The American Football House in Urbana

In the late 1990s, a photographer named Chris Strong stood in front of a house on the sidewalk of West High Street in Urbana, Illinois and snapped a peculiar photograph of a white-framed house. That photograph would become the cover of the debut record by a local indie band called American Football. The house in the photo would become one of the more significant landmarks in indie music, attracting visitors 20 years later who come to pay homage to the band and take their own photo of the iconic “American Football House.”

To talk more about the house and the significance it holds to certain alternative fans across the world, The 21st is joined by journalist and musician based in Chicago, Chicago-based videographer and photographer who took the photo on the cover of American Football's debut album and a former occupant of the American Football House.

Guests:

Sean Neumann, Journalist and musician based in Chicago. His writing on music, culture, and entertainment has been published in Rolling Stone, The New York Times, ESPN, VICE, and more. He’s also a former producer with The 21st.

Chris Strong, Chicago-based videographer and photographer who took the photo on the cover of American Football's debut album.

Jessie Knoles, Former occupant of the American Football House, poet, and current graduate student at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Prepared for web by Zainab Qureshi

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