ATP The Fans Strike Back Preview 3 - Sleep

"Follow the smoke to the riff-filled land"

Hell yeah!
My first introduction to Sleep was via "Dopesmoker". I'm not sure if it was this Mutant Sounds post which led me to it (still available to download there as well) but it was certainly this story:

When these Californian doom metallers took the opportunity of a '90s major-label deal with London records, they blew the advance on 70ies vintage amplification equipment and loads of the highest quality grass and returned to the label with a massive 65 minutes track dedicated to dope smoking. Imagine the reaction of the freaked out corporate manager upon first listen… the tape was immediately returned and demanded to be reworked into a series of songs. SLEEP did nothing about it and a legal battle ensued, resulting in the shelving of the album as unmarketable.

Which is just so cool. Given my obsession with artists selling out, I just had to get this album (which eventually did get out there) on the strength of that.

(and if anyone thinks that it's no longer relevant take a look at this, The Klaxons forced to redo their second album:

"Yes [we were asked to re-record part of the album]," he confirmed to NME.COM. "Because we've made a really dense, psychedelic record. We've made a really heavy record and it isn't the right thing for us, I understand and know that. First and foremost we're a pop band. I haven't thought about that for a long time, and now it's in the forefront of my mind."

The record company reject it and the band meekly accept the decision, not only accept it but blame themselves and allow the record company to tell them what they are)

I'd never really been into heavy metal until I heard Dopesmoker, especially this type of HEAVY stuff, I'd seen Sunn 0))) and really didn't get it - now I get it, Sleep operated as a kind of gateway, and now I wish I'd appreciated Sunn 0))) when I had the chance - but from the first listen I was completely blown away by it - and I wasn't even smoking anything...
It is an amazing track, 60 minutes of bliss - To quote Julian Cope - "this Sleep album seemed to be the realest of real shit and then some…"
It starts with a growl of guitar and it just keeps on growling (almost non-stop) for an hour. It's not about adding layers and layers, building up to a grand finale, it's about a growl that just is - gaining in intensity by its very sameness, unrelenting, like a gathering storm that just keeps on grumbling without ever breaking.
Here is the first 8 minutes -



OK. So now you're hooked, go to the Mutant Sounds link above and download the rest of it.
Dopesmoker blows everything away, but their other stuff is also goddamn awesome and well worth a listen. Here's a video of them performing "The Druid" off the Holy Mountain album



And here's "Dragonaut" off the same album


And they're playing two sets at ATP according to the website and not only that but these performances are a "world exclusive that will never be repeated."
Unmissable.

Preview 2 - Beirut is here.
Preview 1 - Pink Moutaintops is here.