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.
Scarf Bitch
Team Sleep Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You can′t see ahead
Silent makes me, have no partners
I can't be held again
Maintain the ole deception
Here me for now and then
They came from all directions
Cracked my shoulder in the market
Laps around the place
Broken solders, burning sinners
Want to work again
Maintain the ole deception
Here me for now and then
They came from all directions
Here me for now and then
If someone said
I′m horrible, there life would end
If someone said
I'm horrible, there life would end
If someone said
Maintain the lie
Don't tell your soul, its horrible
Maintain the lie
Don′t tell your soul, its horrible
Maintain the lie
Don′t tell your soul, its horrible
Maintain the lie
Don't tell your soul, its horrible
To many lies, been left before me
Not gonna have, not gonna tell me
Give me depression
Give me a sign
The lyrics of Team Sleep's Scarf Bitch song are open to interpretation, but there seems to be a sense of confusion, suppression, and deceit at play. The first verse suggests that the singer is in a city (Gotham) and fog obscures their vision. They are alone and cannot be held down again. The second verse starts with them talking about deception and hearing them now and then. The third verse has a sense of injury and disappointment, but they do not want to give up and want to start again. The final verses repeat the line, "If someone said I'm horrible, their life would end," suggesting the importance of self-preservation and hiding feelings.
The chorus repeats the phrase "Maintain the lie, don't tell your soul, it's horrible," which adds to the theme of hiding and suppressing feelings. The final line expresses a desire for some form of relief, "Give me depression, give me a sign."
Overall, the lyrics of Scarf Bitch paint a picture of a person who is alone and feels the need to hide their true feelings, possibly due to fear of judgment, rejection, or harm. The repeated notion of maintaining a deception and not telling one's soul suggests that the person may be struggling with their identity and sense of self-worth.
Line by Line Meaning
Gotham seens in the mist
The city in the distance is blurry and unclear
You can't see ahead
The future is uncertain and unknown
Silent makes me, have no partners
Being quiet and reserved leads to a lack of companionship
I can't be held again
I refuse to be controlled or manipulated
Maintain the ole deception
Continue to keep up the facade
Here me for now and then
Listen to me occasionally
They came from all directions
People are approaching from every angle
Cracked my shoulder in the market
I injured myself while in a public place
Laps around the place
Walking in circles around the area
Broken solders, burning sinners
People who are hurt and in pain
Want to work again
Desire to heal and get back to normal
If someone said I'm horrible, their life would end
If someone insulted me, I would be devastated
Maintain the lie
Keep up the false front
Don't tell your soul, its horrible
Don't reveal your true nature as it's regarded as bad
To many lies, been left before me
Too many falsehoods have been told to me in the past
Not gonna have, not gonna tell me
I won't put up with it anymore
Give me depression
I want to feel sadness and despair
Give me a sign
Show me some indication or clue
Contributed by Hailey J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Matt Bennett
Still listening to this in 2020! My personal favourite Team Sleep song! 👌🏻
Bloodofabram
Dude fr i think rob was talking about his time in the marines
Exquisite Wrk!
I would agree my dood..or someone he respects who was victim to don’t ask don’t tell.
Bloodofabram
What an underrated band smh .. i always wonder what it would of been if team sleep was still making music
Timur Nebesniy
Don't make this music disappear in abyss of time.
P.S. Still love it
Eugene Ray
Seen them live at the celebrity theatre with pinback. Amazing show.
Crist_ 89
Finally found this song!!!
abraham herrera
i love this song
Ice Kold Killa
Anyone have a tab for this song? Guitar.
PistonAvatarGuy
Every decent quality version of this gets taken down, WTF?
And then I can't find it anywhere for purchase. Fuck!