Sleep (band)
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Sleep is a stoner doom metal band from San Jose, California. Active during the 1990s, Sleep earned critical and record label attention early in their career. Critic Eduardo Rivadavia describes them as "perhaps the ultimate stoner rock band"[1] and notes they exerted a strong influence on heavy metal in the 1990s. However, conflict with their record company had contributed to Sleep's breakup by the end of the decade.
History
Before Sleep
Sleep evolved in the early 1990s from the band Asbestosdeath, which was established by vocalist/bassist Al Cisneros, drummer Chris Hakius, and guitarist Tom Choi. Asbestosdeath expanded to a quartet with the introduction of Matt Pike on guitar, and recorded two singles - "Dejection" for Profane Existence and the self released "Unclean". Choi departed, and would later found Operator Generator, It Is I, Noothgrush, and Las Vegas' Black Jetts. Asbestosdeath recruited Justin Marler as replacement and the band adopted the new name, Sleep.
Influences
Black Sabbath and Saint Vitus both had a major influence on Sleep's psychedelic doom sound.[citation needed]
Recording era
Their debut album Volume One was released in 1991. Frequently compared to bands like Saint Vitus, Sleep soon gained a devoted fanbase within the developing doom metal scene. The record also showcased the band's penchant for lysergic dirges. Marler quit the band soon after to take up life as a monk, leaving the band as a power trio for the recording of their Volume Two EP, which was released unofficially by Off The Disc Records in 1991.
The band's next album was sent to the independent label, Earache, as a demo. Recorded at Razors Edge studios in San Francisco, with Billy Anderson handling production, the tape showcased Sleep's love of all things retro, from the blatant Black Sabbath/Blue Cheer influences, to their fixation with 1970's-style tube amplification. The label immediately signed the band and released the tape exactly as it was received.
Sleep's Holy Mountain (1992) is widely considered a seminal album in the evolution of stoner metal. The album's release was followed by a potentially lucrative offer from London Records, and Sleep signed with them. Around this time, Earache released its first Black Sabbath Tribute album, and Sleep contributed a cover of "Snowblind".
Under their new contract, they began work on their third album, Dopesmoker, in 1995. Much to the dismay of executives at London records, Dopesmoker was a single song more than one hour long. London Records declared the album unmarketable and refused to release it. Sleep returned to the studio and then submitted their second attempt at the new album. They had retitled it Jerusalem, re-written some of the lyrics and trimmed it down to a "lean" 52 minutes, but it was essentially the same as Dopesmoker. London Records again refused to release it. Frustrated and generally unhappy with the situation, the members of Sleep decided to disband.
After Sleep
In 1998, Sleep and their former manager granted approval to Tony Presedo, head of Tee Pee Records and friend of the band, for the release of Jerusalem posthumously as an "official bootleg." One year later, Jerusalem was given an official legitimate release by The Music Cartel in the US and Rise Above Records in Europe.
Finally, in 2003 the original version of Dopesmoker was officially released by Tee Pee Records. It is generally considered the definitive version of the album. An excerpted version can be heard on Jim Jarmusch's Broken Flowers original soundtrack.
Cisneros and Hakius later formed the experimental rock band Om while Pike formed heavy metal band High On Fire.
In 2007 a CD compilation of both 7" releases of the pre-Sleep band, Asbestosdeath, was released on Southern Lord Records.
Reunion
In May 2009, Sleep reformed to perform two exclusive reunion sets in England as part of the All Tomorrow's Parties music festival.
On November 19, 2009 Al Cisneros confirmed in an interview with The Obelisk that Sleep will be reuniting in the fall of 2010 for some US dates. It has also been confirmed that Jason Roeder (of experimental metal band Neurosis) will replace Chris Hakius on drums.[2]
The group are confirmed to play the ATP New York 2010 music festival in Monticello, New York this September where they will perform Holy Mountain in its entirety. They are touring the rest of the United States, playing headlining dates and festivals, through September.
Sleep embarked on a 9-date US tour shortly after the All Tomorrow's Parties festival.
Line-up
Present members
- Al Cisneros - bass guitar, vocals (1990–1998, 2009–Present)
- Matt Pike - guitar (1990–1998, 2009–Present)
- Jason Roeder - drums (2010–Present)
Former members
- Chris Hakius - drums (1990–1998, 2009)
- Justin Marler - guitar (1990–1991)
Discography
Albums
| Year | Title | Type | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Volume One | Studio Album | Tupelo Records |
| 1992 | Volume Two | EP | Off the Disk Records |
| 1993 | Sleep's Holy Mountain | Studio Album | Earache Records |
| 1998 / 1999 | Jerusalem | Official Bootleg / Posthumous Studio Release |
The Music Cartel / Rise Above |
| 2003 | Dopesmoker | Posthumous Studio Album | Tee Pee Records |
Compilation album appearances
- "Numb" on Sign Language 3x7" (1991 Allied Recordings)
- "The Suffering" on Very Small World LP (1991 Very Small Records)
- "Snowblind" on Masters of Misery CD (1997 Earache Records)
- "Aquarian" on Burn One Up (Music for Stoners) CD (1997 Roadrunner Records)
- "Some Grass" and "Dragonaut" on Gummo Soundtrack CD (1998 DominoRecording Company)
- "Dragonaut" on Stoned Revolution - The Ultimate Trip CD/2LP (1998 Drunken Maria Records)
- "Dopesmoker" on Broken Flowers Music from the Film Soundtrack CD (2005 Decca Records)
- "Druid" on Worldwide Metal CD (2008 Earache Records)