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Yo La Tengo performs in the Current studio

by Bill DeVille and Yo La Tengo

October 07, 2006

Yo La Tengo
Georgia Hubley, Ira Kaplan, and James McNew of Yo La Tengo
MPR Photo/Derrick Stevens

Yo La Tengo have been performing for more than 20 years. While they haven't achieved the popular acclaim of their contemporaries the Flaming Lips, they get a lot of credit for outlasting pretty much everyone else.

After rotating through guest bassists on tours and records, the husband and wife team of guitarist Ira Kaplan and bassist Georgia Hubley were joined by James McNew in the early '90s. Besides making some great albums, the trio have played the Velvet Underground on film and recorded one of the most mournful tunes ever used in a Coca-Cola commercial.

The band swung by The Current studios to chat with Bill DeVille and play some tracks from their newest album, I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass.

Songs performed: "Beanbag Chair," "Mr. Tough" and "I Feel Like Going Home."

The band returned to The Current for another session in 2009.