Team Sleep performed a number of live shows on the United States' west coast in late 2001 and early 2002 with Todd Wilkinson, Dan Elkan (Pocket For Corduroy), Sonny Mayugba (Phallucy), Zach Hill (Hella), Rick Verrett (Tinfed) and DJ Crook handling instrumentation.
“We were never going to make a record, or start a band,” adds Wilkinson, “I was just sitting at home, playing guitar, and I started recording some stuff. It was never about trying to play shows, record in a studio, or anything of that sort. It was just bumming around. I had never been in a band, and I never wanted to be—we were just friends.”
It was rumored that Mike Patton (Fantômas, Faith No More) and Melissa Auf Der Maur (ex-Hole, ex-Smashing Pumpkins) would be involved in recording sessions. While Mike Patton did indeed contribute vocals to the track "Kool-Aid Party", this song did not make it to the album. Due to contractual obligations, any material Team Sleep releases will be through Maverick Records. Now that the album is released, it is known that only Rob Crow of San Diego based band Pinback and Mary Timony of the band Wild Flag (ex-Helium, ex-Autoclave) lend their vocals to the project along with Chino.
The only early Team Sleep recording to have been officially released was "The Passportal," an instrumental featured on the The Matrix Reloaded soundtrack. A version of "The Passportal" with lyrics and vocals by Chino Moreno has circulated on the internet under the title "Apollonia."
A full album's worth of material was finished between 2002-2003, but Moreno was reportedly angered after Team Sleep songs were circulated on the internet, mostly by the Deftones own official message board. This, coupled with the release and supporting tour for Deftones' fourth album, kept Team Sleep's recordings from being released. In 2002 there was also a Team Sleep world premiere on POWER 106 FM in Los Angeles: "Mercedes" was played once. The new album has done away with almost all of the previous tracks, only carrying over four of the originals, three of those heavily revamped.
Team Sleep's record was originally scheduled for a November, 2004 release, but Maverick Records were reportedly so impressed by the album they postponed the release until mid-2005 to allow for promotion. Chino supposedly commented that "(I) didn't know whether to be happy that they were impressed, or pissed that they didn't expect much (from Team Sleep) in the first place."
A DJ named 'C-Minus' opening at a Deftones concert at the House of Blues in West Hollywood in October, 2004 premiered the newest version of the Team Sleep song 'Cambodia' to the crowd. This song was later changed to 'Ever.' The official Team Sleep website surfaced and included an audio/video clip of the song 'Death By Plane.'
Rumors began to circulate in January 2005 that Team Sleep had broken up due to a falling out between Chino Moreno and DJ Crook. Many fans were distraught at the fact that the long-awaited project might never surface, but the rumors were later proved false.
May 10 was finally pinned down as the date that Team Sleep's self-titled debut album would be released. "The best part about it is having completion of something you've been working on, and having it done right," Moreno said in a statement. "It's fun, working with different people, everybody works differently. When I have time off from music, I want to make other music. That's what I do, that's what's fun, that's what makes me happy." ...(mtv.com)
Team Sleep has been described as "moody" and "beat-driven." More so than the Deftones, many themes and lyrics on the album are fantastical and imaginative in nature; drawing from such literary sources as Poe and historical events like the Jonestown Massacre. The completed album is less electronic in sound and much more 'alt' or 'indie' rock than when the project began.
'Ever' is considered to be the first single from Team Sleep. Notably absent from the completed album are 'Mercedes,' 'Apollonia,' 'Iceache,' 'Death by Plane,' 'Solid Gold,' 'Acoustic One,' and 'Kool-Aid Party'. However, a newer version of 'Kool-Aid Party' was released on the 'Ever (Foreign Flag)' single.
Blvd. Nights
Team Sleep Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She can take me apart off
Through the earth
Then back in the car
'Cause once you begin
Your not going to stop
I know how you are
But your not going to stop
Gonna stop
I know how you are
Oh please
Through the earth
Then back in the car
You're not going to stop
I know how you are
The lyrics in Team Sleep's song Blvd. Nights seem to describe a woman who has complete control over the singer. The first line refers to her army being complete, which could suggest that she has a group of followers or that the forces she uses to manipulate the singer are all in place. She "can take me apart off" seems to suggest that she can cause the singer to break down emotionally, mentally or spiritually. Then the lines "Through the earth, Then back in the car" could be interpreted in various ways. One could imagine that the woman is taking the singer on a psychological journey, through the depths of their being and back again, like a reincarnation or rebirth. The image of the car could represent a vehicle (like a drug) that the two of them are using to travel through the different dimensions.
The repetition of "not going to stop" and "I know how you are" implies that the woman is in control of the situation and that the singer is powerless to resist. The ending plea of "Oh please" seems to show that the singer is aware of their predicament but is unable to break free from the woman's influence. The song creates an eerie and unsettling atmosphere, as it portrays a relationship where one person has total control over the other. It is ultimately up to the listener to decide whether this control is welcomed or unwanted.
Line by Line Meaning
With her army complete
With her group of friends by her side
She can take me apart off
She has the ability to destroy me emotionally
Through the earth
Traveling through tough times
Then back in the car
Returning to a state of normalcy
'Cause once you begin
Once you start down a certain path
Your not going to stop
It will be difficult to resist continuing
I know how you are
I understand your personality and tendencies
Gonna stop
Wanting to give up and quit
But your not going to stop
Despite wanting to quit, you will keep going
Gonna stop
Wanting to give up and quit
I know how you are
I understand your personality and tendencies
Oh please
An exasperated plea
Through the earth
Traveling through tough times
Then back in the car
Returning to a state of normalcy
You're not going to stop
It will be difficult to resist continuing
I know how you are
I understand your personality and tendencies
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Abe Cunningham, Chi Cheng, Chino Camilo Moreno, Frank Delgado, Stephen Carpenter
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@howdyfrommars9410
With her army complete
She can take me apart off
Through the earth
Then back in the car
Cause once you begin
Your not going to stop
I know how you are
Gonna stop
But your not going to stop
Gonna stop
I know how you are
Oh please
Through the earth
Then back in the car
Your not going to stop
I know how you are
@PlagaXTifi
The most Deftones sounding song on the whole album for sure.
@elijahortiz1281
Do you know anymore bangers by these guys?
@probilliards101
@@elijahortiz1281 all of it lol. Look up the song formant and their demos album. On this album my favorite is probably ever (foreign flag) but they're all good.
@timnah1019
i was thinking exactly the same thing
@camiloantoniovasquezotondo3338
the vocalist is chino right?
@soconnoriv
@@camiloantoniovasquezotondo3338 yes
@dub7122
The opening riff is the most haunting, ambiguous piece of melancholy ever...
@xanman29
Man you have to listen to safety by destroy lonely
@Left4X
@@xanman29 wait I hope you know that safety did sample this
@dexa2687
this...is some serious cruising-at-night tunes, with nowhere to go, just driving