Louder Than You Think

If Richard Linklater turned the ‘slacker’ into a cinematic hallmark of the nineties, it was Pavement who ran with it musically. With the shambolic, nonchalant delivery of hits like Cut Your Hair, the band embodied the ultimate indifference—an infectious lack of ambition that became their greatest strength. But while frontman Stephen Malkmus used irony as a shield to keep the music industry at arm’s length, there was one man who tirelessly ensured the band never took themselves too seriously: Gary Young.

LOUDER THAN YOU THINK is a cinematic stroll through the turbulent life of this highly maladjusted drummer, who constantly pushed the boundaries of the lo-fi sound. Young’s drug-and-alcohol-fueled antics—from onstage handstands to handing out random vegetables to bewildered fans—were both the driving force behind the band’s rise and the catalyst for its eventual crash. The film reveals how his haphazard production methods accidentally helped define a generation, all while he teetered on the fine line between pure self-expression and total self-destruction.

Thirty years later, a weathered Gary Young looks back at the trail of joy and havoc he left in his wake. Confronted by the physical toll of his lifestyle, he tells his story with the eccentric honesty that was always his trademark. This documentary is an ode to the brilliant chaos of an outsider who simply refused to play the game. Discover the man who lived just a little bit louder than everyone else.