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Biography
Refimprove|date=April 2009infobox musical artist| name = Sleeper| background = group_or_band| origin = United Kingdom | genre = Indie rock , Britpop | years_active = 1993–1998| past_members = Louise Wener Jon Stewart Diid Osman Andy Maclure Dan "Rubber Gloves" Kaufmann (1997-98) Sleeper were a United Kingdom|British Britpop band in the 1990s fronted by Louise Wener . The band had eight United Kingdom|UK Top 40 hit record|hit single (music)|singles and three UK Top 10 album s.cite book | first= David | last= Roberts | year= 2006 | title= British Hit Singles & Albums | edition= 19th | publisher= Guinness World Records Limited | location= London | isbn= 1-904994-10-5 | page= 507 Their music was also featured in the soundtrack of Trainspotting (soundtrack)|Trainspotting .
Career
Jon Stewart met Louise Wener at Manchester University in 1987 in a political philosophy class. They played in a number of bands at university, then after graduating they moved to London and advertised for new band members in the Melody Maker ("Bass player and drummer wanted. Influences The Pixies and The Partridge Family") which is how they met Diid Osman and Andy Maclure.cite book | first= William | last= Austin | year= 1997 | title= Sleeper: Burn All The Negatives | edition= 1st | publisher= Chameleon Books | location= London | isbn= 0-233-99160-3 | pages= 12–24
At one point, the band called themselves Surrender Dorothy , after the smoke trail in the sky from the The Wizard of Oz (1939 film)|Wizard of Oz film|movie , but they had to ditch this idea after discovering that several other bands had done the same thing. They subsequently chose the name Sleeper after the Woody Allen movie, and because it has a number of different meanings (a spy, an unexpected hit, etc.).cite book | first= William | last= Austin | year= 1997 | title= Sleeper: Burn All The Negatives | edition= 1st | publisher= Chameleon Books | location= London | isbn= 02331991654 Please check ISBN|reason=Invalid length.| page= 12
After moving to Camden Town|Camden and receiving interest from record labels, Sleeper signed to BMG/RCA offshoot Indolent Records in 1993 and released three EPs and singles before their breakthrough release, "Inbetweener".cite book | first= William | last= Austin | year= 1997 | title= Sleeper: Burn All The Negatives | edition= 1st | publisher= Chameleon Books | location= London | isbn= 02331991654 Please check ISBN|reason=Invalid length.| pages= 37–42
Certain parts of the promo video for "Inbetweener" parodied the grocery store-set ITV game show '' Dale's Supermarket Sweep|Supermarket Sweep '' and featured the programme's presenter Dale Winton . Prior to the release of "Inbetweener" Sleeper had been the opening band for Blur (band)|Blur on their tour to promote the Parklife album, and they became closely associated with Britpop as a result.cite book | first= William | last= Austin | year= 1997 | title= Sleeper: Burn All The Negatives | edition= 1st | publisher= Chameleon Books | location= London | isbn= 02331991654 Please check ISBN|reason=Invalid length.| page= 33
Sleeper recorded three studio album for Indolent and BMG/RCA: Smart , The It Girl and Pleased to Meet You .
Smart was one of the first Britpop albums to hit the charts and won the band a British Phonographic Industry|BPI gold disc for sales of over 100,000 copies. It was followed by the platinum-selling release The It Girl which was arguably the band's finest moment and included " What Do I Do Now? ", "Lie Detector", "Sale of the Century" and "Statuesque" as the defining tracks.cite book | first= William | last= Austin | year= 1997 | title= Sleeper: Burn All The Negatives | edition= 1st | publisher= Chameleon Books | location= London | isbn= 02331991654 Please check ISBN|reason=Invalid length.| page= 59
Sleeper recorded a cover version|cover of the Blondie (band)|Blondie song " Atomic (song)|Atomic ", which was used in the film Trainspotting (film)|Trainspotting , after Blondie refused to allow the use of the original version. Their track "Statuesque" also features in the movie during one of the bar scenes.
The It Girl , like the band's subsequent release Pleased to Meet You , was produced by Stephen Street who was then famous for his contributions to The Smiths , Morrissey and Blur (band)|Blur , and is since renowned for his work with Kaiser Chiefs and others.Tape Op: The Creative Music Recording Magazine, Issue #69, Jan/Feb 2009, "Stephen Street: The Smiths, Blur, Kaiser Chiefs, New Order and more."
Louise Wener was arguably, along with Elastica 's Justine Frischmann , Britpop's biggest female star.Citation needed|date=July 2010 She was even something of a sex symbol , placing highly in Melody Maker 's and NME 's "Sexiest Woman" polls two years running. Wener enjoyed significant media coverage, including an NME front cover and a slot as guest presenter of Top of the Pops . Her song " What Do I Do Now? " was covered by Elvis Costello in 1997.
After the band split in 1998 following the demise of Britpop, Wener went on to have a career as a novelist . She released her fourth book for Hodder & Stoughton in 2008. Wener also features prominently as an interviewee in John Dower's definitive feature film documentary on Britpop, Live Forever (2003).
A greatest hits compilation, with tracklisting and artwork by the band themselves, was released on Sony/BMG in 2007.
Their first two albums were reissued as deluxe versions on 29 November 2010, with second discs of B-Sides and live tracks.
"Sleeperbloke"
The band was the inspiration for the phrase "Sleeperbloke", referring to the disparity between the glamorous singer Wener and the other frequently ignored members of the band (who tended to be far more anonymous and stood at the back). This pejorative term was used by music press journalists and musicians , to refer to any person of limited standing within a band or an especially drab and unremarkable individual. The "Sleeperblokes" themselves were reported to be highly amused by the phrase, and even produced an ironic "Sleeperbloke" T-shirt to go with Louise's "Just Another Girl Fronted Band" T-shirt , both of which sold well.cite book | first= William | last= Austin | year= 1997 | title= Sleeper: Burn All The Negatives | edition= 1st | publisher= Chameleon Books | location= London | isbn= 02331991654 Please check ISBN|reason=Invalid length.| page= 43
The real-life Sleeperblokes were:
Jon Stewart (born Jonathan David Stewart, 12 September 1966, Sheffield ) & mdash; ( guitarist )
Diid Osman (b. Kenadiid Osman, 10 April 1968, Woking ) & mdash; ( bassist )
Andy Maclure (b. 4 July 1970, Liverpool ) & mdash; ( drummer )
Dan Kaufmann ( bassist 1997-98)
After Sleeper split Stewart moved to Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles , California where he played with West Coast band UFO Bro and contributed as a session musician|session guitarist to k d lang 's album Invincible Summer (2000) and Mel C 's album Reason (Melanie C album)|Reason . He now lectures in music business and music history at the Brighton Institute of Modern Music (where he taught members of The Kooks , The Ordinary Boys , and Kate Walsh (singer)|Kate Walsh ) and is a columnist for the Guitarist (magazine)|Guitarist . http://www.bimm.co.uk Brighton Institute of Modern Music
After leaving Sleeper, Osman joined Dubstar ( Food Records ). Following this he entered artist management securing several major recording contract s, including My Vitriol (Infectious/Epic), Hell Is For Heroes (EMI) and The Glitterati ( Atlantic Records ). He is nowWhen|date=February 2011 managing Lucy Styles and Casino Trap.
Certifications ( List of music recording sales certifications
UK Albums Chart
1995
Smart (album)
Release date: Start date|1995|2|13
Label: Indolent Records
5
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British Phonographic Industry|UK : Goldcite web | title = British certificates: searchable database | url = http://www.bpi.co.uk/certifiedawards/search.aspx | publisher = bpi.co.uk |accessdate=30 June 2010
1996
The It Girl (album)
Release date: Start date|1996|5|6
Label: Indolent
5
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British Phonographic Industry|UK : Platinum
1997
Pleased to Meet You (Sleeper album)
Release date: Start date|1997|10|13
Label: Indolent
7
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British Phonographic Industry|UK : Silver
2007
Greatest Hits
Release date: Start date|2007|7|9
Label: Sony BMG
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| first= Martin C. | last= Strong | year= 2000 | title= The Great Rock Discography | edition= 5th | publisher= Mojo Books | location= Edinburgh | page= 893 | isbn= 1-84195-017-3
