THE BIG SLEEP FOR SLEEPER

SLEEPER have split and lead singer LOUISE WENER and drummer ANDY MCCLURE are starting a new band.

Wener said that Sleeper had split at the end of their tour last March but had kept the fact secret until now because they "didn't want to make a big thing of it".

The band's last tour had seen a number of cancellations and downsizing of venues due to poor tickets sales.

Guitarist JON STEWART now lives in Los Angeles and plays with a US band called UFO BRO.

Bassist DAN KAUFMAN, who joined in October 1997, has returned to session work.

Wener explained: "We'd stopped working together as a band during the last tour and it just seemed like the best thing to do for everyone. Me, Jon and Andy are best mates, and we'll work together in the future, but we just wanted to go off and do different things for a while. We've been together eight years!"

Wener said that the band decided to announce their demise after they finally negotiated a release from their contract with RCA last month, the parent company of their label Indolent, their home for the past five years.

"Everyone we knew there had either been shunted out or left," continued Wener. "It's like you've got nothing in common with your partner any more and they've got a bunch of personal habits that you find a bit disgusting."

The band first found success with their gold-selling debut LP 'Smart' in 1995 and went on to have a host of hits such as 'Sale Of The Century' and 'Inbetweener', before their popularity waned following the Britpop backlash.

Wener said she remained unjaded about being in a band and couldn't wait to get her new act off the ground.

She said she had already written a "bunch of stuff" and was in the process of finding some new bandmates.

"I don't want to talk about it yet 'cos I don't want to jinx it, but it's going to be different, yeah," she said. "We're veering away from the indie pop. It's a more ambitious project than Sleeper was, a lot more diverse."

Meanwhile, she said, the band were currently talking to other record companies about new deals, although she said she'd love to bring out material on her own label.

"We're really looking forward to making records on our own terms. I'm going to be busy with the Listerine, washing the taste of corporate cock world out of my mouth!" she laughed.

Anyone see Louise Wener on a repeat of Merry mind the buzzcocks last night? It was quite funny.

Having parted company with their record company, Sleeper are currently working on new material.

I asked Jon about the new album a bit ago after it was mentioned in Melody Maker that Louise and Andy were doing a new album but there was no mention of him. He said, "She's written about half the album and it's really good. I was angry with the 'spokeswoman' who said that as I am involved in the project." So the new album will feature Louise, Andy and Jon and will still be Sleeper even if they no longer go under that name.

According to the Christmas NME, Sleeper have 'amicably' parted company from RCA records after 5 years following poor album and ticket sales and they say " The band are happy to be leaving what is now primarily a pop label...over recent months Louise [Wener] has been writing material for a new project with Sleeper drummer Andy McClure which is expected in 1999."

Sometime Never - Sometime Never EP 1998 Cadmium Records EP01 Decisions Customer Satisfaction Plan Death In A Love Affair Tragic Home This EP is now available. Recorded December 4-5 1998 at June Audio, Provo, Utah. Send check or money order for $6.00 (shipping included) in the U.S., $7.00 in Canada or Mexico and $8.00 for all other countries. All CD's come with a promotional Sometime Never sticker. Make check or money order payable to: Chris Reynolds. Sometime Never P.O. Box 51346 Provo, Utah 84605-1346 U.S.A. More information can be found on their website

Hello all. I am writing to let you know I have been keeping in touch with Jon for the past month or so, and he is living in Pasadena, CA and is playing in a band called UFObro. He is playing guitar and some key parts, and says that Louise is writing new material back in the U.K., and this is well sort of a side project to keep him occupied. He does like the music a lot though. Anyhow, I got the band a gig at the Poet and the Patriot Irish Pub, which is in downtown Santa Cruz. It is in the alley across from the Taco Bell which sits on the corner of Pacific and Laurel. The show starts at 9:00, on December 11, 1998.

So e-mail me back if you want more details, or if you think you are going to come, so we know how many people to expect. Better yet, I don't check e-mail enough so you can call me if you want at 831-476-7033. Oh yeah, the show is free. Bring as many people as you can. I will be wearing black rim buddy holly type glasses, and I may open the show with my friend Willow and play a few songs we have written under the name AM Satellite. We are looking for people to join a band so come and talk to us if you are interested - come talk to us even if you don't play. Hope to here from you and see you soon.

well i just found out that jon stewarts band is playing at cafe bleu (a brit pop club in LA) next thursday!! so i'll be checking that out!!

[ for further information check out their website, Café Bleu ]

from Motion City

Please contact the Motion City website for upcoming UFO BRO shows and news. If you desire a copy of "Utah!" please send a postcard to:

Motion City Records
1847 Centinela Ave. Santa Monica, CA 90404
and write "Utah!" clearly on the back.

from CD Database
UFO BRO / Utah!

   1.Automatic 
   2.mogador 
   3.mono 
   4.scorpion 
   5.two lives 
   6.american leisure 
   7.these days 
   8.make-up 
   9.one by one 
  10.no secret 
  11.national penn 

Wannadies: The Biog
....The first single to be taken from the album 'Be A Girl' was 'You And Me Song' which crashed into the top 20 in perfect time for the Summer of 96. Following ecstatic album reviews the band payed their first visit to Britain, supporting label-mates Sleeper on their UK tour. 'Might Be Stars' was the next single (and an NME single of the week) and the band spent the rest of the Summer playing to thousands at T In The Park, The Phoenix Festival and Chelmsford V96.

Here's the towns we're going to, although I don't have the venues yet.

 2 Dec - Stanford
 3 Dec - Sacremento
 4 Dec - San Francisco(tbc)
 5 Dec - Eugene, OR
 6 Dec - Seattle, WA
 7 Dec - Olympia,WA 
 8 Dec - Lewis & Clark University, Portland,OR
 9 Dec - Satiricon, Portland (tbc)
10 Dec - Chico (tbc)
11 dec - tbc
12 Dec - San Louis Apisbo (tbc)

Jon

The Daily Telegraph London
19980423
Neil McCormick

The Arts: The new It Girl of rock'n'roll ON ROCK First there was Blondie's Debbie Harry. Then Louise Wener from Sleeper. Now meet Cerys Matthews of Catatonia . . .

IN January, when Welsh guitar group Catatonia hit Top of the Pops with their witty and passionate single Mulder and Scully (a powerful evocation of romantic confusion complete with zeitgeist-riding X-Files reference), singer Cerys Matthews appeared on the cover of Melody Maker wearing a crown. The headline read: All hail Cerys, the new Queen of Indie! Cerys, however, is not over-impressed with the title. "The Queen of Pop would be better," she says in a voice that sounds like a Cardiff-born Betty Boop, albeit one who has blown her vocal cords on gin and cigarettes. Then she laughs, a wicked giggle that simultaneously mocks her own presumptuousness while setting her up for further outrageous remarks.

from Northern Lights

The Daily Telegraph London
19980302
David Cheal

The Arts: Sleeper deliver a wake-up call
Summary: Pop Sleeper
[ Anyone with information regarding this article, please contact me. ]

[ And the winner is... announcement of the Sleeper competition from Nothing is Changing ]

Well, I finally have a winner of my competition who gets a copy of the Motorway Man promo 12", the Romeo Me promo CD and signed copies of Smart, The It Girl, Pleased To Meet You and both Romeo Me CD's. The winner was chosen at random from the list of correct entries by Phill Homer (from the Fanclub and the Sleeper Bit). Thanks to everyone who entered and thanks to Jon who provided the signed CD's.

Stephen Swain
Sleeper@swain.easynet.co.uk
http://listen.to/sleeper

[ some expensive merchandise from esprit. if anyone have these promos, feel free to send me scans of them for the sleeper discography :) ]
SLEEPER Romeo Me (UK promo CD with press release, p/s DOLE078) UK 4.99 / $ 8.00
SLEEPER Statuesque (UK promo picture CD, p/s DOLE051) UK 6.99 / $ 11.00

---

03 Nov 98 from NME
BALLROOM
Day After Day
(Mother)

U2 REALLY ARE EVIL BASTARDS. NO LONGER content to foist their nauseating bombast on the public once every few years, they are now filling in the gaps between their own records by releasing pompous toss by other acts on their Mother label.

Ballroom come straight from the same school of songwriting that brought us the bilious musings of Suede and the noxious, self-pitying shite of Morrissey at his least inspired. 'Day After Day', while not without redeeming features, is an album drunk on doomed romanticism which lies prostrate on pop's busy highway waiting to be splattered. Singer Gary Prosser has a raspy voice not unlike Crispin Longpig and a knack of writing miserable epic tunes but is seemingly unaware that there are white keys on a piano as well as black ones.

Hence, while in the context of more varied material, the title track and the similarly sullen 'Household Names' might have sounded rather mighty, mounted as they are in 35 minutes of supine foppishnes with string sections they are denied the opportunity to shine.

Ballroom then, as in plenty of room for balls.
4/10

Jim Wirth

Sleeper are currently working on new material.

[ Gary is the cover star of the Sleeper single, What Do I Do Now?, and is also (or was) the singer in the band, Ballroom. ]
From Gary Prosser:

Dear everyone,
I'm sorry I haven't contacted you all sooner regarding the rumours about the band. About a fortnight ago we decided to split the band up. It was a decision I was considering for while, mainly because of the lack of support from our record company. We as a band have been banging our heads against a brick wall for months now, trying to get Mother to promote us more. Promises were made on a regular basis, only to be let down at every turn. This decision is something that I will most sincerely regret more than anyone else and I hope you all understand the reasons why we have made it.I would like to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for your support, especially Michael. Reading the Ballroom website each week motivated me more than you could ever know. You know who you all are (Saara, Fraser, Shannon, Liz, M. Maltby and many more i'm sorry I haven't mentioned, but still equally important). I'm sure our paths will cross again soon in the future. I'm doing some new things at the moment and I will let you all know whats happening as soon I do. In the mean time, take care of yourselves, be happy, and don't forget to buy the album which is out next week!!!
See you soon,
Gary

CATATONIA
Game On (Blanco Y Negro)

Simply confirms what we basically knew all along, namely that Catatonia are Sleeper with a bad Welsh karaoke Björk on vocals. Even if that one with Space was OK. A misty-eyed ballad dripping in glossy over-production, 'Game On' boasts all of the following: the glib arrogance of Alanis Morissette, the faux-kooky 'charm' of Alisha's Attic, the puny wimpishness of Belle & Sebastian. Oh, and a live version of 'Mulder & Scully' you'd have to be a Buddhist to tolerate. Game off, more like.

Hi everyone,

re: the UK (PAL) videos update

None of the copyhouses I've tried will reproduce the video in PAL form because they are copyright BMG. I gave the masters to one place without telling them that it was copyright and they started the job (hence the e-mail a month ago) then saw the copyright information that appears on the tape itself and that was that.

I managed to do a small number of NTSC versions in America because I know a reasonable quality bootlegger over there, but don't know of any in the UK.

I have kept everyone's letters etc in a safe place and won't touch them until the videos are in the post.

Jon

This is from THE INFORMER in the Melody Maker a couple of weeks ago (the one with The Cardigans on the cover):

------
Where are they now ?? This week: Sleeper

Louise Wener is in London writing songs for a new album released some time next year - and that seems to be the only thing that's certain in the world of Sleeper at present. Their spokeswoman was not even certain that Wener's next records will appear under the Sleeper name, and was unable to say who else would be involved. 'It's all up to Louise,' she explained. 'Obviously, the last album didn't do so well as The It Girl, so she's gone away to rethink things. She'll be working with Andy Maclure, the drummer - they live together! Beyond that it's all up to Louise. But when I've spoken to her, she's sounded very upbeat. She started writing in about March or April. She decided to take her time over things, go away, wait until she's got about 20 songs and then decide on the shape of things. There will be an album at some point next year, but beyond that, we really don't know what's going to happen. It's all in Louise's head at the moment.

Dotmusic: Shed Seven

Unlike their struggling Britpop peers, Shed Seven stand a chance of not only out-charting the likes of Sleeper and Echobelly in 1998 but also building their past success into critical acclaim.

Their producer and Brit Award nominee Stephen Street (Smiths, Blur) knows only too well, as the man behind Sleeper's poor-selling Pleased To Meet You, that the goal posts have shifted. "Who knows how this new Shed Seven album will sell? Recent records by Black Grape and Sleeper have really underperformed," he says. "I'd like to say this will sell more, but it is the hardest thing. I'm really into the tracks. Rick has improved as a singer and I've tried to take it another step and introduce new elements; put the vocals in a different context and make sure the rhythms are dead right."

In adapting to survive, Shed Seven have progressed to a more mature sound. Having abandoned the quirky pop songs and guitar emphasis, they aim to convert new fans with an increasingly focused, lyrically and melodically superior sound. Guitarist Paul Banks adds, "Sleeper and Echobelly have not moved on. I'm not knocking them but we write better songs than the rest. We're positioned as The Verve were before they came back. I'd feel more scared in other bands. We were laying out roots in touring way before Supergrass came along. We were the first band to be everywhere just gigging. We didn't have a mandate, we were just £%$@*&^% good." [ the rest of the article continues on their new album ]

Hello Sleeper peeps.

  Its true there is a Sleeper fanclub in the pipelines. But before we can do anything we need a little help, I need to know about how many people would think about joining. This is just so I know how many copies of letters and things need to get printed. This may sound a strange thing to ask but we are pushed for cash so it would really help.

If you reckon you would join can you send an e-mail to the following address. worldofcrap@yahoo.com

Jon Stewart was fab, but Cafe Bleu was not. So we left soon after we entered. It was too crowded, loud, and hot. Jon played my requests for a Smiths song. He had brought "Hatful of Hollow". I said, "Please play any song except for How Soon Is Now." He joked, "Oh shit, that was the one I was gonna play!" We danced to "What Difference Does It Make?"

I'm in this fanclub thing with Phill. This is the email response I got from Jon Stewart:

Thanks for the e-mail.
That's a nice idea.
I'll send you our manager's e-mail address and you can talk to him about it as he knows more about that sort of thing.
It'll take me a couple of days to find out the address, though.

Jon

This was something I noticed in the September 1998 issue of 'Deluxe' magazine. It’s a joke article about revivals.

Beware the 90's Revival It'll happen one day. Will you be Ready?

The National Trust Present's 'Britpop' (2005)

Line-Up: Damon & Justine (acoustic set), Shed Seven, Sleeper and the Boo Radleys. During interval, Damian Hurst embalms one of Menswear while Keith Allen, Phil Denials and Ray Davis sell jellied Eels in the foyer.

How did we get there? Having 'done' lo-fi, post rock and poly-techno, Blur's year away became five years off. Justine was the only member of Elastica not to become a full time Alexandra McQueen model. Curiously most other britpoppers became primary school teachers.

Reason for Touring: Rising cost of private education.

Target Audience: Middle aged couples for whom 'Wake up Boo!' will always be our tune.

While going through my email box to delete mail and clearing out the clutter I found some interesting emails regarding the Australian show "Rage" and of course Triple J. If you have some time and Apple's Quicktime, then you should go ahead and download some videos from Inbetweener, its well worth it.

Clive Sarney (14 Jan 98): "The singles are a real problem though - the TV show 'Rage' is running the 'She's A Good Girl' video regularly, but the single is not available locally."

Andy (14 Jan 98): "i think there are quite a few Sleeper fans at the ABC, i know for a fact that Jane Gazzo (Triple J) is a fan, and Rage have been known to play Sleeper videos a fair bit."

---

05 Aug 98 from Jon Stewart
To anyone thinking of coming to Cafe Blue [ Cafe Bleu ] on Thurs 13th, it has moved from the Probe back to where Checca was on Santa Monica, only Checca has now been renamed The Tempest.

Jon

Cafe Bleu is still happening every Thursday at The Probe.

actually, cafe bleu has moved from the probe to the Tempest Bar (formerly Club Checca.) more of a social/bar scene whereas the probe was more like a club with a big dance floor and balcony. the Tempest is much more intimate, smaller dance floor, outside patio, and hot and stuffy. But it's still so much fun.....heard Rialto there for the first time and now i'm scrounging around LA trying to find the album (already picked up the singles for Dream another Dream and Untouchable.) So go to Cafe Bleu....you won't be disappointed (even with all the 60's and soul they play.)

I was just reading Q [ magazine ] and I've got a snippet of news.

This is a quote from one of the members of "Embrace" talking about there small album sales compared to other bands.

"In the first few weeks we sold 100,000 - Oasis sold four million of there second album, the Verve two million of Urban Hymns. Sleeper have sold more than us"

Here are more information regarding Cafe Bleu for anyone in the area.

Cafe Bleu is a dance club that also features occasional live bands. It specializes in Britpop/Mod/Indie tunes every Thursday night from 9pm to 2am. At Cafe Bleu you'll hear everything from the Small Faces, James Brown and the Who, to The Jam, Blur, Verve, Stereolab, and everything in between (with the exception of 70's disco!). In addition, you never know who may show up!

Cafe Bleu has moved from Checca to the Probe located at:

836 N. Highland
between Santa Monica and Melrose
Hollywood, CA
213.951.7079

Cafe Bleu is held every Thursday night from 9pm to 2am.

Admission is:
$8 - under 21
$6 - over 21

upcoming schedule:
August 6 Teen Heros
August 13 TBA [ featuring guest DJ Jon Stewart ]
August 20 Beachwood Sparks Small Stone
August 27 Plastiscene Live and Record Release party Plus special guests from the UK!

                  1. statuesque 
                  2. statuesque (steve laq remix) 
                  3. atomic (wubble u remix)

 Old Eagle Recordings
 Po Box 7522
 London, NW1 9LB 

Louise Wener [3 days] 
(Lead Singer of Sleeper) 
c/o Geoff Wener 
Big Brother Management 
15 Pratt Mews - 2nd Floor 
London 
NW1 0AD 

  Louise Wener 1996 Position 37
  Louise Wener 1997 Position 85
  Louise Wener 1998 Position --

  Because of You
  Romeo Me
  Rollercoaster
  Firecracker

Cheers again, Jon Sleeper.

Thanks Jon! I don't mean to start any rumors, but I noticed that you didn't mention anything about Dan Kauffman (is he no longer with the band?) Thanks again for clearing up some rumors, we all really appreciates it :)

   "He [Neil Armstrong] didn’t tell the story until the last five years, after Mr. Gorsky had died. It turned out that Mr. Gorsky had been his next door neighbour, and when he was a little kid he had knocked his ball into the next door yard.
   "He went to collect it and heard this conversation where Mrs. Gorsky was saying, ‘You’ll get oral sex the day that kid next door walks on the moon.’"
   "The song’s really about this little kid with all his dreams, and the guy next door with his telescope fixed on the stars, dreaming about it and looking like he’s never achieved anything."

Little-known American band THE FOUNTAINS OF WAYNE attracted a star-studded audience to their first ever concert in Britain last week. Among the guests seen backstage at the London show were SLEEPER singer LOUISE WENER, GENE, ASH, and REM frontman MICHAEL STIPE.

"On thing Shed Seven are clearly good at is derailing expectations. After the overnight commercial demise of Sleeper, many tipped Shed Seven to suffer a similar post-Britpop chart disaster. Their comeback single 'She left me on Friday' erased such doubts in a single stroke when it hit the charts at a healthy number 11...."

The rest was simply a review of the album.

1. (now) I know (where I'm going) our kid - The Shirehorses
2. ta la - Peela Tater
3. you're gormless - Baby Bloke
4. west country boy - The Charley Twins
5. hapless boy lard - Dick Cave & The Bad Cheese feat. Riley Minogue
6. feel like shite - Doofergrass
7. lardy boy - Gazebo
8. girl like you (hiya) - Edwyn Bobbins
9. single bloke - Flush
10. sha la la la, tum tee tum (untitled) - Moronico
11. ugly bleeder - Cheeper
12. the ballad of franny lee - Dick Cave & The Bad Cheese feat. Alan Bawl (no relation)
13. sheena easton (punk rocker) / joe's fucked off - The Ra-gnomes
14. bill oddity - Alladin-ane
15. frank spencer blues explosion - Frank Spencer Blues Explosion
16. cum on skweeze me boilz - Po-fasis
17. you're a bastard - Baby Bloke

obviously some of the jokes there only make sense to people from England.
For those who don't know "The Best Album in the World... Ever" is a compilation album which has the usual gang of britpopsters: Sleeper, Oasis, Blur, Supergrass, etc..

It is a US new release and it can be found at most Blockbuster Stores or other major chains. The film itself is romantic comedy (emphasis on comedy) with Paul Rudd and Reese Witherspoon. It has a similar feel to 'A Life Less Ordinary,' I thought. I enjoyed the film - worth the cost of the rental at least.

Stickers are shown at actual size (at resolution of 640x400). They are glossy coated. They are also very sticky. Image from Daze and Confused magazine

You can order these stickers for a mere 50¢ for the large sticker. and 25¢ for the small logo. Postage is 32¢. Anyway to make life easier for you, send $1 for both sticker. Rest of the world, please write and we'll work something out. Oh by the way, these stickers are very limited at the moment (it will probably change if we get a good response). Send cash/checks to: Vu Nguyen 8349 Queen Ct N Brooklyn Park, MN 55444-1515 USA Thank you to Christoper Reynolds for all the work and design. I take no credit for any of this, except for possible distribution and owning some stickers :)

In order to provide the greatest possible selection of merchandise available... and in 3 weeks time we will be placing a bulk order for all requests/payments that have arrived by the set due date of **May 15**. After which time all goods will arrive from overseas in approximately 2 weeks, for immediate sending to all pre-orderers.

*sleeper*
LOGO tshirt in gray (size XL) - $22
PLEASED TO MEET YOU tshirt in black (size XL) - $21
THE IT GIRL/GIRLS tshirt in red or black (size XL) - $21
THE IT GIRL/NAME RINGER tshirt in red (size M or XL) - $21
THE IT GIRL longsleeve tshirt in black (size XL) - $25
SMART tshirt in navy (size XL) - $18

*echobelly*
LUSTRA album cover artwork on black baby tee - $19
LUSTRA tour tshirt with darkbrown diamond design front + "lustra" &
"echobelly" printed lightblue center on olive baby tee - $19
ON tshirt in black (size XL or baby tee) - $21
COME ON tshirt in chambray (size L) - $21
TURN ME ON/BASEBALL longsleeve tshirt in white with colored sleeves (size L) - $25

*salad*
MARIJNE tshirt in yellow (size XL or baby tee) - $21

For more information, concerning postage rates, taxes, addresses, and a more extensive listing (on other fine britpop acts). Email her PanicInfo@aol.com

POP GOB
Many top "britpop" stars gathered at london's abbey road studios today [I'm sure it's 1 Apr 98] to record a single protesting against the fact that the popular confectionary once known as "opal fruits" has been renamed "starburst".

Some of the literally several top names to contribute were matt the hat from gene, some bloke from shed seven, louise wener and phil daniels. organiser johnny dean from menswe@r said "these insidious attacks on our cultural heritage must be stopped. i mean, is nothing sacred? what's next? parma violets? revels? it's beyond a joke."

it had been hoped that blur's lead singer, damon allbran would contribute vocals to the track "oi, yanks, they're sweets not candy" but following the change in his band's musical direction he commented that he was "glad that marathons had become snickers" and "couldn't give a toss."

advance orders of the single are said to run into double figures and it's expected to chart at a high position in the not too distant future.

So does anyone know who won the platinum disc, or did they never get one?
For those who didn't know about the competition, it was only opened to UK residents. I think, you were asked three questions: 1) What was the highest chart listing for "Inbetweener", 2) I forgot the second question, but it was dead easy, and 3) what song are these lyrics from "visiting dad who was locked away/now he just recites lines from movies". The main prize was a platinum disc of "The it Girl" which went platinum selling a lot of copies! I don't know the exact number you had to hit, but if 150,000 is gold, then I would assume that 300,000 is platinum (right?).

NME Photos
Apparently Travis are big fans of Sleeper (although Louise looked displeased)!

Louise (and possibly Andy?) attended the NME/Miller Genuine Draft Awards at Brixton Academy (Tuesday, January 27, 1997) in London.

The big winners are the Verve with four awards and Radiohead with two. Too bad Sleeper weren't nominated for anything!

8 Blur
All right, so Oasis don't exist. However, a lot of Oasis clones do. An abundance of them in fact - Sleeper, Menswear, mediocrity ad infinitum... Do the band feel any guilt that they, more than any others, are responsible for the current identikit Britpop saturating the charts? Graham begrudgingly accepts this accusation, but adds 'I think you were going to get those bands whether we were around or not. At some point, in some way.' Hmm, maybe so. However the fact that they were around is somewhat indisputable, is it not? 'It's a horrible thought isn't it..,' says Damon, '...ten more Sleeper albums.' Our point exactly, Sir. 'Well, Louise Wener is a very... em, determined young lady, isn't she?' Oh yes. We, the students know. We're probably more responsible than any trendsetting group for giving her the bloody opportunity to make ten more albums. As Alex says: 'It's like you're not allowed into college unless you like Suede.'

If you have any news about Sleeper, please send it to me !

The Tracklisting of [ Soundcity 97 ]
Inbetweener (with Zoë Ball on rhythm guitar)
Romeo Me
Firecracker
What do I do Now?
Super Clean
Lie Detector
She's a Good Girl
Traffic Accident
Nice Gut Eddie
Please Please Please
Sale of the Century
Rollercoaster 

Louise also appeared on the Christmas Special of the Music game show "Never mind the Buzzcocks". Louise made a shit load of jokes and it is well worth seeing. Unfortunately no video has been released for this.
Some great info on previous UK tele appearance, which will shortly be added in the timeline and misc/text discography. Many thanks, Phillip!

At the start of 1997, White Town was a phenomenon. Plucked from a pile of wannabe singles by Radio 1 DJ Mark Ratcliffe, the act made headlines by landing at No 1 with the haunting Your Woman, written, played and produced by the Derbyshire songwriter Jyoti Mishra. Then, less than a year later, last August he was dropped by EMI.

"The managing director rang me up at home and said he didn't think my new songs were strong enough," says the independent-minded Mishra, chuckling at the memory. "He also thought my attitude was unreasonable because I'd told him I wasn't going to change my music. So that was that. Of course, I do consider myself a one-hit wonder, but I'm happy about that. My advice to anyone thinking of signing to a record company is to treat it like a casino: get in there, make your money and then get out as fast as possible."

It's a philosophy a growing number of bands would be wise to adopt these days. Three years on from the height of Britpop, the record industry is going in for a spirited bout of blood-letting, even of established names, as many home-grown acts fail to deliver. Sleeper and Echobelly (both of whom sold more than 200,000 on previous releases) are expected to dissolve into solo deals for their singers, Louise Wener and Sonya Madan respectively; Menswe@r, the hyped band of 1995, were dropped by London Records early this year, leaving them unable to follow up their Top 10 debut album. At the East West label, it was no surprise that the 1980s soul crooner Paul Young was given the elbow, but so, too, were Rialto, the recent Top 20 post-Britpop band, while the Human League's future also looks uncertain, despite scoring a Top 10 hit with their last album. ..........

More information can be found at the Sunday Times (05 Apr 8)

According to the "Sunday Times" a respected UK newspaper, Sleeper are expected to be dropped from their UK record label shortly being replaced by a solo deal for Louise. Seems to be the popular rumour over here...

Q Magazine's Jangly Pop
Singer Louise Wener is the lippy-lassed fulcrum of Sleeper's success. And now she's the band's sole writer, that position is cemented. Journalists like her - she's sexy, she's got attitude. But pare off the brouhaha, and there's a breezy wit to the likes of Sale of the Century - and bags of summery guitar work.

Information provided by Musichop
Name : The Brits 98
Manufacturer : Brittania Music
Catalogue No : 3984221693
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Starring :
Hanson
Michelle Gayle
Oasis
Paul Weller
Robbie Williams
Sleeper
Texas
The Spice Girls

Extra Information :
Over forty of pop's biggest acts including The Spice Girls, Oasis, Blur, Gary Barlow, Chemical Brothers and Sleeper.

The article in the melody maker is basically a letter from Louise having a go at "the muso quislings" for critisising the new labour government. People expected too much of the government and are trying to blame them, when at the end of the day it was the people who voted them in. "You can't blame Blair and his goons for wanring to hijack youth culture, but did you have to make it so easy for him?". I think Louise talks a lot of sense in this letter and i have to say i agree with what she's saying. It also gives Sleeper a bit more media coverage, which can't be bad. I've been surprised how much coverage they've been getting considering their album hasn't done well and it's supposed to be going pear shaped.

Melody Maker coolest 10 peeps in RAWK!
10 - Shaznay T Lewis from All Saints
9 - Nicky Wire from Manics
8 - Beck from Beck 
7 - Liam Gallagher from Oasis
6 - Danny Goffey from Supergrass
5 - Johnny Greenwood from Radiohead
4 - Cerys Matthews from Catatonia
3 - Robbie Williams
2 - Tim Burgess from the Charlatans
1 - Graham Coxon from Blur

uncoolest:
10 - Weller
9 - Keef Flint
8 - Sean Manic
7 - Brian Molko
6 - Chris Evans
5 - Louise Wener
4 - Goldie
3 - Jarvis
2 - Ginga Spice
1 - Noel Gallagher 

Also, Dan Kaufmann is no longer with the band, and hasn't been since Chris Madder Rose stepped in for the UK tour. Its not that he isn't good enough, he's just surplus to requirements, as, I suppose, the rest of the band now are...

So all you fans in the states, get your guitar licks and bass runs perfect... no doubt they'll be looking for some American band members/session players...

Before the Carlisle gig on 7th December [1997], Strange bumped into Sleeper in a Manchester studio. Louise Wener "borrowed" Vicky's eye-liner... It was very controversial when Vicky discovered, on arriving at Carlisle, that she was completely eye-linerless.... (She probably just dropped it somewhere but that wouldn't have made much of a headline!)

thanks to David Eve
Both MM and NME review a Sleeper gig this week. However, the NME one appears to have been somewhere else rather than watching Sleeper as he didn't like the gig! The MM reviewer is much more receptive and positive about Sleeper.

from Andrew Bez
i saw the review in NME which gave sleeper two stars i think and basically said that live gigs weren't sleepers strong point, which is absolute crap. A review in Q had a whole double page spread about a Sleeper gig and it basically said that sleeper are a nothing band who are 'going down' and that Louise Wener couldn't sing. I thought the writer was a complete tosser.

03 Mar 98: I have just read in Select (or was it Q) that Louise is said to favour a new direction along the lines of Natalie Imbruglia. This is all very well, with Louise still being the song writer but she is still going to need a backing band of some sort. Perhaps this could happen with the only change to the current setup being the band name...better that than a complete split.

Did anyone else see the last BoardStupid on Channel4 in the Uk recently? Sleeper were featured: once playing You Got Me, and a second time playing live Miss You, which kinda lends support for eitha being the next single from PTMY.

Louise: "[Vegas] This will probably be our last song for some time"
The Sleeper tour ended on the 27th Feb 98. Read some of the live concert reviews.

   on a semi-sleeper related news, Trainspotting is schedule for release on DVD format on 24th March 1998. it will retail at $29.99.
   it should be the same (or very similar) to the Criterion Laserdisc version. if that is the case, then the DVD version will contain the following: widescreen, digital dolby, uncut, commentaries, deleted scenes, and an interview with Irvine Welsh. since its on DVD, then it will most likely have english/spanish/french subtitles and scene access.
    also the US version of Trainspotting (video tape) is released. it retails for $19.99 but i've seen it under $16. you should NOT get this video because its edited for an "R" rating. please consider buying the laserdisc if you can't wait for the DVD version.
   it must seem like i really like Trainspotting right? well yeah ! UK residences should pick up a green version of trainspotting because its the same version as the laserdisc.

SLEEPER Inbetweener (UK promo only white cotton bedsheet printed with "sleeper INBETWEENER" logo in black across top seam!)    UK 25.00 / $ 41.00

   I got the programme for the Brit awards (11th Feb, ITV) at the weekend. Sleeper are going to be on the CD released for it. The only reason I can see is that their producer (same for Blur, whoever he is) is nominated for the Best Producer award for the 3rd time. I don't think he'll win somehow, but it's a pleasant surprise to know Sleeper are going to be involved. I doubt they'll be playing at the awards, or does anyone know different?

   Just to let those in the UK know, they're repeating the Beat Special featuring Sleeper (and one other act) Live on Channel 4 tonight at 5 am (o.k. tomorrow morning then)!!!!Show runs til 5.55 and i think Sleeper were on first, but i may be wrong...

   According to Ice "Pleased To Meet You" is scheduled for U.S. release Feb 24.
   Keep in mind that the release date for "the it girl" was pushed back 2 or 3 times, and when it was finally released here, it was missing a song ("Glue Ears"). So it might still be better to buy it as an import. OTOH, it's nice to support bands by buying the domestic release, since this helps the record companies decide to spend money on tours and such.

   It would seem there's a few Sleeper fans lurking within the BBC. Radio 5 have used Please Please Please and Romeo Me as backing to adverts, the "radio" (is it a radio that's always playing in scenes, or do they whack on a tape?) in Eastenders often churns out Sleeper (She's a Good Girl was on in the caff just a few weeks back) and in This Life, Anna was crying in her bedroom (again) to Click...Off...Gone...

---

from melinda
   ['Pleased to Meet You'] the vinyl has the cutest piccy of Louise as a little girl wearing spectacles. If you're a London resident, the Virgin Megastore sells copies of the cd and vinyl that are signed by all the current band members for the regular price. Maybe they had an instore some time ago?
actually yes... see NME

    Britpop foursome Sleeper have called it quits. According to a source at the group's label, Arista Records, the band has broken up, but the label will likely still release their album Pleased To Meet You in the U.S. The original release date of Feb. 24 will probably be pushed back.
    Pleased To Meet You was released in November 1997 in the U.K. (this is not true, it was released in Oct 97) and other territories outside the U.S., and is the follow-up to their 1996 Arista album The It Girl.
    The band has not officially commented on the reasons for the split.
please read the following email:

From: Alan James PR [ajpr@ajpr.demon.co.uk]
To: vu [sleeper@speed-racer.com]
Date: Wed, 7 Jan 98 10:45:14 CST5EDT
Subject: Re: sleeper
Message-ID: [884184941.105681.0@ajpr.demon.co.uk]
Dear vu,

There is absolutely no truth in this rumour of the end of Sleeper, you really shouldn't believe all that you read. Sleeper's tour which commences on the 10th February is still going ahead and the band have just been joined for it by Chris Giammalvo of Madder Rose for this.

Cheers,

Richard

===== Alan James PR ======
Tel: 0171 277 0066
Fax: 0171 277 0404
www.ajpr.demon.co.uk
You Have Been Cheesemailed
==========================

(actually this was taken off NME.com)
   SLEEPER have just released 'She's A Good Girl', their first single in almost a year, and have confirmed details of their new album 'Pleased To Meet You', which is released on October 13. The album, features Madder Rose's Chris Giammalvo on bass following the departure earlier this year of the band's original bassist, Diid Osman.
   Sleeper have now recruited a permanent bassist. He is Dan Kaufmann, who the band chose after auditioning dozens of hopefuls over the past few months. A spokesman for the band said that Sleeper found Dan through a friend of a friend. "He's not from any band or anything," the spokesman said. "He's just a very, very good bass player."
   He also denied rumours that former bass player Diid was suing the band: "The only thing that's going on is that negotiations of a settlement are in place. He was asked to leave the band and he's entitled to some response from us. He's entitled to some part of the value of the band," the spokesman explained.

Select News
from select

Sleeper have made some changes to their previously announced UK Tour in February. Two shows have been cancelled and four venues have been changed. A new show in Portsmouth has also been added to the run of dates. The revised dates are as follows:

February

10 GLASGOW Barrowlands
11 NEWCASTLE University (Mayfair tickets still valid)
12 LEEDS Town & Country
13 LIVERPOOL Royal Court
14 MANCHESTER Academy (Apollo tickets still valid)
16 SHEFFIELD University (Octagon tickets still valid)
17 LEICESTER University (De Montfort tickets still valid)
18 WOLVERHAMPTON Civic Hall
21 SWINDON Oasis
22 NEWPORT Centre
23 PORTSMOUTH Pyramids (new show)
24 SOUTHEND Cliffs Pavilion
26 READING University (moved from 23rd at Rivermead)
27 LONDON Brixton Academy

Exeter University and Poole Arts Centre shows have now been cancelled. Refunds available from point of purchase. The band wish to apologise to fans who bought tickets.

Select has a great Sleeper article

Sleeper, who have just returned from a very successful trip to Japan where their new album 'Pleased to Meet You' has gone down a storm, head out on their rescheduled UK tour in Feburary. Please note that some venues have recently been altered and a few dates cancelled. All tickets for cancelled shows can be refunded from point of purchase.

¯¯¯¯¯¯
   Sleeper release their third album 'Pleased to Meet You'on October 13th. Already receiving rave reviews in the music monthlies, the album features their hit single 'She's a Good Girl' plus twelve brand new tracks. It is the follow-up to last year's platinum selling 'The It Girl' LP which featured the Top 10 singles 'Sale Of the Century' and 'Nice Guy Eddie'. All the material was written earlier this year and recorded in London with Stephen Street(Blur, Cranberries, Smiths) throughout the spring and summer.
   The album will be available on CD, vinyl LP and cassette. The LP will featured exclusive artwork, including a photograph of Louise as a 9 year old! The cassette will be on sale at a special price of just £4.99 for the first week only - bargains!
   You can still hear their single being played on Radio One, Virgin, Xfm, Clyde, Forth, GLR, Metro, GWR, Soundwave, Hallam, Aire, The Pulse, City, Cool, Key 103, Signal One, Southern, Beacon, Red Rose, Severn, Trent, TFM, Mercia, Viking, Fox, Chiltern, Leicester Sound, Lincs, Minster, Northsound and all good radio stations nationwide...

NME News
from NME.com

14 January 1998
SLEEPER DENY SPLIT AMID PREPARATIONS FOR UK TOUR

    SLEEPER's representatives in the UK this week denied the band have split up, following web reports last week that the group was no more. However, Sleeper have announced they are downsizing venues in five major cities on their forthcoming UK tour and cancelling two other shows completely.
     Sleeper split stories began to appear on the internet last week. They originated from remarks made by a marketing executive at Sleeper's US label Arista hinting at a split in the band caused by tensions between Louise Wener (pictured) and drummer Andy McClure. The situation was given further credence by the news that the company had abandoned plans to release the band's new album 'Pleased To Meet You'. The album has been put on hold indefinitely in the US. It had been scheduled for a February release.
     The troubled UK tour has already been postponed once. It was due to start last October. The excuse given at that time was "production difficulties" and the fact that guitarist Jon Stewart had a "sore foot" and was unable to stand up. Now Sleeper have been forced to downsize shows in Newcastle, Manchester Sheffield, Leicester, and Reading. They've also cancelled shows in Exeter and Poole. However, they have added a show in Plymouth. This week, the band's UK spokesman admitted: "It's pretty apparent that ticket sales for the tour have been slow."
     There were also plans for the group to launch it with an appearance at the prestigious South By South West new music seminar where Supergrass debuted material from their 'In It For The Money' album last year. These plans have also been scrapped and the album currently has no release date in the US.
     Commenting on the split allegations, Sleeper's UK spokesman said: "Who knows what's around the corner. Obviously this tour will be important to see how people respond. Obviously things are being re-evaluated and stuff. But they're extremely pleased to be going out and doing this tour for the fans albeit they've had to change some of the venues. No-one is saying to me, 'We're gonna split up after this tour."
     He described rumours of tensions between Louise and Andy as "totally unfounded." The new venues on the Sleeper tour are Newcastle University (February 11), Manchester Academy (14), Sheffield University (16), Leicester University (17), Portsmouth Pyramids (23) and Reading University (26). Tickets already purchased for the larger venues are valid for the new venues. Refunds are available from point of purchase for Sleeper's cancelled Exeter and Poole shows.

August 16 1997
    SLEEPER are to release a new single, 'She's A Good Girl', next month, followed by a new album, 'Pleased To Meet You'. The band will also play a full UK tour this autumn. 'She's A Good Girl', their first single since last September's 'Statuesque', comes out on September 22 and is the first track from their third album, set for release in mid-October. Madder Rose's Chris Giammalva played bass on the album. However, the band are still looking for a permanent bass player to replace Diid Osman, who left Sleeper earlier this year.
    "We've auditioned a few bassists, but none of them were quite right," said singer Louise Wener. She continued: "We've done the album pretty quickly - it's been written and recorded in the space of six months - but it is the best collection of songs I've ever written. It's more diverse and bold, but we still haven't turned into bloody art rockers! We had the best time recording it. We love being in the studio."

    SLEEPER bassist DIID OSMAN has been told to leave the band. A spokeswoman for the band said that lead singer Louise Wener decided that Osman should leave after she wrote 15 songs for their new album which she did not feel were suited to his playing style. Wener told him to leave on April 25. The band are looking for a replacement. Osman sent a fax to NME that claimed a stand-in bass player was already taking part in rehearsals for the third album before he had been told to go. Neither he nor Louise Wener was available for comment at the time of going to press. A statement from Sleeper read: "Sleeper would like to confirm the news of the dismissal of Diid Osman from the band. This came following Louise's decision to work with different musicians both on the new album and forthcoming tours. "Louise is presently recording the album with Chris Giammalvo from Madder Rose, who returns to the US this week. Sleeper are currently looking for a new bassist." Last week, Sleeper pulled out of Reading Festival to concentrate on their new album which is due out in October.

    SLEEPER have announced that Louise Wener and the 'Sleeperblokes' will be signing copies of their new album 'Pleased To Meet You' at the Virgin Megastore on Oxford St on October 13 at 6pm. The album features the recent single 'She's A Good Girl' and follows last year's platinum-selling 'The It Girl' LP.
     'Pleased To Meet You' is released on October 13 and the full track-listing is: 'Please, Please, Please', 'She's A Good Girl', 'Roller Coaster', 'Miss You', 'You Got Me', 'Breathe', 'Super Clean', 'Fire Cracker', 'Because Of You', 'Romeo Me', 'Nothing Is Changing', 'Motorway Man' and 'Traffic Accident'. Sleeper will be touring the UK throughout October and November.
     The nearest Tube station to the Oxford Street Virgin megastore branch is Tottenham Court Road underground.

    SLEEPER have just released 'She's A Good Girl', their first single in almost a year, and have confirmed details of their new album 'Pleased To Meet You', which is released on October 13. The album, produced by Stephen Street, features Madder Rose's Chris Giammalvo on bass following the departure earlier this year of the band's original bassist, Diid Osman.
     Sleeper have now recruited a permanent bassist. He is Dan Kaufmann, who the band chose after auditioning dozens of hopefuls over the past few months. A spokesman for the band said that Sleeper found Dan through a friend of a friend. "He's not from any band or anything," the spokesman said. "He's just a very, very good bass player."
     He also denied rumours that former bass player Diid was suing the band: "The only thing that's going on is that negotiations of a settlement are in place. He was asked to leave the band and he's entitled to some response from us. He's entitled to some part of the value of the band," the spokesman explained.
     Sleeper will tour later this month, starting at Glasgow Barrowlands on October 26 and concluding at London Brixton Academy on November 14. The full track-listing for the album is: 'Please, Please, Please', 'She's A Good Girl', 'Roller Coaster', 'Miss You', 'You Got Me', 'Breathe', 'Super Clean', 'Fire Cracker', 'Because Of You', 'Romeo Me', 'Nothing Is Changing', 'Motorway an' and 'Traffic Accident'.
     A limited-edition vinyl version of the album will be available featuring a picture on the cover of Louise Wener, aged seven.

DIID AND BURIED (July 97)

    Sleeper bassist Diid Osman has been told to leave the band. A spokesman for the band said that lead singer Louise Wener decided that Osman should leave the band after she wrote 15 songs for the new album which she did not feel were suited to his playing style.
     Louise Wener told him to leave on April 25. The band are looking for a replacement. Osman sent a fax to the NME that claimed a stand-in bass player was already taking part in rehearsals for the new album before he had been told to go. Neither he nor Louise Wener was available for comment at the time of going to press.
     A statement from Sleeper read : "Sleeper would like to confirm the news of the dismissal of Diid Osman from the band. This came following Louise's decision to work with different musicians both on the new album and forthcoming tours.
     "Louise is presently recording the album with Chris Giammalvo from Madder Rose, who returns to the US this week. Sleeper are currently looking for a new bassist."

SNOOZE JUST IN... (June 7 1997)

    SLEEPER have pulled out of their planned appearance at the Reading Festival in August to concentrate on recording their new album. The band are currently in London's Mayfair Studio working on the follow-up to 1996's platinum-selling 'The It Girl' with Stephen Street.
    The album was initially scheduled for release in December but has now been brought forward to October. It will be preceded by a single in September. A spokeswoman for the band told NME: "They are just not coming out to play 'til much later on this year because they want to get their heads down on the album. The band didn't want to disappoint their fans, but they felt that they had to pull out of Reading to do this." The spokeswoman added that Sleeper had demoed most of the album and that they would finish the recording at London's Maison Rouge Studios.

Q News
from qweb