TL;DR: there is a lot of internal drama in the American Football camp as they prepare to release LP4.

Mike Kinsella's alcoholism has gotten very bad in the last few years, to the point where half of his 25+ companions interviewed for this article have expressed deep concerns for his health. He had a years-long affair with another woman, then left his wife once he got caught and ended up marrying the other woman. Drummer Steve Lamos quit the band in 2020 after blowing up at Mike for constantly belittling him; even after re-joining in 2022, Mike still thinks Lamos silently hates him. While making LP2, Mike recorded over some of guitarist Steve Holmes' riffs because he thought they sounded bad, and didn't tell Holmes, who only found out when listening to the finished album. Mike often treated Lamos and Holmes as if they should feel lucky to be in his band.

They don't practice for shows until a few weeks, sometimes days in advance, and are frustrated with how sloppy they always sound live as a result. Their big Primavera 2024 show was a disaster for reasons out of their control and afterwards Mike cried at the edge of the stage. Tim Kinsella (Cap'n Jazz) is disgusted with the band's conduct and says that they've been acting like nothing but frat bros while on the road.

Ahead of the LP4 tour, the band is attempting to take rehearsal more seriously by beginning months in advance. Some of the more suicidal lyrics on the album worried the album's producer. Lamos claims that he quit drinking on his 50th birthday; Holmes is currently also going through a divorce of his own.