American Football

American Football
American Football. Pictured are band members Mike Kinsella, Steve Lamos, and Steve Holmes.
Background information
Origin	Urbana, Illinois, USA
Genres	Indie rock, math rock
Years active	1997–2000
Labels	Polyvinyl Records
Associated acts	Cap'n Jazz, Joan of Arc, Owen, The One Up Downstairs, The Firebird Band, The Geese National Skyline
Website	myspace.com/amfootball
Members
Mike Kinsella, Steve Lamos, Steve Holmes

American Football was an indie rock band from Urbana, Illinois, active from 1997 to 2000. The band was formed by guitarist/bassist and singer Mike Kinsella (formerly of Cap'n Jazz and Joan of Arc and currently of Owen) and drummer Steve Lamos (formerly of The One Up Downstairs, one time member of The Firebird Band, and currently of The Geese and DMS), and also included guitar player Steve Holmes (also of The Geese).

History

Kinsella and Lamos began playing together with David Johnson and Allen Johnson in 1997 under the name 'The One Up Downstairs', in which Kinsella was exclusively a vocalist. Three songs were recorded under this name, with the intention of releasing them as a 7" record on Polyvinyl Records, however, the band splintered before the record could be pressed, so the songs were shelved. The three tracks recorded by The One Up Downstairs would finally be released in 2006 as a digital download EP by Polyvinyl.

David Johnson and Allen Johnson went on to form the band Very Secretary (and later Favorite Saints), while Kinsella and Lamos began working with Steve Holmes. American Football completed a total of two releases—an eponymous EP in 1998 and their full-length debut album in 1999, both through Polyvinyl Records. Though the band did not record bass on the EP, Kinsella handled bass duties on the LP.

Within a year of the release of their full-length, American Football became a studio project, and shortly thereafter the band mutually decided to stop recording together.^[1] Still, they gained critical acclaim for that album, which merged the plain-spoken, confessional lyrics of emo and the varying time signatures of math rock with a softer musical sensibility. These characteristics have been found in Kinsella's project, Owen. There has not been discussion of reuniting within the band.

Band name origin

Mike Kinsella explained the band's name as follows:

My girlfriend had been in Dublin, Ireland visiting her family. One of the things she brought home for me was a flyer for a Chicago Bears exhibition game that said: "Come see American Football, featuring the most overpaid athletes in the world." Something about that statement made me think of rock bands, most of whom are the most overpaid musicians in the world. When I suggested it as a name, the other guys thought it was dumb. Still, for whatever reason, we kept it.

Discography

• American Football EP (1998)

1. "The One with the Tambourine" – 4:01
2. "Letters and Packages" – 3:21
3. "Five Silent Miles" – 4:10

American Football (Polyvinyl Records, 1999)

• American Football (1999)

1. "Never Meant" – 4:28
2. "The Summer Ends" – 4:46
3. "Honestly?" – 6:10
4. "For Sure" – 3:16
5. "You Know I Should Be Leaving Soon" – 3:43
6. "But the Regrets Are Killing Me" – 3:54
7. "I'll See You When We're Both Not So Emotional" – 3:42
8. "Stay Home" – 8:10
9. "The One with the Wurlitzer" – 2:43

References

External links

• American Football at Polyvinyl Records
• American Football at joanfrc.com
• American Football at Epitonic