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Crescendo Magazine NOV/DEC Issue (Cover + Full Spread
Six of the nuttiest, funniest, goofiest, guys I have ever met! Sleep Serapis Sleep are not shy about how they feel about anything. The self-proclaimed Blink 182 of metal had a lot to say about what they have done to get to where they are in the heavy metal scene. As an independent group of musicians, they view their shows as a good time, and their fans new and old seem to enjoy themselves. Next to writing their music, touring is their favorite part of being in a band. Vocalists Clay Smith said, “We are not some big band with corporate sponsorship and [have] tour support from a label… We are an independent group of musicians taking solace in the generosity of various friends, promoters, and bands nation wide,” Many young bands are not familiar with the not so glamorous side of touring, Smith described their first tour experience as, “by far the roughest”. “You don’t have many contacts to help you out and you are probably inexperienced. Our first tour with This or The Apocalypse, we were booked all the way out to Florida and every show on the way back fell through. Twenty hours of driving with nowhere to play a show or sell merch is never a good situation.” Though there are the few negative aspects to touring, SSS says you just have to "roll with the punches". Basically, you never know what to expect and you have to take in touring for all it is worth, the good and the bad...and the ugly. “It definitely takes a certain mindset to commit to such an extreme lifestyle, you wake up each morning not knowing what may or may not go awry,” explained Smith.
An upside to one of the stickier of situations happened to be in a recent tour with Amarna Reign, a show in Iowa had been cancelled the day of, so an impromptu show at The House of Bricks in Des Moines, Iowa took place. With everyone being supportive and spreading the word of the new show, it turned out to be a great. Bassist Sammie Anderson recalled this event very well for a couple good reasons. “Corey Taylor along with several other members of Slipknot came out of nowhere! We [then] proceeded to sing karaoke with Corey and had a great time hanging out and listening to the new unreleased Slipknot album.”
Sleep Serapis Sleep have had to accommodate to their new lifestyle as a band, and have the correct mindset in order to still be able to function. “There is a feeling of uncertainty during touring; you never know what is going to happen. One day could be awesome, a great show with a great turnout, and the next day can be one of the worst experiences of your life. Touring is a game of chance, and you must be willing to take that chance. The true value of touring is the incredible memories and relationships built in every second of every day," explained Smith.
Other than touring, SSS has had a lot of experience in the field of receiving new members. They have had over twenty members, due to the fact that many people did not really know what they were getting into. These guys have a mutual respect for all of their coming and going members, and are aware of their talent. As for right now, the current members are the ones who truly want to be a part of SSS, and understand the work they must put into everything to continue on with their ideas and imaginings. “ many people who joined early on didn’t know what they were getting into, and that we were trying to take our music seriously and to a whole new level,” explained guitarist Roy Drinkwater. Drummer Ean Smith described joined Sleep Serapis Sleep is like, “ being thrown into a cold pool of inside jokes. I’m sure to the untrained eye we all seem pretty crazy, but we just have a very special brand of humor, which definitely takes some getting used to.”
Though the members have come and gone, their manager Jeff Nelson is here to stay. He helps them with finding show, helps plan tours and is always giving them feedback on the bands work. Brandon Rekowski has not only been their tour manager since day one, he is also a best friend to these boys. It is very important to have a solid relationship with your managers when you are in a band, and they must to have an excellent knowledge of the industry, but that can go without saying.
Sleep Serapis Sleep have been able to build up a fan base in many areas. Smith explained that the best way to do this is to play shows and bring tons of merch. “The merch table is our band’s bread and butter on the road. It’s like having a mini-fundraiser at every show, and a necessary one at that. If a promoter backs out, doesn’t show up, or refuses to give you your guarantee, we’ve always have something to sell to help us get to the next show…We had a show cancellation once in Tulsa, Oklahoma and did over $100 in merchandise just by hanging out by a mall,” Smith said. This went straight to the gas tank, and they were on their way to the next show the very next day.
With the release of “Dead Man Walking” being over a year old, the question is when will Sleep Serapis Sleep be back in the studio and ready to release new music. Smith said, “The writing process takes several months, usually. Then there is the recording process to look forward to...or not. Recording time has been another constant struggle for us. We recorded, mixed and mastered our 4-track demo in a single day." "Dead Man Walking" was all completed in five days, because of this, the guys have decided to have their next album to be recorded by themselves, or at least their own pre-production so they will have more time to work on and critique the material. Other than the fast pace, recording has gone well. “In the coming month we will be making sure that our next album will be the very best of our material. We’re all very excited about the new direction and the endless possibilities we will have in starting the project independently,” explained Smith.
The experiences that these boys have endured are ones they will never forget, and fans need to be looking forward to upcoming shows and this new album should be a jaw-dropper. Sleep Serapis Sleep has given the world music that will make your eyes bleed and cause you to foam at the mouth, in the best way possible...and in the vein of recording, touring, and promoting, the best is yet to come!
