Finally, some news that will heal the inner child of every elder emo: American Football now own the iconic house on the cover of LP1.
In partnership with Chris Strong, Atiba Jefferson, Open House Contemporary and their label Polyvinyl, the band now own 704 W. High Street in Polyvinyl's hometown of Champaign-Urbana, IL. The house went up for sale last fall, and the label "made a pact with our friends to protect the house from developers and likely demolition."
"In the nearly 25 years since American Football's release of LP1, this white clapboard house has become 'one of music's biggest monuments' (VICE) receiving visitors from across the world on their emo pilgrimage — it's appropriately designated a 'place of worship' on Google Maps," a statement on the Polyvinyl website reads. "Sitting across the street from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, it has hosted decades of house parties and punk shows all around the property — from a halfpipe in the backyard to the back porch to the basement."
Noting that both the house and the riff to LP1 opening track "Never Meant" have been "memed into infamy," the label also recognizes the home 704 W. High Street has been to many over the years: "Besides being a literal home to its many tenants throughout the years, The American Football House has come to represent a nostalgic dream of possibility and the beauty of the beginning. We could not let that dream go."
In partnership with Chris Strong, Atiba Jefferson, Open House Contemporary and their label Polyvinyl, the band now own 704 W. High Street in Polyvinyl's hometown of Champaign-Urbana, IL. The house went up for sale last fall, and the label "made a pact with our friends to protect the house from developers and likely demolition."
"In the nearly 25 years since American Football's release of LP1, this white clapboard house has become 'one of music's biggest monuments' (VICE) receiving visitors from across the world on their emo pilgrimage — it's appropriately designated a 'place of worship' on Google Maps," a statement on the Polyvinyl website reads. "Sitting across the street from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, it has hosted decades of house parties and punk shows all around the property — from a halfpipe in the backyard to the back porch to the basement."
Noting that both the house and the riff to LP1 opening track "Never Meant" have been "memed into infamy," the label also recognizes the home 704 W. High Street has been to many over the years: "Besides being a literal home to its many tenants throughout the years, The American Football House has come to represent a nostalgic dream of possibility and the beauty of the beginning. We could not let that dream go."
