The Sleaves

When looking up “sleaves” in the dictionary, you will find nothing. No meaning can be culled from the pages of Webster. One must look to the stage and listen to find definition. What you find is a group whose sound is as diverse as the members making up the band: bombastic six-stringed anthems begging for air guitar; gritty, maraca-driven ass-shakers that come in high demand from go-go troupes like San Francisco’s Devilettes; shimmering pop numbers reminiscent of the ‘60s, worthy of a Wes Anderson soundtrack. What kind of alchemy does this group possess? Why do they deserve your undivided attention on stage? The answer is in their sum-is-greater-than-its-parts line-up. Paul Bertolino is the front man and eye of the hurricane. This singer/songwriter brings a voice and presence to the stage that belie his stature. Formerly the drummer of Bay Area favorites Persephone's Bees , Bertolino threw out the net in March of 2002 to find an outlet for his own material. What he dragged in was The Sleaves. Two years later, people have stopped lamenting the drum throne’s loss and have started celebrating what they have gained in a front man. Nathan Alfaro , long time friend of Bertolino, was the only choice to fill the low end in for The Sleaves. Nate’s catchy bass playing anchors the band while providing another outlet for melodies. He brings the sunshine in from Wine Country, adding to the pop hooks of the band. Pascal Garneau lends infectious vocal harmonies, a wall of six and twelve-string electric guitar, and his abilities on the 88’s to flesh out The Sleaves sound. Before churning out hooks on keys and guitars for The Sleaves, Pascal was 1/3 of San Francisco rockers Dixie Star. Mike Miller did time in Cincinnati selling guitars to lesser men before moving to Detroit for a crash course in Rock n’ Roll debauchery. He then moved to SF and through divine intervention, answered an anonymous Craig’s List add for a guitarist. He was ecstatic to learn that the drummer of one of his local fave’s was the man sending out the casting call. Aaron Nudelman ’s rock resume reads impressively- his latest solo outing saw him backed by The Chantigs (Rodent Records). His past adventures in rock include the venerable MensClub and Sunless Day. His solo efforts found a home on Scott Kannberg’s (from indie stalwarts Pavement) Amazing Grease record label. His drumming propels the bands sound, but his sweat testifies to its soul.-Ben Russo