of liking CAN. Malkmus estimates the total number of Jicks records possessed by members of the NBA (it’s about as many as you’d guess) and then the questoin comes that we’ve all been waiting for: Why does Stephen have those socks tied around legs?