Grand Rapids Rocks- Sleepeater

I love Grand Rapids and all it has to offer with local music, so I decided why not feature local bands here on wgrd.com! Todays featured The Sleepeater, they answered a few questions for me below! Check them out, and if your in a local band and want to be featured then answer the same questions and email them along with a video to Jackie@wgrd.com, I don’t just feature anyone, so don’t suck and you’ll get the Jackie stamp of approval ;) Find me on facebook too, to follow all your favorite local bands, and GRD news by clicking HERE

Who are all the members of your band, and what do they play?
Mark Baum: guitar/vocals, Charlie Cook: guitar/vocals, DJ Wert: bass/vocals, Benjamin Boggs: vocals, Jacob Ewert: drums

When did the band get together, and how?
In June of 2010, we played our first show together at Jukes. Charlie and Mark had some new material written, and were looking for a vocalist and bass player. DJ, our original drummer Ben Zeeuw and myself joined the fold. Ben had to step down after almost two years of drum duties, and we were lucky enough to find Jacob. Last week was our first show with Jacob who is our current drummer.

How would you describe your music to someone?
As vague as "dream pop doom metal" can be, we feel that it encompasses all that we do. We can be floaty to the point of shoegaze back to a groovier stoner rock sound and topped off with abrasive black metal, often times within the same song. Our sound is a mix of doom, coupled with the aggression of modern and classic metal elements squeezed through the filter of classic rock psychedelia.

Who are some of the bands that influence your music?
Our influences range from black sabbath, the beach boys, genesis, behemoth, mastodon, the sword, wolves in the throne room, ghost, Alice Cooper and meshuggah. Each member of the band is influenced by wildly different artists.

What other bands have your members been/are in?
eighth chakra, O'beast, the walking corpses, star destroyer

What other local bands would you recommend people check out?
We are lucky to have met so many awesome bands on this journey! I'd recommend you check out genocya, the devastator, onn, destroyer of light, flood the desert, of gods and wolves, pan (north), terror terror..oh my!, fable of deceit, cavalcade, dozic, batcave, brass bows, the apostles, beast in the field, the doctor's wives and ozenza if you have not already done so.

Where is your favorite place to play in Grand Rapids?
Jukes is by far my favorite place to play in Grand Rapids.

Where can we catch you performing next?
May 18 at Karova's in Kalamazoo w/ sin theorem, all ends black and decease the weak, June 9th at Louies w/ the mushmen, fable of deceit, sailor kicks and dgr/dwn as part of the 1st annual metal vs. ska show!