re: Pavement - Best Indie / Garage Band of the 90's?

These days? Nothing.

Back in the day? Everything.

DIY music meant that is was made and distributed almost entirely outside the mainstream. Bands would record their own records, press them themselves, and distribute them to friendly record stores. It was a complete system independent of the music industry. Thus, the bands were wildly inventive and not beholden to any one market. And fans were intensely loyal to labels, as it was often the only thing you knew about a band when you bought their record. Seeing "Matador" on a record was like a friend vouching for the quality.