>> 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.