Watch Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon Perform With His High School Band in 1998

Before his reinvention as Bon Iver, Justin Vernon released music under several aliases, including JD Vernon and his mid-2000s band, DeYarmond Edison. He’d begun writing songs much earlier, aged 12, and continued throughout high school, as well as captaining the football team. In 1998, his first band released their debut record, We Can Look Up. Their name? Mount Vernon. Now, reader Andy Schumann has shared footage that captures Mount Vernon in their prime: at a high school battle of the bands. The nine-piece group features future Vernon collaborators Phil Cook (DeYarmond Edison, Megafaun, Gayngs), Brad Cook (DeYarmond Edison, Megafaun), and Joe Westerlund (Megafaun, Grandma Sparrow), according to the video description. Check out the group’s half-hour set below. 

Watch Vernon’s band Volcano Choir perform “Comrade” on Pitchfork.tv’s “City of Music”:

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