Tuesday, March 28, 2017

Looking for 1993/1994 videos and audio - paying for original footage

I am looking to try and unearth footage and audio from the 1993 and 1994 shows from Sleep and I have been told there is come extant footage from Sleep in Europe in 1993 as a friend of the band apparently recorded a number of shows on that tour. 1994 seems to be the last year they were playing (until the 2009 reunion and beyond) and I would also love to find footage or audio from those shows as well.


I am willing to pay for video and audio not on my blog, from 1993 and 1994 or, as always, trades are welcome. Email me direct at devilscoot@yahoo.com. Peace, brothers.

Thursday, August 13, 2015

Sleep - 1993 US Tour (Cathedral/Penance)




Now this is some great early Sleep footage of them playing a handful of songs on their 1993 US tour. The video is multiple cameras, but the quality is not too awesome - however, the sound is pretty great. It's all about the Greens (in more ways than one).
I have asked the uploader for the single file this may have been taken from, but for now, grab some couch and some youtube and enjoy.
I am always on the lookout for more 1993 tour footage from the US or Europe on the Cannibal Corpse tour, so if you have anything or know of some footage that is waiting to be set free, let me know!

Sunday, January 20, 2013

Sleep producer Billy Anderson talks about the recording of Dopesmoker


Billy was gracious enough to recount the recording of Dopesmoker for me - specifically what amps and mics were used to get that tone. He's an incredibly talented guy with a silly list of albums and bands he has worked with - including producing all of Sleep's recorded material. Check out his website for a comprehensive list - http://www.billyanderson.net

Hey man-
Thanks for the kind words...
That was a long time ago, but..its still really clear in my
mind what was used because that album was such a struggle and
achievement...Anyhow, for basic tracking (I'm pretty sure this
track was used throughout the mixing process as a center track,
except for the "scratch" solos..) we used a Green Matamp with a
Green 4x12 cab, mic'd with an Sm57 and a Beyer M88. For the
main guitars, we used two full stacks, one stack driven by a
Green Matamp and the other driven by a Green Matamp Combo amp
(I think it had 2x12" speakers) on the front end and a Slave
Unit power amp on the back end...Each stack was mic'd close
with SM7 and M88 with a room mic (probably a large diaphragm
Neumann U67) and all mics summed to one track on tape. This
setup was used to double the main guitar. So at that point we
had the original live track and two performances of the setup
with 2 stacks, equalling three tracks total.
THEN--on certain parts of the song, for texture and dimension,
we did an additional rhythm track using a fucking Pignose amp,
open halfway with an AKG 414 in figure 8 pattern inserted into
the open amp...Fucked up, right?
After that, solos were done with the 2-full stack setup or the
Pignose depending on which solo...Clean guitars were done with
the Matamp combo at low volume with a ribbon mic close up and a
room mic...
Does this help you? Thanks for the compliments. One day I/we will write a book
about that recording---it's an amazing story!!!
Be well, riff on..
BA

Sleep - Live at Kennel Club - 2-22-1994 - San Francisco, CA


1) Intro
2) From Beyond
3) Dopesmoker
4) Aquarian

"We're Sleep, and we like NyQuil."

'From Beyond' is one of my favorite Sleep tracks and yeah, it sounds great when you are definitely high, but the best part of the track here is the second half, which starts in just before the 11-minute mark - powerful, hard riffage leading into a great solo. Here, Pike really nails it - one of the better solos I have heard from him. Both Al and Matt sound great and distinct and the Green Matamp thing is most definitely happening.

'Dopesmoker' is again the early version and its actually a great version on its own. Some of the riffs that ended up on the record are there in their infancy, and the song definitely feels unfinished and kind of dies at the end. 'Aquarian' is also killer, with Al in full voice and you can feel the power with which they are playing - slow and loud and backed up by some amazing tone.

The crowd is decently enthusiastic, but sounds sparse - what sounds like 20 people. You can almost hear individual people in between songs.

It's amazing to think of them at this time as Holy Mountain was out and doing well, but they were still mostly an underground phenomenon.

Monday, January 14, 2013

Sleep performing Dopesmoker at Hornstulls Strand Sweeden



A bitchin' video I wanted to share - and I am still looking to add this show to my collection! Matt's playing through his Blackstar amps (he's an endorser through High On Fire) and still getting that awesome overdriven Green sound. Fantastic stuff. Great sound quality and lighting so its easy to see what's up.

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Sleep - Saarbrucken, Germany 1993 (video)





This video is a short one, but awesome nonetheless. It was taken during Sleep's European tour opening for Cannibal Corpse (the banner is visible in parts in the background) and is only one song, Holy Mountain.

It's obvious that they are the opening act as the only one close to the stage is a dude smoking at the end of the stage and the audience seems pretty chill, even after they finish, though they do get a sturdy round of applause.


Tons of energy from the band though and when the camera pans to Chris, he's going full out behind the kit - as are Al and Matt during the whole song. It's short but powerful and even though the audio is muddied by the approximity to the amps, its still got that 1993/1994 Sleep tone with the full-on Green Matamp thing, which is a seriously beautiful sound indeed.

Thursday, August 2, 2012

Sleep practicing 'Dopesmoker' before Roadburn 2012



Very cool short video here and an undoubtedly tired and dragging Sleep. Al looks like he needs about ten Red Bulls just to get him off that chair. Still, one cool video and a neat insight into Sleep.

One of my co-workers got to go to Roadburn this year and said the Sleep show was amazing. Probably actually meant fucking unbelieveably amazing, but she's not given to hyperbole.

Doing a little sleuthing, I checked out the Sleep show schedule for this year and there was a full European Tour based around Roadburn and then four US shows - with 2 at Neumo's in Seattle, WA. Which begs the question - why two back-to-back shows in Seattle? (Even though Neumo's is a bitching club and its right next to my favorite fish and chip place, Pike Street Fish Fry) Jack Endino, producer extrodinare still records there and he's done a few HoF albums - so I am wondering - is Sleep is back in the studio?! Fucking hopefully.