BIG DAY COMING

The first biography of Yo La Tengo, one of the bestselling indie rock bands, set against the history of indie rock from its emergence in the late 1980s to the present day.

Yo La Tengo has lit up the indie scene for three decades, part of an underground revolution that defied corporate music conglomerates, eschewed pop radio, and found a third way. Going behind the scenes of one of the most remarkable eras in American music history, Big Day Coming traces the patient rise of husband-and-wife team Ira Kaplan and Georgia Hubley, who--over three decades--helped forge a spandex-and-hairspray-free path to the global stage, selling millions of records along the way and influencing countless bands. Using the continuously vital Yo La Tengo as a springboard, Big Day Coming uncovers the history of the legendary clubs, bands, zines, labels, record stores, college radio stations, fans, and pivotal figures that built the infrastructure of the now-prevalent indie rock world. Journalist and freeform radio DJ Jesse Jarnow draws on all-access interviews and archives for mesmerizing trip through contemporary music history told through one of its most creative and singular acts.

With never-beforeseen photos, the story threads between bands, labels, clubs, and many of the most pivotal figures in indie rock.
Jesse Jarnow is a music journalist and radio host. He has written for numerous publications, including Rolling Stone and Spin, has been a contributing editor for Paste magazine and Relix magazine, and plays in an indie rock band called The Sloppy Heads.