David Pajo


David Pajo is an American musician. He has played a wide variety of music, loosely fitting into several genres such as hardcore punk, math rock, post-rock, electronica, folk rock and indie pop. Though a multi-instrumentalist, he is best known for his guitar work, most notably with Slint.

Career

A native of Louisville, Kentucky, Pajo played with three Louisville hardcore and hardcore-inflected bands in his early career. The first band in which he played was called Obscene Routine, after which he performed as guitarist in Maurice, but it was with Solution Unknown that he made his first recording. He rose to prominence for his work with the influential post-rock band Slint. Since the breakup of Slint, Pajo has contributed to many line-ups, playing and recording with Will Oldham, The For Carnation, Tortoise, Stereolab, Royal Trux, King Kong, Bush League, Zwan, Peggy Honeywell, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and Interpol.
He has also performed and released music as a solo artist using various monikers, as Aerial M, M, and most notably, Papa M. Among his 7" and splits with various bands, he has released 1997's Aerial M, and 1999's Live from a Shark Cage, 2001's Whatever, Mortal, and 2003's Hole of Burning Alms.
In February and March 2005, he joined his old bandmates from Slint, Britt Walford, Brian McMahan and Todd Brashear for a reunion tour, and in April released his first solo album not bearing a pseudonym, simply entitled Pajo. The follow-up to Pajo, entitled 1968, was released in August 2006.
In mid-2005, he helped to form the band Dead Child, with Todd Cook, Michael McMahan, and Tony Bailey.
In 2009, Pajo joined the Yeah Yeah Yeahs on the tour for their third album, It's Blitz!
He was confirmed to perform as Papa M at the ATP New York 2010 music festival in Monticello, New York in September 2010.
In June 2010 it was announced that he would be joining the band Interpol as a tour member. He left the tour early on February 27, 2011.
On February 12, 2015, Pajo attempted suicide after posting a lengthy suicide note on his personal blog. He survived this attempt after EMS members were able to rescue him.
On May 1, 2020, it was revealed that David Pajo was a member of a recording project/band called Household Gods that also consisted of Vern Rumsey of Unwound, Conan Neutron of Conan Neutron & the Secret Friends and Replicator and Lauren K. Newman of Palo Verde and LKN Band.
On March 25, 2021, Pajo participated in a group article for the 30th anniversary of Spiderland for Rolling Stone.
Pajo joined Gang of Four for their 2022 North American Tour.

Discography

As a part of a band

;With Solution Unknown:
;With Bush League:
  • Fetor EP
  • Sicko EP
  • Discography
;With Slint:
  • Tweez
  • Spiderland
  • Slint
;With King Kong:
;With Palace Music:
  • Lost Blue and Other Songs
;With The For Carnation:
  • Fight Songs
;With Will Oldham:
;With Tortoise:
;With Royal Trux:
  • 3-Song EP
;With Zwan:
;With Peggy Honeywell:
  • Honey for Dinner
;With Household Gods:
  • ''Palace Intrigue''

    As a solo artist

;M is the Thirteenth Letter:
  • "Safeless" / "Napoleon"
  • "Vol de Nuit" / "Witchazel"
;Aerial M:
  • Aerial M
  • "M Is"
  • Vivea
  • "October"
  • Post Global Music
;Papa M:
  • Travels in Constants Vol. 5
  • 1999 Tour Single
  • Live from a Shark Cage
  • Papa M Sings
  • Whatever, Mortal
  • Songs of Mac
  • Three Songs
  • One
  • Two
  • Three
  • Four
  • Five
  • Six
  • Hole of Burning Alms
  • Highway Songs
  • A Broke Moon Rises
  • Ballads of Harry Houdini
;Pajo:
  • Pajo
  • 1968
  • Scream with Me
;Evila:
  • ''Hexes''