Armor for Sleep

Armor for Sleep

L-R: Ben Jorgensen, Nash Breen and PJ DeCicco of Armor for Sleep
Background information
Origin New Jersey, United States
Genres Emo, pop punk, post-hardcore, indie rock, dream pop
Years active 2001–09, 2012,[1] 2015[2]
Labels Sire, Equal Vision
Website Official Facebook Page
Members Ben Jorgensen
PJ DeCicco
Anthony DiIonno
Nash Breen
Past members AJ Resnick
Paul Abrahamian

Armor for Sleep was an American rock band from New Jersey, formed in 2001 and disbanded in 2009. The final lineup consisted of lead vocalist, guitarist and songwriter Ben Jorgensen, lead guitarist PJ DeCicco, bassist Anthony DiIonno and drummer Nash Breen.

After initial demos had been distributed, New York-based independent label Equal Vision Records signed the band and went on to release the concept-based albums, Dream to Make Believe (2003) and What to Do When You Are Dead (2005).[1] The following year they signed to Sire Records/Warner Bros. and released their last album Smile for Them (2007).[3] They announced their disbandment in October 2009.

During their recording career, the band were renowned for their blend of alternative rock to atmospheric emo and dream pop.[4][5][6]

History

Armor For Sleep was founded by Ben Jorgensen in 2001 in New Jersey. Nash Breen and Peter James "PJ" DeCicco later joined the band after leaving fellow New Jersey band Prevent Falls. Jorgensen stated the name of the band comes from his early experiences of writing music and not being able to sleep. As he recalls, "I guess when I started the band I was kind of, like, retreating in my room and I kind of couldn't really fall asleep, so I started playing music. I just thought of the name Armor for Sleep, because it was really, the music was keeping me from passing out! Which was something I was procrastinating on."[1]

Ben would go on to record demos of songs that would later be re-recorded and released on their first album Dream to Make Believe. These demos would circulate through the internet and become very popular with fans for their raw sound.

Armor For Sleep originally signed to Equal Vision Records, where they released their first two albums, Dream to Make Believe in 2003 and What to Do When You Are Dead in 2005. The band signed to Warner Brothers/Sire Records in 2006, explaining it was "time for a change".[7]

A Machine Shop remix of their track "Remember to Feel Real" was featured on the Snakes on a Plane soundtrack in August 2006. The next year, the band debuted a new track entitled "End of the World" on the soundtrack for the 2007 film Transformers. This song would later appear on their next record, but with various changes, including the reduction in vocal effects and keyboards.

Armor For Sleep released their third full-length album Smile for Them on October 30, 2007.

On August 20, 2008, the band announced an extended play (EP), entitled The Way Out Is Broken.[8]

Disbandment

On October 28, 2009 it was officially announced that the band would be parting ways. Frontman Ben Jorgensen released a statement informing fans of the inevitable, after the band had been inactive, not undertaking a tour for over a year.[9]

The band regrouped to play the 2012 Bamboozle Festival in New Jersey, releasing the following statement:

"We have no motivation for doing this other than to get up on stage and say goodbye properly to the people out there who never got the opportunity to see us one last time. Like Sam Beckett in Quantum Leap we will strive to "put right what once went wrong"…and then just like him we will poof out of existence. But for good this time- we promise." [10]

At the Bamboozle Festival, and on the band's Facebook page, Jorgenson announced that three more shows would be played: July 14, 2012 at Irving Plaza in New York City, July 20, 2012 at The Glass House in Pomona, California, and July 22, 2012 at the House of Blues in Chicago, Illinois.

On July 20th, 2015, the band announced an 8 city tour to celebrate the 10th anniversary of What To Do When You Are Dead.[11]

Current projects

After the group parted ways, Ben Jorgensen started an electronic project called God Loves a Challenge alongside Sierra Shardae and also embarked on a brief solo career, releasing the EP There Is Nowhere Left to Go in 2010.

PJ DeCicco moved on to playing in Love Automatic with former Senses Fail bassist Mike Glita. The band is no longer active.

Nash Breen was playing with New York Rivals, but now plays for the Cold Seas, who opened for Armor for Sleep on select dates of their What to Do When You Are Dead 10 year anniversary tour in 2015.

Personnel

Final line-up

Bass player, Anthony DiIonno

Discography

Studio albums

Year Album details Peak chart positions[4]
US US Indie US Heat.
2003 Dream to Make Believe — — —
2005 What to Do When You Are Dead 101 8 1
2007 Smile for Them
  • Released: October 30, 2007
  • Label: Sire
 93 — —
a "—" denotes an album did not chart

Extended plays

Year EP details
2008 The Way Out Is Broken
  • Released: September 5, 2008
  • Label: Sire

Compilations

Year Title Album
2005 "Very Invisible" Masters of Horror Soundtrack
2006 "Today" (Smashing Pumpkins cover) The Killer in You: A Tribute to Smashing Pumpkins

Unreleased Singles

Year Title
2009 "Chameleons"[12]
? "Pointless Forever"
2012? "Caught In A Daze"
2012 "Always A Wish"[13]
2012 "Who's Gonna Lie To You"[14]

Radio Singles

Year Title Album
2003 "Dream to Make Believe" Dream to Make Believe
2004 "My Town"
2005 "Car Underwater"[15][16] What to Do When You Are Dead
"The Truth About Heaven"
2006 "Remember to Feel Real"
2007 "Williamsburg"[17] Smile for Them
2008 "Hold the Door"[16]

Music videos

Year Title Director
2003 "Dream to Make Believe" Christian Winters
2004 "My Town" Andrew Paul Bowser
2005 "Car Underwater" Shane Drake
"The Truth About Heaven" Alan Ferguson
2006 "Remember to Feel Real" Lex Halaby
2007 "Williamsburg" Tue Wallin Storm
2008 "Hold the Door"

DVDs

Year Title Details
2004 Homesick: DVD Compilation, Vol. 1[18] "Dream to Make Believe" is featured on the compilation DVD
2005 What to Do When You Are Dead Bonus DVD[19] Initial pressings of What to Do When You Are Dead included a bonus DVD documenting how the record was made
2005 A Comprehensive Guide To Touring[20] An in-depth view of the band while on-tour and off-tour.[21]

References

  1. 1 2 3 http://www.alternativevision.co.uk/interview7.html
  2. ↑ https://www.facebook.com/ArmorForSleep/photos/a.469043520501.253639.5847955501/10153399495630502/?type=1
  3. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2009-02-10. Retrieved 2009-06-26.
  4. 1 2 http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p559615
  5. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2009-06-15. Retrieved 2010-01-06.
  6. ↑ http://www.armorforsleep.com/news/2008/01/28/interview-ben. Originally from "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2008-03-04. Retrieved 2010-01-06.
  7. ↑ http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?p=5393262
  8. ↑ The Way Out Is Broken Archived September 2, 2008, at the Wayback Machine.
  9. ↑ Karan, Tim. "Armor For Sleep break up". Alternative Press. Archived from the original on 1 November 2009. Retrieved 2009-10-29.
  10. ↑ http://www.facebook.com/#!/notes/the-bamboozle-festival/a-letter-from-ben-jorgensen-of-armor-for-sleep/10150790759558413
  11. ↑ https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10153408851110502&substory_index=0&id=5847955501
  12. ↑ http://unextranoenemigo.blogspot.com/2009/11/armor-for-sleep-unreleased-song.html. Retrieved 29 December 2015. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  13. ↑ https://www.facebook.com/ArmorForSleep/posts/497024493646883. Retrieved 29 December 2015. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  14. ↑ https://www.facebook.com/ArmorForSleep/posts/117715405031704. Retrieved 29 December 2015. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  15. ↑ Car Underwater (Booklet). Armor for Sleep. Equal Vision. 2005. none.
  16. 1 2 "FMQB Airplay Archive: Modern Rock". Friday Morning Quarterback Album Report, Incorporated. Retrieved May 11, 2016.
  17. ↑ https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/williamsburg-single/id263501419
  18. ↑ https://www.punknews.org/review/3462/various-homesick-vol-1-dvd. Retrieved 29 December 2015. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  19. ↑ http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/6827145/a/what+to+do+when+you+are+dead.htm. Retrieved 29 December 2015. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  20. ↑ "Armor For England". Alternative Press. October 20, 2005. Retrieved June 24, 2016.
  21. ↑ "A Comprehensive Guide To trailer-watching". Alternative Press. October 25, 2005. Retrieved June 24, 2016.

External links

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