Rostam is revisiting his Vampire Weekend chapter with the release of the original version of “Campus,” a fan-favorite B-side off VW’s acclaimed 2008 self-titled debut. You can hear the new/old version below.
Rostam first recorded “Campus” in 2005 at Columbia University, a few months before the band’s founding. “Ezra wrote pretty much all of the lyrics on our debut album, but this song was an exception,” Rostam said in a statement. “I was interested in creating a piece of music that was built around a cello, a kick drum, and a vocal that told a story. Robyn’s ‘Be Mine’ was an inspiration. From the first time we tried playing it as a band with rock instruments, it happened to work. That was a happy accident, but I always intended for this original version to see the light of day someday.”
In a mini-doc accompanying the song’s release, Rostam added that “Campus (Original Version)” was dedicated to students who have protested at Columbia and around the country. “I really wanted to express my solidarity to the kids on campuses that are leading us,” he said. Accompanying the song’s release is a limited edition heavyweight 7-inch. Fifty-one percent of the song’s proceeds will be donated to Non-Profits Palestine Legal, CHIRLA, Palestine Children’s Relief Fund, and Sudanese American Physicians Association.
