A graduate of Sarah Lawrence College, Kaplan formed Yo La Tengo in the early 1980s. Previously, he worked as a music critic for the SoHo Weekly News, New York Rocker, Village Voice[3] and Matter,[4] as well as serving as a soundman, roadie and backup musician for Mofungo and other New York-area bands.[5][6] Kaplan's life, family, and musical development were chronicled in the book Big Day Coming: Yo La Tengo and the Rise of Indie Rock, by Jesse Jarnow (Avery Books, 2012).[7]
In 2012, Spin named Kaplan the 97th greatest guitarist of all time.[8]
Kaplan's vocals were featured in Eluvium's 2013 album Nightmare Ending in the song "Happiness". He occasionally hosts a free-form radio program on WFMU under the name "Ira the K."[9]
References
^"ABOVE THE SOUND". ASCAP. American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
