>> FUNDING FOR OVERHEARD WITH

EVAN SMITH IS PROVIDED IN PART

BY MFI FOUNDATION, IMPROVING THE

QUALITY OF LIFE WITHIN OUR

COMMUNITY, AND FROM THE TEXAS

BOARD OF LEGAL SPECIALIZATION,

BOARD CERTIFIED ATTORNEYS IN

YOUR COMMUNITY, EXPERIENCED,

RESPECTED AND TESTED.

ALSO BY HILLCO PARTNERS, TEXAS

GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS CONSULTANCY,

AND ITS GLOBAL HEALTH CARE

CONSULTING BUSINESS UNIT, HILLCO

HEALTH.

AND BY THE THE ALICE KLEBERG

REYNOLDS FOUNDATION AND VIEWERS

LIKE YOU.

>> I'M EVAN SMITH. HUSBAND AND

WIFE,

THIRTEENTH STUDIO ALBUM, FADE,

WAS RELEASED LAST YEAR.

THEY'RE IRA KAPLAN AND GEORGIA

HUBLEY, THIS IS OVERHEARD.

>> ACTUALLY, THERE'S NOT TWO

SIDES TO EVERY ISSUE.

>> I GUESS WE CAN'T FIRE HIM

NOW.

>> I GUESS WE CAN'T FIRE HIM

NOW.

THE NIGHT THEY WIN AN EMMY.

>> BEING ON THE SUPREME COURT

WAS AN IMPROBABLE DREAM.

IT'S HARD WORK AND IT'S

CONTROVERSIAL.

>> WITHOUT INFORMATION, THERE IS

NO FREEDOM, AND IT'S JOURNALISTS

WHO PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION.

>> WINDOW ROLLS DOWNED AND THIS

GUY SAYS, HEY, HE GOES UNTIL 11.

[ LAUGHTER ]

>> IRA, GEORGIA, WELCOME.

NICE TO SEE YOU BOTH.

>> THANK YOU.

>> DECEMBER OF THIS YEAR IS 30

YEARS SINCE THE BAND --

>> YEAH. HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?

YOU LOOK THE SAME AGE.

I USED TO SEE YOU WHEN I WAS AT

COLLEGE.

YOU SEEM EXACTLY THE SAME.

IT CANNOT BE 30 YEARS.

>> WELL, THAT'S ONE OF THE

ADVANTAGES OF NEVER GOING AWAY

IS BECAUSE WE CHANGE SLOWLY.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE PICTURE FROM

30 YEARS AGO...

>> I WOULD SEE DIFFERENCES?

>> LIKE THE FROG AND THE FRYING

PAN.

>> EXACTLY.

>> DOES IT FEEL TO YOU LIKE 30

YEARS ON THE ROAD, 30 YEARS OF

MAKING RECORDS?

IT GOES BY FAST.

>> IT GOES BY FAST.

BUT YOU START TO GET TO THAT

POINT WHERE YOU HAVE A HARD TIME

REMEMBERING THINGS AS YOU GO

BACK.

YOU KNOW, I CAN REMEMBER THINGS

IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS, BUT

THEN --

>> IF I ASKED YOU TO PLUCK OUT

SOME STORY OR SOME MEMORY FROM

1987, THAT'S PROBABLY NOT A GOOD

STRATEGY?

>> WELL, I'VE BEEN DOING THAT,

ACTUALLY.

I MEAN, I TOOK IT UPON MYSELF

TO -- ON OUR WEBSITE TO POST A

STORY FROM EVERY DAY OF THIS

YEAR, LEADING UP TO -- SO SOME

OF THEM DO GO BACK TO THE VERY

BEGINNING, THOSE THAT ARE --

KIND OF BE MORE CAUTIONARY

TALES.

>> AND OF INTEREST TO THE FANS.

>> HOPEFULLY.

>> I NOTICED, FOR INSTANCE, THIS

WEEK YOU REMARKED ON THE RELEASE

OF AUTUMN SWEATER WAS 17 YEARS

AGO TO THE DAY.

>> NOT NORMALLY THAT

INFORMATIVE, TODAY'S WAS JUST

PLAYING ON THE FIRST DAY OF

PASSOVER.

>> SO MUCH OF THE WORLD HAS

CHANGED, SO MUCH ABOUT THE MUSIC

BUSINESS HAS CHANGED, YOU WERE

ALWAYS, AND STRIKE ME STILL, AS

DIY PEOPLE. YOU KIND OF TAKE

CARE OF YOURSELVES, YOU THINK

ABOUT YOUR MUSIC, YOUR BUSINESS,

YOURSELVES, BUT THE WHOLE

CONCEPT OF LABELS AND THE WHOLE

CONCEPT OF DISTRIBUTION AND

EVERYTHING HAS KIND OF BLOWN UP

AND REBUILT.

HOW HAS THAT IMPACTED YOUR LIVES

AS MUSICIANS, IF AT ALL?

>> I'M NEVER SURE HOW TO ANSWER

THAT QUESTION.

WE ARE SO SELF-CONTAINED I DON'T

FEEL -- THERE'S BEEN TIMES I'VE

ARGUED WHERE WE'RE NOT EVEN IN

THE MUSIC BUSINESS.

>> EXPLAIN.

>> WELL, WE HAVE THE ADVANTAGE

AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY FOR

EACH OTHER, AND LUCKILY, THERE'S

AN AUDIENCE OUT THERE, A

PETITION AUDIENCE, BUT WE DON'T

SPEND A LOT OF TIME STRATEGIZING

OVER MP3S VERSUS DOWNLOAD VERSUS

VINYL.

WE JUST KIND OF -- IT'S ONE OF

THE PLEASURES OF BEING

ASSOCIATED WITH MATADOR

RECORDS, WHO WE'VE BEEN WITH FOR

OVER 20 YEARS.

WE LIKE THEM AS FRIENDS, WE

RESPECT THEM AS LISTENERS, AND

WE GET TO MAKE MUSIC AND WRITE

SONGS, AND THEY GET TO THINK

ABOUT THE MUSIC BUSINESS.

>> GEORGE, I'M INTERESTED IN YOU

SAYING ABOUT IRA SAID YOU PLAY

FOR EACH OTHER.

WE THOUGHT IT WAS ABOUT US.

I'M SLIGHTLY UPSET ABOUT THAT.

>> THIS IS WHERE THE ARGUMENT

COMES IN.

>> SO DISAGREE.

GO AHEAD.

>> THAT'S CRAZY.

>> DO YOU THINK OF IT AS MORE OF

A PERSONAL THING, AND IT JUST

HAPPENS TO BE THAT WE'RE

WITNESSING IT OR OVERHEARING IT?

>> I THINK IT'S THE -- YOU KNOW,

THE SUCCESS, SUCH AS IT IS, THAT

THIS BAND HAS HAD, HOWEVER YOU

DESCRIBE THAT --

>> YEAH.

>> -- I THINK IS, WE DO

BASICALLY FOLLOW WHAT WE WANT TO

DO AND FOLLOW THE KIND OF -- YOU

KNOW, INSTINCTIVELY WHAT WE WANT

TO PLAY MUSICALLY, AND WHEN

PEOPLE RESPOND, IT'S GREAT.

BUT WE STILL KIND OF BASICALLY

DO WHAT WE WANT AND WHAT WE

RESPOND TO AS, YOU KNOW, NOT

JUST THE TWO OF US, BUT THE

THREE OF US, AND --

>> RIGHT.

>> -- I'M SURE WE'VE ALIENATED

PEOPLE ALONG THE WAY, BUT I

THINK WE'VE APPEALED TO PEOPLE,

TOO.

>> HAS THERE BEEN PRESSURE ON

YOU, GEORGIA, OR YOU, IRA, TO

CHANGE WHAT YOU WERE DOING AT

THE TIME OR TO SOMEHOW BE MORE

COMMERCIAL?

THAT'S THE WORD THAT GETS THROWN

AROUND.

>> I WOULDN'T SAY THAT SO MUCH.

BUT GOING BACK AS FAR AS 1990,

WE MADE OUR RECORD IN 1989

CALLED PRESIDENT YO LA TENGO,

AND IT WAS THE FIRST RECORD

WHICH HAD AN EXTENDED NOISY

GUITAR THING, AND IT GOT MORE

ATTENTION THAN ANYTHING WE'D

DONE BEFORE.

AND SIX MONTHS LATER, WE HAD NO

BASE PLAYER AGAIN, WHICH WAS

KIND OF A RUNNING THEME OF OUR

EARLY YEARS, UNTIL WE MET JAMES.

SO WE MADE -- WE DECIDED TO MAKE

A FOLKY COVERS RECORD.

>> RIGHT.

>> AND THE GUY WHO OWNED

MAXWELL'S, AND WORKED VERY

CLOSELY TO US, THOUGHT WE WERE

CRAZY.

HE SAID, PEOPLE FINALLY KNOW YOU

A LITTLE BIT, KNOW WHAT TO

EXPECT FROM THE BAND, AND YOU'RE

DOING SOMETHING COMPLETELY

DIFFERENT.

>> RIGHT.

>> AND WE WEREN'T DOING IT TO BE

DIFFERENT.

WE WEREN'T LIKE, OH, WE'LL MESS

WITH THEM NOW.

IT JUST SEEMED LIKE, WELL,

WE'VE -- THERE'S ONLY THE TWO OF

US --

>> LET'S JUST DO THIS?

>> -- LET'S DO THIS.

>> RIGHT.

>> AND IT TURNED OUT TO BE OUR

RECORD FAKEBOOK, WHICH IS -- FAR

AND AWAY GOT US THE MOST

ATTENTION WE HAD GOT AT THAT

MOMENT.

>> YEAH.

>> AND I THINK IT HELPED CEMENT

THE NOTION THAT JUST LISTEN TO

WHATEVER FEELS RIGHT.

>> YEAH.

>> NO MATTER --

>> IT'S ALWAYS SO HEARTENING TO

HEAR ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU

WANTED TO DO, OR I'M GOING TO DO

THIS DESPITE WHAT THE

CONSEQUENCES ARE, AND THE

CONSEQUENCES ARE GOOD.

IT'S A NICE THING.

>> YEAH.

>> IT HAS INTEGRITY

ARTISTICALLY.

>> IT GIVES YOU THE STRENGTH AND

THE CONFIDENCE, WELL, THAT KIND

OF WORKED.

LET'S TRY THAT AND LET'S FOLLOW

OUR INSTINCTS.

>> NOW, IRA SAYS YOU DON'T CARE

ABOUT MP3, AND I GET THAT, AND I

I BELIEVE THAT. BUT IN REALITY,

TECHNOLOGY HAS BECOME WHAT

CONTROLS ALL DISTRIBUTION OF

MUSIC, SO ACCESS TO MUSIC IS

GREATER OR PERVASIVE THAN IT'S

EVER BEEN.

ARE YOU OF THE SORT, GEORGIA, OF

PEOPLE GETTING ACCESS TO YOUR

MUSIC FOR FREE OR THE SERVICES

THAT STREAM YOUR MUSIC, WE DON'T

LIKE THOSE GUYS, THEY'RE JUST

TRYING TO RIP US OFF? WHAT'S

YOUR DISTRIBUTION TOWARDS THAT?

>> WELL, IT'S TRICKY, BECAUSE

YOU WANT TO MAKE A LIVING DOING

THIS. IT WOULD BE NICE IF

PEOPLE ACTUALLY BOUGHT THE

MUSIC.

>> THAT'S THE THEORY, ANYWAY.

>> BUT ON THE OTHER HAND,

THERE'S KIND OF NOTHING YOU CAN

DO ABOUT IT.

I HATE TO SAY THAT.

IT'S A FINE LINE OF ACCEPTING

THINGS THAT YOU CAN'T REALLY

CONTROL AND KIND OF WHAT THE

OTHER SIDE IS.

>> RIGHT.

YOU FEEL POWERLESS, TO BOW

BEFORE THE GODS OF...

>> I JUST DON'T -- WE'RE PRETTY

SUCCESSFUL NOT THINKING ABOUT

IT.

IT'S JUST --

>> I WISH YOU COULD TEACH THAT.

THAT'S AWESOME.

>> YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE YOU GOING

TO DO?

AND SO, YOU KNOW, IT JUST -- I

MEAN, I THINK LONG AGO, ANOTHER

THING WE JUST -- ONE OF THE

THINGS I LOOKED AT FROM OTHER

BANDS IS I JUST SAW PEOPLE

GETTING BITTER ABOUT ANYTHING.

IT COULD BE ABOUT NOBODY'S

BUYING MY RECORDS NOW, OR IT

COULD BE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE

NOT AS SUCCESSFUL AS THIS OTHER

BAND WHO IS SO MUCH WORSE THAN

US.

AND IT JUST SEEMED TO BE

DERAILING THEIR CREATIVITY.

AND WE JUST TRIED TO --

>> RIGHT.

>> -- NOT -- I MEAN, THERE'S

ALWAYS GREAT THINGS HAPPENING,

AND IT -- TO THE POINT THAT EVEN

YOU SAY TO GET THE POSITIVE

REINFORCEMENT OF IT, WORKING

WITH FAKEBOOK, BUT I THINK WE

TAKE ALMOST AS MUCH PLEASURE

WHEN IT DOESN'T WORK, AND WE

KNOW WE DID WHAT WE WANTED,

AND --

>> NOT A FORM OF MASOCHISM, IT'S

JUST WE KNOW WHO WE ARE, AND

THAT'S IT.

>> YEAH.

IT'S GREAT.

WE'RE VERY HAPPY WHEN PEOPLE

ENJOY WHAT WE DO, BUT IF WE DO

SOMETHING THAT --

>> YEAH.

>> AND THEN IF YOU DON'T -- IF

YOU CAN REALIZE THAT IT -- YOU

KNOW, IT'S NOT A CRIPPLING

EVENT, YOU CAN MOVE ON FROM

WHATEVER --

>> AND IT MAKES YOU LESS FREAKED

OUT ABOUT IT THE NEXT TIME?

>> YEAH.

HOPEFULLY.

YEAH.

>> YOU MENTIONED MAXWELL'S, FOR

THE AUDIENCE OUT IN THE WORLD

NOT IN HOBOKEN OR NOT IN NEW

YORK, MAXWELL'S WAS A FANTASTIC

CLUB IN HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY. I

DON'T KNOW HOW MANY TIMES I TOOK

THE TRAIN OVER FROM NEW YORK

WHEN I WAS A MUCH YOUNGER

VERSION OF MYSELF TO SEE YOU ALL

AND OTHER PEOPLE PLAY AT

MAXWELL'S, AND IT WAS KIND OF

YOUR HOME BASE.

WHAT'S HAPPENED OVER THE 30

YEARS IS THAT THE WHOLE CLUB

SCENE, BOTH IF -- THE LOCUS OF

CLUBS AND THE EXISTENCE OF CLUBS

THAT WERE PROBABLY PART OF YOUR

LIVES FOREVER AND FOREVER,

THAT'S CHANGED.

SO TALK ABOUT THAT.

ALL THE OLD HAUNTS AREN'T

NECESSARILY AROUND ANYMORE.

DO YOU FIND NEW PLACES?

>> WELL, I MEAN, TO AN EXTENT.

CERTAINLY FOR US, THAT'S THE

CASE.

MAXWELL'S WAS A PLACE THAT I DID

SOUND.

>> YOU WENT BACK PRE-YO LA

TENGO.

>> OH, YEAH.

WE BOTH DID.

GEORGIA WAS A DJ THERE, AND WE

WERE THERE ALL THE TIME. AND SO

IT WAS VERY NATURAL THAT WHEN WE

PERFORMED OUR FIRST SHOW WAS, WE

JUST THREW A PARTY THERE.

THE OWNER LET US USE THE BACK

ROOM TO HAVE A PARTY.

WE PLAYED, I THINK IT WAS LIKE

SEVEN TIMES WITHIN THE FIRST

THREE MONTHS IN THE SAME CLUB,

WHICH -- YOU KNOW, UNTIL WE

START DOING HANUKKAH SHOWS AND

PLAYED EIGHT TIMES IN EIGHT

DAYS, IT SEEMED RIDICULOUS TO

PLAY -- BUT IT WAS THAT ERA WHEN

YOU COULD PLAY ALL THE TIME IN

ONE PLACE.

NOW, FOR ALL I KNOW, THAT'S

GOING ON IN BROOKLYN RIGHT NOW

AND YOUNGER BANDS HAVE THAT SAME

RELATIONS.

>> YEAH, IT PROBABLY HAPPENS ALL

OVER THE WORLD.

>> DO YOU EVER TOTAL UP IN YOUR

MINDS OR ON PAPER HOW MANY TIMES

YOU PLAYED AT MAXWELL'S?

>> I TRIED AT ONE POINT.

I TRIED TO ADD IT UP AND IT

WAS --

>> TOO DEPRESSING?

>> NO, VERY HAPPY.

>> I THINK OF YOU AS A TOURING

BAND THAT HAPPENS TO RECORD

RATHER THAN A BAND THAT RECORDS

MUSIC AND PUTS IT OUT AND TOURS

TO SUPPORT THAT.

IS THAT A FAIR CHARACTERIZATION?

13 RECORDS IN 30 -- 13 STUDIO

ALBUMS IN 30 YEARS IS NOT SUPER

PROLIFIC. IT'S NOT THAT YOU

NEVER RECORD --

>> YEAH.

>> -- BUT IT'S NOT LIKE BANDS

THAT PUT OUT A RECORD A YEAR.

DO YOU THINK OF YOURSELF

PRIMARILY AS A BAND THAT TOURS?

>> I DON'T, ACTUALLY, THINK OF

IT THAT WAY.

I THINK IF I THOUGHT OF IT THAT

WAY, I'D NEVER WANT TO TOUR

AGAIN

>> REALLY?

TOO DEPRESSING TO CONTEMPLATE.

>> I THINK IT'S OVERWHELMING.

SO -- BUT I REALLY DO ENJOY IT.

BUT WHEN -- AND I THINK IN A

CERTAIN SENSE, EVEN IN THE LAST

YEAR OR TWO, I ACTUALLY ENJOY IT

AND FEEL LIKE I CAN DO IT MORE

EASILY THAN I USED TO WHEN I WAS

YOUNGER, WHICH, IN A CERTAIN

WAY, MAKES NO SENSE AT ALL.

BUT MAYBE -- MAYBE THERE'S KIND

OF A -- SOMETHING YOU JUST SORT

OF ACCEPT THINGS THAT ARE

HAPPENING AND YOU RELAX MORE

AND -- WHATEVER IT IS.

>> HOW MANY DATES A YEAR WOULD

YOU SAY THAT YOU'RE ON THE ROAD?

>> IT VARIES.

SEE, I DON'T THINK IT'S TRUE

THAT WE'RE -- I THINK WE DO LOTS

OF DIFFERENT THINGS, AND WE'VE

MADE 13 -- FADE IS THE 13TH IN

ANOTHER LIST, BUT ANOTHER LIST

IT COULD BE CLOSER TO 25.

>> RIGHT.

THERE ARE PLENTY OF OTHER THINGS

THAT YOU'VE DONE.

>> YEAH.

AND WE DO LOTS OF RECORDING IN

OUR SPACE, AND LOTS OF THINGS.

I THINK, FOR INSTANCE, WE MADE A

RECORD UNDER A DIFFERENT NAME.

>> CANNOT BE SAID ON PUBLIC

TELEVISION.

>> I'M NOT SURE THAT'S ONE OF

THE 13.

>> THAT WAS A GREAT RECORD.

THAT WAS A RECORD OF COVER

SONGS.

>> THANK YOU.

>> YOU DID A RECORD OF COVER

SONGS, YOU'RE NOT ENJOINED FROM

SAYING THAT, YO LA TENGO

MURDERING THE CLASSICS. IT HAS

A NUMBER OF WONDERFUL SONGS

INCLUDING -- AND IT'S A PERFECT

TRANSITION, IRA, OF THE NEW YORK

THEME SONGS MEET THE METS. IF I

WAS A DIFFERENT KIND OF HOST, I

WOULD DEMAND THAT YOU SING --

THIS IS ACTUALLY IMPORTANT.

IF YOU GO BACK TO THE ORIGINS OF

THE BAND, THE LEGEND IS, IT

BROUGHT THE TWO OF YOU TOGETHER,

I'M ASSUMING EARLY '80S, LATE

'70S, IS THAT RIGHT?

>> I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S WHAT

BROUGHT US TOGETHER.

>> YOU HAD IN COMMON?

>> YEAH, YEAH.

>> IF THE STORY IS TRUE, THE

STORIES ALWAYS TOLD ABOUT YOU

ALL, YOU WOULD SEE EACH OTHER AT

SIMILAR SHOWS, YOU KIND OF FOUND

YOURSELF IN A SIMILAR UNIVERSE.

>> YEAH.

>> THAT'S CORRECT?

>> SO THE BAND CAME TOGETHER IN

1984, BUT YOU-ALL WERE TOGETHER

FOR HOW LONG BEFORE THAT?

>> THREE YEARS.

>> YEAH.

>> WERE YOU MARRIED WHEN THE

BAND STARTED OR DID YOU GET

MARRIED LATER?

>> WE GOT MARRIED LATER.

>> IS THE PETER STORY CORRECT,

YOU WERE WRITING NEW YORK

ROCKER, CORRECT, AND THERE WAS A

PARTY AND THE FIRST TIME YOU

EVER PLAYED TOGETHER WAS AT A

PARTY AT THE OFFICES OF NEW YORK

ROCKER?

>> YEAH, THE DB'S -- PETER, A

MEMBER OF THE DB'S, HE USED TO

PLAY AT PARTIES, AND THEY WOULD

WORK UP --

>> I MEAN, IT'S VERY EASY FOR US

TO TRACE CERTAIN THINGS THAT WE

DO.

OH, YEAH, THIS IS FROM THE DB'S.

THEY WOULD PLAY AT PARTIES AND

THEY'D QUICKLY THROW TOGETHER A

BUNCH OF COVER SONGS, AND IT WAS

GREAT.

>> RIGHT.

>> AND ONE TIME PETER ASKED IF

WE WANTED TO JOIN THEM, AND,

WELL, AT THE TIME, WE HAD JUST

PLAYED TOGETHER IN THE PLAYROOM

OF THE HOUSE I GREW UP IN, YOU

KNOW, WE'D ONCE IN A WHILE --

WE'D PLAYED FOR NOBODY BUT

OURSELVES.

>> RIGHT.

WERE YOU NECESSARILY INTENDING

TO START A BAND?

>> NO.

>> WE ABSOLUTELY WEREN'T.

>> NO.

>> YOU ABSOLUTELY WERE NOT?

>> RIGHT.

>> LOOK AT THAT.

>> FUNNY.

>> YOUR BACKGROUND, GEORGIA, YOU

ARE ONE OF FOUR CHILDREN OF TWO

VERY FAMOUS ANIMATORS IN

FILMMAKERS, FAITH AND JOHN

HUBLEY.

>> IS THERE A MR. McGOO

CONNECTION?

>> MY DAD STARTED OUT WORKING

FOR WALT DISNEY, AND HE WORKED

ON SOME OF THE DISNEY FILMS,

ACTUALLY.

>> YEAH.

>> AND THEN HE AND A BUNCH OF

OTHER PEOPLE AT DISNEY BECAME

DISENCHANTED WITH THE TRADITIONS

THERE, AND THEY LEFT; STRIKED;

AND THEY FORMED UPA, EVENTUALLY.

AND MR. McGOO IS KIND OF THE

FIRST BIG CHARACTER TO COME OUT

OF THAT.

>> INCREDIBLE. I KNOW THEY WERE

JUST RECENTLY -- THERE WAS A BIG

CELEBRATION OF THEIR LIVES AND

WORK.

>> THERE IS A PROGRAM --

>> YEAH.

THIS YEAR IS MY DAD'S

CENTENNIAL, SO THERE'S ACTUALLY

A TOURING SHOW FROM THEIR SHOW.

>> YOU COME FROM A VERY CREATIVE

FAMILY.

YOU, IRA, WERE A ROCK CRITIC.

YOU WORKED FOR SOME NEWS PRESS.

>> THE SOHO NEWS.

>> AND YOU'RE A ROCKER.

THERE WAS A LOT OF PEOPLE,

DEFINITION OF A ROCKER, WELL, I

CAN DO THAT BETTER.

THAT WASN'T NECESSARILY THE CASE

IN YOUR SITUATION?

>> NO.

IS THAT WHAT PEOPLE --

>> I THINK PEOPLE WHO DO

CRITICISM ARE OFTEN THOUGHT TO

BE FRUSTRATED ARTISTS

THEMSELVES.

>> RIGHT.

WELL, I WOULD AGREE WITH THAT.

I MEAN, I WAS A FRUSTRATED

ARTIST.

I JUST DIDN'T THINK I COULD DO

IT BETTER.

>> YOU JUST THOUGHT YOU COULD DO

IT.

>> NO, I'M NOT SURE I THOUGHT I

COULD DO IT.

I JUST WANTED TO.

>> YOU JUST ENVIED THEM.

OBVIOUSLY, YOU HAD SOME POINTS

AND TRADITIONS THAT YOU ALL

FOUND THE OPPORTUNITY TO FOUND A

BAND TOGETHER.

>> WE -- YES.

SOMEHOW IT HAPPENED.

>> SO THE NAME OF THE BAND --

THIS IS ALWAYS A GREAT STORY FOR

PEOPLE, I'M SURE, ASK YOU ALL

THE TIME. SO WHERE YO LA TENGO

CAME FROM.

IT HAS A CONNECTION BACK TO THE

METS, DOES IT NOT?

>> IT WAS A STORY --

>> TELL THE STORY.

>> THE STORY HAPPENED IN THEIR

FIRST YEAR, AND -- BUT ANOTHER

PROJECT I UNDERTOOK ON OUR

WEBSITE A COUPLE OF YEARS -- TWO

YEARS AGO, THE 50TH YEAR

ANNIVERSARY OF THE CREATION OF

THE METS, WAS TO TRY TO FIND THE

DAY WHEN THIS STORY, WHICH HAS

TO BE SUPPOSEDLY THE CENTER

FIELDER, IF YOU PLAY ANY

BASEBALL, THE CENTER FIELDER IS

LIKE IN CHARGE.

AND THE BALLS HIT THE AIR, HE

CALLS FOR THE BALL, EVERYONE

GETS OUT OF HIS WAY.

AND SUPPOSEDLY THEIR

SPANISH-SPEAKING SHORTSTOP

DIDN'T UNDERSTAND HIM SAYING

"I'VE GOT IT" AND COLLIDED WITH

HIM, SO HE LEARNED TO SAY IT IN

SPANISH, YO LA TENGO.

THE STORY IS RIDICULOUS.

>> IT CANNOT BE TRUE.

>> IT MUST BE TRUE.

>> IT'S NOT. PLAYING BASEBALL

AND THE CENTER FIELDER YELLS

SOMETHING, THERE'S A VERY SHORT

LIST OF THINGS HE'S YELLING.

>> I'M GOING TO CATCH THIS BALL.

>> RIGHT.

>> NOPE.

THAT'S IT.

IT'S A LIST WITH ONE ITEM.

>> I CHANGED MY MIND.

>> LATIN, JAPANESE, ANYTHING HE

YELLS, THAT'S WHAT HE'S SAYING,

GET OUT OF MY WAY.

>> RIGHT.

>> SO THE STORY CAN'T BE TRUE.

>> AND YET --

>> BUT IT WAS A GOOD STORY.

>> MAYBE IT HAPPENED.

>> IT'S TAKEN ON THE VENEER OF

LIKE THE TRUTH.

>> YEAH, WHY IT'S BETTER THAN

TRUTH.

>> WHY EVEN MESS WITH IT, RIGHT,

IF THAT'S WHAT IT IS.

>> SO I WANT TO ASK WHO YOUR

INFLUENCES WERE OR MAYBE EARLY

TASTES AS MUSIC FANS THAT MAYBE

SHAPED THE MUSIC THAT YOU

CREATE.

AGAIN WHEN YOU WERE LOOKING FOR

OTHER PEOPLE TO JOIN IN WITH

YOU, I HEARD THE NAMES MISSION

OF BURMA, THAT WOULD PRESUME

SOME OF THE BANDS THAT WERE IN

CONNECTION WITH YOU AT THE TIME.

>> YEAH, I THINK SO -- THOSE --

I STILL LOVE THOSE BANDS THE

ONES YOU JUST NAMED.

THE DOES --

>> ANOTHER BIG MAXWELL'S -- THEY

CLAIMED MAXWELL AS THEIR HOME

BASE -- ALSO, PROBABLY.

>> AND THEY WERE THERE WHEN WE

WERE STARTED, HELPFUL IN SORT

OF, YOU KNOW, GETTING US TO SAY

SOMETHING.

HE ACTUALLY RECORDED FIRE AND

ICE IN HIS BASEMENT.

>> OH, IS THAT RIGHT?

>> YEAH.

>> DOES THAT RECORDING EXIST

SOMEWHERE?

>> I DON'T THINK WE CAN FIND IT.

>> THAT WOULD BE ONE OF THOSE

THINGS THAT WOULD BE FANTASTIC

TO FIND OVER THE INTERNET.

>> YEAH.

>> SO YOU LISTEN TO DIFFERENT

KINDS OF MUSIC.

DID YOU LISTEN TO A BASIC ARRAY

OF MUSIC?

DID YOU LISTEN TO THE BANDS THAT

THE REST OF US LISTENED TO AT

THAT POINT?

CONVENTIONAL ROCK AND ROLL

AND --

>> OH, YEAH.

WE'VE ALWAYS LISTENED TO -- I

THINK WHAT WE WERE -- I THINK WE

WERE LOOKING FOR SOMEBODY WHO

MAY BE -- I'M NOT -- HONESTLY,

I'M NOT SURE.

WE -- THOSE ADS, IT WAS HARD TO

FIND PEOPLE TO PLAY WITH US,

WHICH IS WHY IT REALLY TOOK US

SEVEN YEARS TO GET OUR BAND

GOING.

IT REALLY WASN'T UNTIL JAMES

JOINED IN '91 THAT -- I MEAN, WE

THOUGHT --

>> YOU HAD A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT

PEOPLE, DAVE SCHRAMM, THAT WENT

ON TO --

>> BUT WE LEARNED HOW DIFFERENT

IT WAS.

AND THOSE PEOPLE PLAYED WITH US.

BUT WE WEREN'T A BAND.

AND WHEN JAMES JOINED --

>> YOU DON'T THINK YOU BECAME A

BAND UNTIL JAMES JOINED?

>> WITHOUT A DOUBT.

AND THEN WE STARTED PRACTICING

AND PLAYING ALL THE TIME, AND

EVEN IF WE DIDN'T HAVE A SHOW,

WE GOT TOGETHER AND PRACTICED.

AND WE REALLY STARTED -- I MEAN,

LEAPS AND BOUNDS JUST IN THE

CONFIDENCE WE HAD AND --

>> BUT THERE WERE NO BANDS IN

PARTICULAR OR NO STYLES OF MUSIC

OR NOTHING THAT YOU CAN POINT

BACK TO SAYING WE WERE TRYING TO

EMULATE THIS?

WE REALLY LISTENED OBSESSIVELY

TO THIS AND WE THOUGHT THAT WE

ACTUALLY MIGHT -- OUR IDENTITY

AS A BAND, OUR CREATIVE IDENTITY

MIGHT BE ACTUALLY REFLECTIVE OF

THIS?

>> THE ASPECT OF INFLUENCE, IT'S

ALWAYS A WORD I'VE RUN FROM, BUT

TO THE EXTENT THAT I EMBRACE IT,

IT HAS MORE TO DO WITH AN

APPROACH THAN IT DOES WITH -- I

WAS SAYING LIKE THE DB'S HAVE

THESE PARTIES, AND THAT REALLY

DEFINITELY RUBBED OFF, THE WAY

THAT THEY WOULD PLAY SONGS.

EVERY TIME YOU'D SEE THEM, THEY

WOULD PLAY SONGS THAT THEY

DIDN'T DO THE TIME BEFORE.

>> RIGHT.

>> AND THAT, OBVIOUSLY, WAS VERY

MEANINGFUL TO THE WAY WE THEN

STRUCTURED OUR BAND.

>> RIGHT.

>> I MEAN, TO A RIDICULOUS

EXTENT.

I MEAN, THE SECOND TIME WE

PLAYED, WE SHOULD HAVE

ABSOLUTELY NOT DONE -- WE DIDN'T

KNOW HOW TO PLAY THE SONGS WE

PLAYED THE FIRST TIME.

WE SHOULD HAVE JUST REALLY

WORKED ON THOSE SONGS.

>> RIGHT.

>> BUT WE DIDN'T.

WE JUST RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING

SET THIS GOAL THAT EVERY SHOW

WOULD BE DIFFERENT, EVERY SHOW

AND EVERY SONG.

>> SET LIST WOULD BE DIFFERENT.

>> YEAH.

>> AND IS THAT THE CASE TODAY?

30 YEARS LATER, EVERY SHOW IS

DIFFERENT?

>> YEAH.

BUT THEN CONVERSELY, THE

THEELY'S, WHO ACTUALLY DID PLAY

THE SAME SONG, THE METICULOUS

APPROACH THEY TOOK, SOMEWHERE IN

THE SECOND VERSE, HE'D GO CLICK.

AND YOU'D GO, WOW, THE SONG

REALLY -- THERE IT WAS.

>> RIGHT.

>> IT JUST CREATED SO MUCH.

AND EVEN AS GEORGIA SAID,

RECORDING US THIS FIRST TIME, HE

REPLAYED A LITTLE, AND THEN BILL

ADDED THIS LITTLE GUITAR PART.

I WAS LIKE, OH, WOW.

>> TRANSFORMED IT.

>> NOW IT'S MUSIC.

>> YEAH.

>> AND SO THAT KIND OF APPROACH

TO MAKING MUSIC, I THINK WE

LEARNED A LOT FROM THEM, SO IT

WASN'T NECESSARILY TO SOUND LIKE

THEM, BUT TO THINK --

>> YEP.

>> -- THE WAY THEY DID.

>> UH-HUH.

NOW, THERE IS ONE THING,

GEORGIA, ABOUT YOUR SHOWS NOW,

AT LEAST, THAT INTERESTS ME, THE

DECISION -- I DON'T KNOW HOW

RECENTLY YOU MADE THE DECISION

TO ADVERTISE THIS WAY.

AND I SEE ON YOUR SCHEDULE OF

UPCOMING SHOWS, AT LEAST ONE OR

TWO OF THE UPCOMING SHOWS OUT OF

THE COUNTRY ARE SCHEDULED LIKE

THIS ONE LOUD SET AND ONE SOFT,

SO WHAT'S THE POINT OF

TELEGRAPHING THE FACT THAT IT'S

ONE LOUD AND ONE QUIET?

>> WELL, I THINK IT CAME

ABOUT -- WELL, FOR ONE THING, WE

LIKE TO PLAY A LONG TIME.

>> RIGHT.

>> IF ANYONE'S SEEN US, WE LIKE

TO PLAY A LONG TIME.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

>> AND WE HAVE A LOT OF

DIFFERENT KINDS OF SONGS, AND I

THINK IT WAS -- AND THEN FADE,

OUR MOST RECENT RECORD, IS A

FAIRLY QUIET RECORD --

>> YEP.

>> -- IN GENERAL, AND WE

THOUGHT -- I DON'T REMEMBER

EXACTLY HOW WE CAME UP WITH THAT

IDEA, BUT WHEN WE WERE GOING TO

GO ON TOUR, WE THOUGHT, YOU

KNOW, IT WOULD BE REALLY NICE TO

ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, PUT TOGETHER

KIND OF A SMALL SET WHERE WE,

YOU KNOW, ACTUALLY PLAYED A

STRIPPED-DOWN DRUM KIT.

IT'S JUST A LITTLE QUIETER.

>> YEAH.

>> AND SMALL, AND PLAY A LOT OF

THOSE SONGS FROM THE RECORD, AND

MAYBE SOME OTHER QUIET SONGS

THAT WE PLAY, AND THEN JUST

FOCUS ON THAT.

AND THEN COME BACK AND, YOU

KNOW, GO CRAZY.

>> KICK THE DOORS DOWN.

>> YEAH.

>> IT WOULD BE FUN.

>> AND HONESTLY, THOSE SHOWS ARE

REALLY FANTASTIC AND THEY REALLY

WORK TOGETHER.

THAT'S THE OTHER PART OF IT.

>> YEAH, IT SEEMS LIKE -- THAT

SEEMED LIKE A GREAT IDEA.

>> AND IF YOU DO A SOFTER

SOUNDING RECORD LIKE FADE, YOU

HAVEN'T FORGOTTEN YO LA TENGO.

>> YOU MENTIONED THE

TELEGRAPHING, THAT WAS THE ONLY

MISGIVING I HAD -- IS THE IDEA

OF GOING, AND YOU DON'T KNOW

WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, AND THE

FACT THAT WE DID TIP OUR HAND

THAT WAY, IT JUST SEEMED THERE

WAS NO WAY OUT OF IT.

>> BUT THE REALITY IS, WITHIN

THOSE TWO SETS, YOU DON'T KNOW

WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN?

>> RIGHT.

>> HAVE YOU GOTTEN TO THE POINT

WHERE YOU THOUGHT YOU DON'T WANT

TO DO THIS ANYMORE?

MY SUSPICION WITH THE TWO OF

YOU, THEY'RE GOING TO MOVE THE

GUITAR AND DRUMSTICKS FROM YOUR

DEAD HANDS.

BUT DOES THERE COME A TIME THAT

YOU'RE NOT GOING TO DO THIS?

NO?

>> WE'VE NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT IT

ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. WE DIDN'T

START OUT FIVE YEARS, AND THEN

WE'LL GET REAL JOBS.

WE MIGHT HAVE TOLD OUR PARENTS

THAT.

THAT WAS NOT OUR PLAN.

WE NEVER HAD A PLAN.

>> YEAH.

>> SO WHY START NOW?

>> RIGHT.

IS THAT FAIR?

>> THAT'S TOTALLY FAIR.

>> I LIKE ENDING ON NOT HAVING A

PLAN.

THAT'S REALLY GREAT.

IT'S REALLY GREAT TO SIT WITH

YOU GUYS TO CONSIDER WHAT'S COME

BEFORE.

IT'S GREAT TO WATCH Y'ALL.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH IRA KAPLAN

AND GEORGIA HUBLEY.

>> WE'D LOVE TO HAVE YOU JOIN US

IN THE STUDIO, VISIT OUR WEBSITE

AT KLRU.ORG/OVERHEARD TO FIND

INVITATIONS TO INTERVIEWS, Q AND

A'S WITH OUR AUDIENCE AND

GUESTS, AND AN ARCHIVE OF PAST

EPISODES.

>> OVER THE YEARS, WE'VE BEEN

ASKED TO LICENSE SONGS TO

COMMERCIALS, WHICH IS NOTHING WE

EVER WANTED ANY PART OF. BUT WE

WERE VERY HAPPY TO WRITE OUR OWN

MUSIC, WRITE ORIGINAL MUSIC FOR

IT.

WE KIND OF DIDN'T WANT TO TAKE A

SONG THAT HAD OTHER MEANING TO

US AND APPLY IT TO STARBUCKS.

>> FUNDING FOR OVERHEARD WITH

EVAN SMITH IS PROVIDED IN PART

BY MFI FOUNDATION, IMPROVING THE

QUALITY OF LIFE WITHIN OUR

COMMUNITY.

AND FROM THE TEXAS BOARD OF

LEGAL SPECIALIZATION, BOARD

CERTIFIED ATTORNEYS IN YOUR

COMMUNITY, EXPERIENCED,

RESPECTED AND TESTED.

ALSO BY HILLCO PARTNERS, TEXAS

GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS CONSULTANCY,

AND ITS GLOBAL HEALTHCARE

CONSULTING BUSINESS UNIT, HILLCO

HEALTH.

AND BY THE ALICE KLEBERG

REYNOLDS FOUNDATION AND VIEWERS

LIKE YOU.

THANK YOU.

[ MUSIC ]

>> THIS WEEK ON OVERHEARD, IRA

KAPLAN AND GEORGIA HUBLEY WITH

YO LA TENGO.

>> TO THE EXTENT THAT I EMBRACE

IT, IT HAS MORE TO DO WITH AN

APPROACH.

WE DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO PLAY THE

SONGS WE PLAYED THE FIRST TIME,

WE SHOULD HAVE JUST REALLY

WORKED ON THOSE SONGS.

>> YEAH, RIGHT.

>> BUT WE DIDN'T.

WE JUST RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING

SET THIS GOAL THAT EVERY SHOW

WOULD BE DIFFERENT.