Zammuto and de Jong met through a friend in New York City. Sharing similar interests but different backgrounds in acoustic music and found sound, Zammuto and de Jong took their sonic experiments to the studio. Eventually, with some urging by Tom Steinle of Tomlab Records, they created what would become their debut record, 'Thought for Food', in 2002. Within a year, the Books relocated to Hot Springs, NC, and recorded and released 'The Lemon of Pink'. With a lot of favorable word of mouth and critical buzz from the first two records, the Books relocated again in winter of 2004 and recorded in an old Victorian home in North Adams, MA. With the release of 'Lost and Safe' in April of 2005, the Books prepared to tour with their unique blend of samples and acoustic music. All three Books albums were released on Tomlab Records.
One of the most unique aspects of the band was the video compositions which play during their live performances. Video was synched with the music and provide visuals to coincide with the many found-sounds the band employs. According to the band, much of the video was pulled from home movies and ephemeral films bought from thrift stores. For example, on the track entitled 'A Cold Freezin' Night', the many audio samples were pulled from Tiger Electronics Talkboy tapes also acquired from thrift stores.
In the late 2000s, The Books announced the addition of a third member of the band, who plays violin, guitar, and electronics. In August 2010, their final album entitled 'The Way Out' was released on Temporary Residence. 2012 saw a compilation release 'A Dot in Time.'
In early 2012, Nick Zammuto announced the end of the duo and the beginning of his solo project Zammuto. Subsequently, Paul de Jong released two solo albums.
Read Eat Sleep
The Books Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
E-A-T
S-L-E-E-P
R-E-A-D
(okay)
Aleatoric.
Aleato-ric?
Alea-tor-ic?
Alea-tor-ic or aleato-ric?
Aleato-ric.
By digitising thunder and traffic noises, Georgia was able to compose aleatoric music
The Books's song Read Eat Sleep's lyrics appear to be a series of seemingly unrelated yet essential activities that seem to encompass human life's various aspects. R-E-A-D is the first activity mentioned in the song, providing an alliteration that is echoed in the remaining activities, E-A-T and S-L-E-E-P. The song's meaning is not limited to these three activities; it could represent a more comprehensive philosophy of life, where everything else falls under these categories, such as learning and knowledge acquisition, sustenance, and rest.
The following lines of the song, where someone is trying to pronounce the term 'aleatoric,' add another layer of depth to the song. Aleatoric, also known as chance music, is a style of modern music that leverages randomness as a way of generating composition. The confusion and uncertainty around the pronunciation of the term further emphasize the unpredictable and spontaneous nature of aleatoric music. Georgia is then mentioned, who was able to create music that includes thunder and traffic noises by digitizing them. Overall, the song appears to advocate for essential yet straightforward activities, suggesting that they hold much value in our lives.
In conclusion, Read Eat Sleep by The Books's lyrics appear to present a philosophical stance that posits the simplicity and importance of basic human activities that make up the bulk of our lives. The integration of aleatoric music, with its emphasis on chance and spontaneity, together with everyday activities, makes the song quite profound and thought-provoking.
Line by Line Meaning
R-E-A-D
Let's start with reading
E-A-T
Now let's eat
S-L-E-E-P
Finally, let's get some sleep
R-E-A-D
Let's go back to reading
Aleatoric.
Random or chance-based
Aleatoric?
Questioning the meaning of aleatoric
Aleato-ric?
Wondering about the pronunciation of aleatoric
Alea-tor-ic?
Trying another pronunciation of aleatoric
Alea-tor-ic or aleato-ric?
Choosing between two possible ways to pronounce aleatoric
Aleato-ric.
Confirming the correct pronunciation of aleatoric
By digitising thunder and traffic noises, Georgia was able to compose aleatoric music
Georgia used the recorded sounds of thunder and traffic and manipulated them to create aleatoric music.
Contributed by Michael F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.