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The first biography of Yo La Tengo,
the massively influential band who all
but defined indie music
Yo La Tengo has lit up the indie scene for three decades,
part of an underground revolution that defied corporate
music conglomerates, eschewed radio-friendly hits, and
found a third way. But unlike other indie groups, such as
R.E.M. and Sonic Youth, Yo La Tengo actually managed to
stay true to its roots, never switching to a major label.
Going behind the scenes of one of the most remarkable
eras in American music history, Big Day Coming traces
the rise of husband-and-wife team Ira Kaplan and Georgia
Hubley, who rocketed from the college radio circuit to the
global stage, selling millions of records along the way and
influencing countless bands.
Blending the band’s story with legends of the clubs, the
music reporters, the fans, and the pivotal figures in indie
rock history, musician and journalist Jesse Jarnow draws
on all-access interviews and archives. A mesmerizing trip
through a unique creative process, Big Day Coming is like
a backstage pass to the singular sounds and sights of true
legends.
the Hubley family at home, mid-1960s
(courtesy The New York Times)
yo la tengo and bruce bennett play a Wfmu
marathon, march 2011 (courtesy Jeff moore)
“Yo La Tengo can count themselves in
the rare company of this group, elder
statespeople operating in a genre where
they’re influence-grandparents. And
alongside peers Sonic Youth and the
Flaming Lips…All three of those bands
have reached a steady state where
reinvention is unnecessary: They’re so
frequently good they don’t even get a
redemption story.” —Pitchfork.com
“Whether it’s a single song or a career,
they’re in it for the long haul.”
—AVClub.com
“Old dogs may have trouble with new
tricks, but sometimes musicians have
trouble sticking to the good tricks they
know. Not so Yo La Tengo.” —Spin.com
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