Sleep press cannabis leaves into ‘Dopesmoker’ reissue
Few bands have connected themselves so thoroughly to the joys of smoking cannabis like sludge metal gods Sleep. From the earliest days of the California trio’s existence, weed has been an essential part of the band’s identity and appeal. Listening to their music sober is a bit of a curious experience. “Drop out of life with bong in hand” was more than just a funny lyric – it was a creed that the band followed religiously.
By the time Sleep recorded their third album in 1996, they had reached their peak in expansive doom metal and produced an epic album-length composition entitled Dopesmoker. Featuring some of the heaviest and headiest riffs ever produced, the song was set to make up the entirety of the band’s third album of the same name.
That was until the band’s record label, London Records, heard the final product. The representative who signed the band had left the company, and the remaining executives refused to release the album. The band were dropped from the label after refusing to cut down the material, and in 1999 and unauthorised edit was released by Rise Above/Music Cartel Records as Jerusalem. By that point, Sleep had officially broken up.
Sleep’s original vision was realised by a 2003 release by Tee Pee Records, including the uncut version of ‘Dopesmoker’ in its (mostly) complete 63-minute glory. A reissue of the album was handled by Southern Lord Records in 2012, and once the band signed to Jack White’s Third Man Records for their 2018 comeback LP The Sciences, the rights to Dopesmoker have officially been with Third Man.
That being said, Dopesmoker has yet to appear on streaming services due to the various labels that different versions of the album have appeared on over the years. Now that Third Man is handling everything Sleep, Dopesmoker will see another official reissue this Friday, complete with its first release on streaming services.
The new physical vinyl release even comes with a fun gimmick – a cannabis leaf pressed into the record. What better way to tie back in metal’s biggest potheads to their audience of equally-stoned devotees than with a celebration of all things smokey. Dopesmoker will be available to purchase through Third Man Records on August 27th.
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