Rig Rundown: American Football's Mike Kinsella & Steve Holmes
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Published 2023-10-04
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Inventive open tunings, offset time signatures, jangly Teles, and dream-machine pedals help illuminate the cinematic melodies and moods for the archetype of Midwest emo.
The 15-year history of Rig Rundown has established that guitar gear fascination (and obsession) runs deep in our community. It’s the life blood of our show. But if there was ever antithetical example to guitar gluttony and equipment idolatry, it would be American Football. Their original self-proclaimed “bedroom college project” focused on self-expression, musical creativity, and working with what you had, which wasn’t much.
For the recording of their pioneering American Football album released in 1999, they borrowed most of their gear, shared a single guitar cable and tuner, didn’t use bass, and formulated odd open tunings that allowed for sinuously melodic cinematic passages between Kinsella and Holmes. Their exploration of unique open tunings inspire a legion of players include 6-string virtuoso Yvette Young. (She now ships all her signature Ibanez guitars in a tricky open tuning—F–A–C–G–B–E—derived from American Football.) Their ingenious and scrappy methods went on to inform the brand of Midwest emo that simmered a devoted fanbase waiting for their return after disbanding in 2000. First returning to the stage in 2014 and delivering two more American Football albums in 2016 and 2019, the band continues using minimal gear for maximum art.
Ahead of American Football’s headlining show at Nashville’s Brooklyn Bowl, cofounding members Mike Kinsella (vocals/guitar) and Steve Holmes (guitar) invited PG’s Perry Bean onstage for a refreshingly practical gear chat. Kinsella recalls the band’s basic beginnings and explains how he starts every American Football demo. Then, Holmes shows off his “gorgeous and favorite” Tele. Plus, we encounter a Rig Rundown first where the tech has veto power over setlists.
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[Brought to you by D’Addario Trigger Capo: www.daddario.com/TriggerCaposRR]
00:00 - D'Addario Trigger Capos
00:15 - American Football Soundcheck Intro
00:55 - Perry Bean & Mike Kinsella Intro
01:44 - American Football's Beginnings
02:41 - Exploring Open Tunings
05:08 - Mike Kinsella on Playing Telecasters
06:57 - Fender Player Plus Telecaster from Joe Trohman
08:36 - Mike Kinsella's Fender Vintera 70s Tele Custom
09:20 - Mike Kinsella's Fender Tele-Sonic
11:30 - Mike Kinsella's Fender Deluxe Reverbs
12:32 - Mike Kinsella's Pedalboard
17:41 - Tunings with Tech Mike Garzon
19:01 - Steve Holmes' 2014 Fender American Elite Tele
19:41 - Steve Holmes' Jazzmaster & Jaguar
20:44 - Steve Holmes' Twin Reverbs
21:17 - Steve Holmes' Pedalboard
© Copyright Gearhead Communications LLC, 2023
#guitar #guitarist #rigrundown #emo #midwestemo #americanfootball #guitarplayer
All Comments (21)
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Shop American Football's Gear: Fender Player Plus Telecaster - sweetwater.sjv.io/LXoZLM DiMarzio Chopper T Bridge - sweetwater.sjv.io/xkXNGk Fender American Professional Jazzmaster - sweetwater.sjv.io/nLj2Qx Fender Vintera '70s Telecaster Custom - sweetwater.sjv.io/y2Em1D Fender Deluxe Reverb - sweetwater.sjv.io/rQLg5B Fender Twin Reverb - sweetwater.sjv.io/1roWAg Keeley Caverns - sweetwater.sjv.io/B0e2L9 EarthQuaker Devices Avalanche Run - sweetwater.sjv.io/R5Y6V7 EHX Holy Grail Nano - sweetwater.sjv.io/q4k2Mn EarthQuaker Devices Special Cranker - sweetwater.sjv.io/Qyz6DY EarthQuaker Devices Dispatch Master - sweetwater.sjv.io/PyVNgM Walrus Audio Emissary - sweetwater.sjv.io/k0Qo6M
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Definitely grabbed a screenshot of all those tunings
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The capo product placement at the beginning definitely knew its audience
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Such an incredible band. Caught them on their last tour. The guitar tech is 100% a champ....tunes guitars, plays percussion, sings, plays keyboard then goes back to tune
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It amazes me how one of my guitar idols is so gear ignorant and just creates some of the most beautiful music
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I hope the guys in AF know the impact they've had on so many people, inspiring them to play, helping get through tough times, all of that. Been waiting for this Rig Rundown once I saw the teaser story, great as always!
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You either die an indie hero, or live long enough to see yourself wearing mandals in your 40s.
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Saw them with dinosaur Jr and it was insane. So glad you guys are covering them. Such a great band and the tech is wildly good between actually performing and still being their tech during the show.
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My girlfriend and I watched them perform at the Brooklyn bowl that night :) what a great show, got to meet them afterwards. Friendly guys!
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I love how the interviewer is trying to have a super gear heavy conversation with Mike and he’s just pretending to know what he’s saying
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a great interviewee would be ryland from origami angel! his setup is super creative and he sounds absolutely amazing live (from what i've seen in videos lol)
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Mike Kinsella and AF are literally the reason i own a Telecaster. I might dip my toes into other guitars eventually, but Teles feel like home to me. Forever chasing the tone from AF EP1...
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thank you so much for shining a spotlight on these bands, part of my youth right there in the whole emo/hc/post hardcore bands, kudos and keep doing these =)
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Been waiting years for this
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he looks like the singer from owen
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Yes!
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Saw them live. Tech guy Mike is the hardest working man.
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"Ya i dunno what this thing is, I guess it's like a guitar or somethin."
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Y'all should do one with Ruban from UMO. dude has some wild sounds on the current tour
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Thank you Premier Guitar, for doing this Rig Rundown 🎉❤
