American Football (band)

American Football (stylized as americ anfootball) is an American Midwest emo band from Urbana, Illinois. The band was formed by lead singer Mike Kinsella and guitarist Steve Holmes, and drummer and trumpet player Steve Lamos. All three are still in the band's currently lineup, with Kinsella's cousin Nate Kinsella later joining the band during their reunion.The band was formed in 1997 and broke up in 2000 before re-uniting in 2014.

Career
Mike Kinsella and Steve Holmes first met each other at Wheeling High School and were roommates together. The two started to play music together and created a band called The One Up Downstairs. Holmes had already played in the band Cap'n Jazz before they created their group. The One Up Downstairs had released three songs but never put out any records and broke up. Kinsella and Steve Lamos then began to perform with Holmes and they formed American Football while they were attending the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. They chose the name American Football after a poster which Lamos' girlfriend saw that said "Come see American [f]ootball, the most overpaid athletes in the world."

On October 6, 1998, the band released their first self-titled EP. The next year on September 14, 1999, American Football released their first self-titled studio album. The band decided to break up in 2000 because they wanted to focus on their own lives. After their breakup, the band grew a following with their self-titled studio album becoming popular and the band itself being a major influence on the Midwest emo scene.

In 2014, the band decided to reform and their label Polyvinyl released a deluxe reissue of their 1999 studio album.

 Band members 
Current
Mike Kinsella – lead vocals, guitar (1997–2000, 2014–present), bass guitar (1997–2000)
Steve Holmes – guitar (1997–2000, 2014–present) keyboards (1997–2000)
Nate Kinsella – bass, backing vocals, vibraphone (2014–present)
Steve Lamos – Drums, percussion, trumpet (1997–2000, 2014–2021, 2023–present)

 Discography 
Studio albums
 American Football (1999)
 American Football (2016)
 American Football (2019)

References

Other websites

Category:1997 establishments in the United States
Category:2000 disestablishments in the United States
Category:2014 establishments in the United States
Category:1990s American music groups
Category:2000s American music groups
Category:2010s American music groups
Category:Emo bands
Category:Indie rock bands
Category:Musical groups from Illinois