American Football

[Kudostothekids]

Gotta ask, what song is this?

[goguyestguygo]

@Kudostothekids I'm thinking 5 silent miles, could be wrong. I just found out there's more AF than what's on their self titled.

[EveryChevyChase]

6/8 time = six eighth notes in the pattern, grouped in two triplets, with accents on 1 and 4 (the first beat of each triplet). 3/4 = three quarter notes, written in three groups of eighth notes. 6/8 is used heavily in the electric blues, Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughn. 3/4 is more for a choppy garage rock sound. FUN WITH TIME SIGNATURES, KIDS!!!!

I was big into June of '44 too, who were also from the mid 90s Chicago scene, Quarterstick Records. Slint as well. It's good music.

[jakekarlson]

fuck yeah Kinsella bros

[meaningfulthings]

This is so perfect.

[johnnybagels]

7 beat sig gets me so good

[cliffburton333]

these people didn't even realize the magic they were bearing witness to. if only i could have been lucky enough to see them play live.

[TehZombie]

"What happened?" Couldn't have said it better myself, Mike.

[lennycarlmoe]

Did anyone notice this song is in 7/4? These guys love that time signature. That is probably my favorite thing about this band... people always talk about the open tunings, but i think the odd times sigs and time signature changes are the coolest part (listen to the song "you know i should be leaving soon" off the album... it starts in 3/4, then 5/4, then 4/4, then 3/4, back to 5/4 - brilliant). You never really hear that. Even other "post-rock" bands of the time primarily played in 4/4.

[shizzle31]

ok so a normal song is in what timing usually? 4/4??

[geoffcabforcutie]

yes, sometimes 3/4 or 6/8, they're the same thing really.

[delollicar]

6/8 is actuallys somewhat different than 3/4. think of 6/8 as 2/4 with two sets of eight note triplets. if you wanna hear it for yrself just start tapping out quarter notes on yr desk and then divide up the beat so its more of a 1-2-3 4-5-6 as opposed to just 1 2 3 1 2 3. if you do it right you should hear a difference.

its kind of arcane knowledge you don't actually need but hey, the more you know!

[geoffcabforcutie]

yeah.

[shizzle31]

The band that started it all for me, i starting listening to AF years back and they opened my eyes..

[SpiritofVersaille]

Same here, my guitar playing manifested itself in amazing ways cuz of these guys.

[shizzle31]

exactly, i mean they revolutionized a new way of playing guitar, ending songs off key, simple melancholy lyrics, they are just amazing

[DuraConfesion]

the best indie experimental!!!

[Sousleek]

For me - it's the best band ever. ;)

[oldschoolemo93]

definately up there.

[mahavishnu]

Al least one of the best bands ever... but, actually, it is perhaps the most underrated.... even they were as revolutionary as The Beatles, Radiohead, King Crimson, The Velvet Underground & My Bloody Valentine, but almost nobody knows it.

anyway... cheers for this!

This video... this performance... ir pure GOLD.

[deathcabpickups]

@Sousleek fuck ya

[hiimgarret]

not at all what this is.

[regularperson46]

Where was this performance?

[ReadingToWrite]

I believe The Fireside Bowl - Chicago

[GayOTKSpankFest]

Good Stuff!

[markieg3me]

they remind me of sunny day real estate, there really good.

[sdbrown]

Man, if only I had been at the front edge of the curve when these guys were together and touring.

[ilaughindooors]

i classify it as awesome. =)

[localdummiesguy]

this song is amazing. i really wish they would have released it. :(

[rollingrockink]

I've seen/read all/ everything on youtube of this band, it seems that majority of the commentators are trying to diffrentiate 'emo' from what occurred in the 80's, to the 90's and what ever is occrring today, the most important thing to say about AF, all that dischord/gravity/gern blandsten/(demo tape groups) is to see forms of expression through these various time frames as ENSEMBLES, not bands running around calling themselves this or that...everyone, just stop and think and make up...

[thomaskenneally]

i agree. i don't think any of the bands from this era set out to be a "insert lame genre here" type of bands. American Football were simply a very talented independent band with a style all their own. instead of figuring out what stupid adjective you're going to add after the hyphen in "emo-", sit back relax and maybe pick up your guitar and try and learn some of this mastery. for the love of good music.

[charizardsspirit]

you touched me..

[drex48239]

thats what she said

[charizardsspirit]

yh i meant to compliment her.

[lespaulnasty31]

yep you got it...that's all the job entails...play what you feel like playing...and lmao to the that's what she said

[MTVVH1sucks]

@rollingrockink hmmm good one.

[keithcmarley]

This, if anything, is classified as post-rock.

"emo" was never a legit genre.

and yes, funeral for a friend is worthless.

[AllahisaJew]

I classify it as emo. You're probably just trying to dissociate yourself from the emo kids of today, which is understandable.

[thisischicago]

clueless.

[EfrainRomero88]

the best band!!

[absenteedebate]

they never recorded this did they?

[alaydu]

nope.

[yitzchak13]

I like the singer's voice best in this song.

[ilo0kvideos]

i got a lot songs by them on my mp3

[TheIneffableMe]

12 songs doesn't sound like a lot to me :P

[JuanDa1094]

Ohhhhhhhh

[blackbirdwives]

...wow what a boring conversation.

[natas1979]

Wow.....the Fireside bowl brings back some memories.

American Football, Braid, & Capn Jazz MADE the Chicago music scene

[kmiller9959]

Sages goes in all fields.

[AceHarding]

Truer words never spoken.

[leelad00]

try.. The Art Of American Football... So much better

[LifeNotLost]

Fuck FFAF. American Football destroys them.

[shalabi84]

hey i wanna label stuff. its important to label everything. That way people wont lose it.

[AndrassyJoseph]

WTF guys this is OWEN don't ever spoil his music by trying to put it into a genre, stop trying to catrgrize things and just listen.

Mike is awsome

[ryangepgepgep]

it's american football, not owen.

[ambulancecore]

obvious troll is obvious

[pheesso]

american football discography is here: l i x . i n / 9 2 f e 2 5

[piedsjie]

was this track actually ever recorded?

[ryangepgepgep]

it's on their ep.

[AceHarding]

Actually this song was never recorded. It isn't Five Silent Miles.

[belrocksg]

I think the term is Post-Emo, emo with an indie touch, a very big indie rock touch.

[jpuscfan26]

Every American Football video i go to everyone is argueing about them being emo. It's indie but it doesn't matter its great music

[jumpoverthefence]

this is emotional shit...dudes rocking out...just slow with a little passion

[spinfex]

can someone send me some music by this band? THanks

[llgraffman]

why do people care about what other people label a band as? just enjoy the music

[JaredLikesCandy]

American Football = Emo

Deal with it.

There's such a thing as a good emo band. Proof's right here. Too bad there's no better clips floating around.

[Zargon314]

I have this concert on my SS account if anyone wants to download it, my username is "KingsleyZissou"

[WinkyPWNs]

Do you mind uploading it somewhere like a megashare etc? That would be fantastic!! Thank you!

[JamesHenebury]

SS? What is SS?

I'd love to own this. Can you send a link, or something?

[alphatyrone]

Storm Trooper

[onelastpiano]

whoever referred to american football as "emo" in the last 4 pages of comments should be shot in the penis/vagina and drug behind a car with a chain down the interstate.

no offence.

[Iamnotanumber783]

First of all, if you are illiterate you really should not be making fun of other people, especially through written word. Secondly, if you listen to the band for all of about 10 seconds you can tell that American Football was definitely a precursor to Emo, even if most Emo now is pretty much trash.

[onelastpiano]

first of all, you should be shot in the penis. secondly, ...well thats all, you should just be shot in the penis. shut the fuck up. my opinion kicks your opinions ass.

[AceHarding]

Precursor? Apparently you don't know anything about emo. Minor Threat would be considered more of a precursor than American Football. American Football came around many years after emo was established with Rites of Spring.

[TCAWhat]

1998 dude? By then, the second wave of emo was in full swing. Get your facts straight before trying to showi others that they're wrong.

[cookiebaron]

guys maybe you should argue about something more important like what brand of soap ian mackaye uses

[TCAWhat]

Just putting in my two cents. I ususally like to stay away from these types of things, but it's not arguing. It's fact man. And as for the video (so this comment has some relevance,) I miss American Football.

[cesareo12]

I need to know where is that track ! i dont find it anywhere...

[Zargon314]

this is Jessies girl.

[coolscottclub]

can you send it or tell me where i could maybe get it from please? its soo good! and it only seems to be 1/2 of the song on here.

[coolscottclub]

who knows the name of this unreleased track? please email me to tell me where i can get it

[cesareo12]

When first heard about them i didnt knew there was a label for that,i just found a band with a new aproach in music and still think the same,is a pity that i have to hear records from such a long time ago to find something new.

[eeelllliiiiiiii]

american football was emo.

but they were around when 'emo' was a legit genre

before MTV turned "emo" into a scene.

[cireodeca]

wait..this is getting really annoying about how people talk about emos.. and how is this emo? cuz its good music?? shit!! what is happening to this world

[blondeeagles]

i mean if you want to call them emo, it's definitely better than calling 30 seconds to mars emo. so knock yourselves out

[ftbs11]

guys, the point of this "type" of music is not to be able to fit it into a 'type'

..thats what makes it so beautiful

[coldnirvanax]

they were emo.

or post emo if you want to get technical

[indiester]

american football was NOT EMO... get the facts straight.

[MrCharming123]

What is the deal lol..he just does...nothing

[ryanpchandler]

is there any owls videos on this site

[coldnirvanax]

finally..a REAL emo band.

[calendarvideo]

damn, this is so great. mike kinsella it´s just the biggest inspiration i could ever found. it´s amazing what this guys have done among their lives.

[lennycarlmoe]

this if from april of '98 at the Fireside Bowl in Chicago (this is right before they recorded the polyvinyl single I think -- about a year before they made the full length then broke up).

[lennycarlmoe]

yes, this was an unreleased song. the beginning was the best part, but for some reason this clip starts in the middle of the song.

[AceHarding]

Unreleased Song? Badass.

[jvenrick]

Definitely wish there were more videos like this.  Mike Kinsella is absolutely amazing.

[IndieNick]

Thank you so much for posting. I wish I could have been there.... Mike Kinsella is honestly one of the most inspiring songwriters of our generation....

[tamirs]

Owen is better.

But American Football is amazing.

[whenifall]

Mike Kinsella looks really different. Awesome video.

[JetSetReady]

This is incredible.

Sidenote: I uploaded a Broadways video awhile ago that you guys should check out if you're into them.

[mcdeltat]

can you please please make the entire video available?

[2rightsmake1wrong]

ohhh amazing man, more please!

[andromedasucks]

oh fucking awesome.

[amarecupidus]

woahh. first american football vid i've seen! where/ when was this?? <3

[loveamerican]

i'm not sure when this was, but this was definitely at the fireside bowl in chicago.

[arinfazio]

no fucking way..

[KuatoLives]

It's due time that we have some American Football videos.

[thechenster]

what song are they playing or are they just warming up

[dillon87]

ummm whoa... this is awesome... please say you have more...

[stuartmoffatDOTcom]

PLEASE tell me you have more AMERICAN FOOTBALL, there one of my fav bands ever.... PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!!! thank yo so much for this

[estiempo]

i was at this show! steve holmes rulez.

[dontchokeonwords]

well the fact that we get to see mike kinsella at a really young age is sweet. awesome vid :)

[PlanetShhhh]

Nice, Have you got anymore?