SLEEPBOMB: PSYCHEDELIC DOOM FILM SCORES FROM SAN FRANCISCO

LINKS

Booking: booking@sleepbomb.com

Label: koolarrow Records: https://koolarrow.com/artists/sleepbomb/

Caligari World: Consouling Sounds: https://consouling.be/release/the-cabinet-of-dr-caligari

Caligari PR: https://disciplinepr.com/

WHAT IS SLEEPBOMB?

Sleepbomb is a San Francisco-based project focused on full, original scores for pre-existing genre films including the German Expressionist silent masterpieces - The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, Nosferatu and Metropolis. Sleepbomb has also written and performed full scores for George Romero’s 1968 classic zombie film Night of the Living Dead and the epic swords & snakes of John Milius’ 1982 Conan the Barbarian.

Musically, Sleepbomb ranges from heavy doom riffs to dreamy shoegaze, Dark ambient soundscapes punctuated with shimmering guitar and ethereal vocals. Sleepbomb’s goal is to re-contextualize the experience of these well known films. They succeed in this goal. Please visit the Press page for reviews of Caligari to hear what others think.

CURRENT ACTIVITIES

Sleepbom is currently focused on supporting their late 2023 release of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari score on koolarrow records and Consouling Sounds.

Upcoming in 2024 will be the release of excerpted works from Night of the Living Dead on koolarrow, as well as regional touring.

Please visit the Shows page for details on upcoming events!

HISTORY

Founded in 2003 by Charles Hernandez and Mark Jones, Sleepbomb began as an casual ensemble project performing improvised industrial/experimental scores to German Expressionist films like Caligari and Metropolis. Performing in local beer gardens and art galleries, the duo were joined by Chris Bishop on bass, Rob Johnson on drums, Tim Gotch on synths and James Presley on the saw. Along with a rotating cast of background vocalists, Sleepbomb performed several times a year until mid-2013.

After a short hiatus, the band retrenched and refocused in 2015, dropping much of the improvisational/casual nature that previously defined the project’s scores for pre-arranged music (and sadly losing founding member Mark Jones to adult responsibilities in the process.) Stylistically, the band moved towards a heavier sound, while still retaining much of their experimental/psychedelic roots. Formal scores were written and performed live to sold out audiences around the Bay area, including signature scores for Conan the Barbarian (with Arnold Schwarzenegger) and German Expressionist classics Metropolis and Nosferatu. Great momentum was in place for 2020, but nature interfered.

Post-pandemic, Sleepbomb returned in a limited fashion in 2021 and expanded to a full slate in 2022. After a lineup shakeup, 2022 solidified as the current four piece and premiered brand new scores for The Cabinet of Dr Caligari and Night of the Living Dead. In 2023, Sleepbomb joined the koolarrow records roster and released their first full score recording for The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari in October 2023 followed by their first proper tour in the Pacific NorthWest.

(Band photos: Fred Aube, Emeritus photos: Tim Gotch, misc.)