San Jose's legends Sleep evolved in the early 90's from the band Asbestos Death which was established by Cisneros, Hakius and guitarist Tom Choi. Asbestos Death expanded to a quartet with the introduction of Matt Pike on guitar and recorded 2 singles - Dejection for Profane Existence and the DIY-released Unclean. Choi departed, joined Noothgrush, It Is I and would later find Operator Generator. He is currently living in Las Vegas in a band with Sleep's friend Roy Page (whose voice introduces Sleep on their 7") in a band called The Blackjetts. Some of the places Asbestos Death played were various house parties, a pizza parlor, and Gilman st. in Berkeley. They soon recruited Justin Marler as replacement and switched the name to Sleep. They played their first show as Sleep in a small house in San Jose in the living room. Sleep debuted with 1991's Volume One album, recorded for small San Francisco indie label Tupelo. The record showcased the bands penchant for fuzzed out lysergic-influenced dirges, with little in the way of the Sabbath worship which would soon follow. Marler subsequently quit the band to take up the Monastic life, leaving the band as a power trio. Sleep continued to play small pizza parlors like Italo's, a bowling alley called Saratoga Lanes, clubs in san jose like the Red Light District, The Cactus Club, Club FX, as well as continue to play at Gilman st. in Berkeley, while they started to play out further into San Francisco like The Haze Theater and eventually The Great American Music Hall and a warehouse show in Oakland. They also recorded their on air live set on Los Altos Hills' KFJC 89.7 FM on Dominic Trix's daytime show, which would introduce their new sound and a song that never was otherwise recorded called Hot Lava Man.Earache received the bands next recordings in the mail as a demo. Funded by Chiyo Nukaga (Noothgrush/Graves at Sea) and recorded with the infamous Billy Anderson handling the production duties at Razors Edge studios in SF, the tape showcased Sleep's love of all things retro, from the blatant Black Sabbath/Blue Cheer fug-fueled riffage, to their fixation with old style 70's Orange and Green Matamp amplification. The label - impressed by their singlemindedness and unique vision - immediately signed the band and released the tape exactly as it was received- record store shelves worldwide stocked the "Sleeps Holy Mountain" Album from March 1993 onwards to this day. Around this time Earache released the very first Black Sabbath Tribute album also, and naturally Sleep contributed, with their own rendition of "Snowblind" being one of the highlights. Ozzy himself was impressed, saying Sleep were the closest band he'd heard to Sabbaths original 70's style and feeling. Praise indeed. They were interviewed in many zines, including a fold out centerfold photoshoot with Thorazine Magazine.More adulation followed after a debut European tour with label mates and fellow Sabbath-worshippers Cathedral and Penance, and a touring stint with Nik Turners Hawkwind in the USA further cemented Sleeps place as leaders in the newly- monikered 'Stoner Rock' scene that was beginning to attract fans and press coverage alike. They recruited Doug to man the backdrop film projection Nasa footage of planets and astronauts floating in time to their songs.Earache announced plans for a follow up album, releasing the title Dopesmoker to the press, but the band's new heavyweight management team preferred to take the major label route, and the band duly signed with London Records , with Earache's blessing, after a substantial payoff. Initially scheduled for a 1995 release date, the debut album for the major took the form of one mammoth 52 minute long leviathan of a track, comprising feedback and one distorted fuzzed-out doomy riff. Entilted Jerusalem, London baulked at the prospect of promoting what probably still is the most extreme music ever recorded for a major label, so shelved the recording and dropped the band.
Sleep continued to practice Dopesmoker in synch to their film projection for months in their practice studio in Campbell. Sadly this would be the last studio held by Sleep, and the original version of Dopesmoker with the drumming style similar to Holy Mountain, would never be recorded. Originally released by Tee Pee Records out of New York on a cd. It is now available on LP and the new CD has an extra live unreleased track.
Pike set about formulating a fresh act, emerging with HIGH ON FIRE in 1999 and issuing a three track eponymous EP followed by the Art Of Self Defense album in 2000 with George Rice and Desmond Kensel. They toured with their second bassist Joe Preston of the Melvins and Thrones. Now they are pleased to tour the uS and Europe with thrid bassist Jeffrey and have a new full length coming out. Pike also used to do vocals only with a band called KALAS.
Marler, no longer residing in the monastry, would surface with Hakius with a non-doom project entitled The Sabians. This band, including guitarist Patrick Huerta and bass player Rachel Fisher, put out the Empty Your Heart demo before releasing the Beauty For Ashes album produced by Fudge Tunnel man Alex Newport.
Hakius and Cisneros are playing live all over the world with OM. They have a new full length coming out on Southern Lord which they recorded with Steve Albini in Chicago. They also have been involved in San Francisco's moving dawn to dusk performance The Rambler.
