By Sean Maldjian, Contributor

Meet SleapingDreaming

Two truths and a lie

(Answers at bottom of the article)

Brian:

While on tour I once made a bet and lost. Now I have quite the tramp stamp tattoo.

I consider cabbage a heavenly delicacy but think carrots are disgusting

I have a pilot’s license.

Tim:

I grew up in a religious cult.

I only wear black five days a week

I am secretly Canadian.

John:

I've never tried Oysters, seem gross...

I love taking the Subway

My favorite movie is "The Shining", Kubrick kicks ass.

Would you rather

be able to jump a hundred feet in the air, or make things move with your mind? What would you do?

John: Move things with your mind, because: laziness.

Brian: I'd much rather jump a hundred feet in the air. I'm an aviation NERD at heart   

Tim: Make things move with my mind. Yoda could do that. Yoda was cool.

Some questions with SleapingDreaming

What was the last thing you bought that you regret? Why?

Brian - I guess that would have to be back in March when NYC became the “The Day of the Dead’. I decided to walk to my friendly neighborhood pharmacy to get some masks which only cost me $75 

What is the creative process like between the three of you?

Tim - Writing is very much a group effort. Our songs tend to grow from jamming rather than as the result of a sit-down effort to write something. We typically record every practice session and then will go back and pick out the parts that everyone likes and develop those ideas further. I (Tim) am responsible for the diseased dribble that constitutes our lyrics. 

What has been your most memorable performance, and why?

Tim - Christmas eve at Mercury Lounge in Manhattan. The weather was awful, and we had a late-night slot on an evening most people would be spending with their families. Mercury Lounge said this was the only time they would let us play, their way to letting us know they didn’t like us. The only other band playing that night was a bunch of 60-year-old hippies reliving their Woodstock days. They were actually pretty good. My mother happened to be visiting, so she decided to tag along. When we finally played, she was the only person left in the audience. We literally played a whole show just for my mom. She looked at her watch only once during the set and never yawned.  

What sets your 2021 release “M. Inclemens” apart from your other works?

Brian - For this release, and I guess thanks to the Covid lockdown, we did not have any time constraints. We weren't rushed. There was no time clock. We had the freedom to both write, record and finetune at our leisure, 24/7. In addition to the extra time, the environment was perfect.  We recorded in this huge, gorgeous home in Upstate New York, just north of NYC. The acoustics were incredible, rivaled only by the views. As with any recording you always hope to capture the room and all of its energy. I really think we succeeded.   

What was the inspiration behind your 2021 release “M. Inclemens”?

John - I wouldn't describe it as inspiration as much as it started to feel like a complete work once we kept chipping away at the songs. Some of the tracks have seen many different versions and after a while they all felt done, so we decided it was time to put them to tape. 

Can you speak to the impactful lyrics at the end of your recently released track “Sojourner's Truth”?

Tim – essentially it is a chorus like something you might see in a Greek tragedy. The choruses often play the role of both storyteller and observer. The song is loosely about the life of Sojourner Truth, a slave that won her freedom and then became a powerful force in the abolitionist movement. The lyrics recount portions of her story and express the sadness of it as well as a sense of solidarity and hope that she finds peace. The last lines are a commentary of the value (or lack thereof) of suffering.

Which is better Play Doh or Silly Puddy? Why?

John - Silly Puddy tastes better on its own but Play Doh is better in a stew or as a taco filling.

Any final comments? (This is your electronic soapbox for one last answer.)

None.

Two truths and a lie answer key

Brian:

Truth: While on tour I once made a bet and lost. Now I have quite the tramp stamp tattoo.

Lie: I consider cabbage a heavenly delicacy but think carrots are disgusting

Truth: I have a pilot’s license.

Tim:

Truth: I grew up in a religious cult.

Lie: I only wear black five days a week

Truth: I am secretly Canadian.

John:

Truth: I've never tried Oysters, seem gross...

Lie: I love taking the Subway

Truth: My favorite movie is "The Shining", Kubrick kicks ass.