Despite their laidback-sounding moniker and sun-kissed, west coast harmonies, you won't catch Birmingham funksoul brothers (and sister) Sleepyhead resting on their laurels. Over the past few months, the acoustic outfit have been busy gigging the length and breadth of the Midlands, playing showcase slots on BBC Radio WM and Kerrang, on top of recording their debut album. And they seem poised to mesmerise even more punters as they gear up for an intimate canalside set of funk-tinged chill-out at James Brindley on Broad Street on February 15.
 | | Sleepyhead in concert |
Recalling the psychedelic swirl of the Byrds, swooping Mamas and Papas-aping three-part harmonies and the bluesy shuffle of Gomez, Sleepyhead don't take the lazy option of purveying flavour of the month indie-rock, and unashamedly wear their riot of eclectic influences on their sleeve. As guitarist, songwriter and vocalist Loz Rabone explains, refusing to compromise has meant the group has steadily build up momentum instead of crashing and burning like some of their cooler peers. But he admits their genre-hopping can often be a stumbling block, with Midlands promoters scratching their heads once they realise Sleepyhead are not mere Arctic Monkeys clones. "There seems to be a limited amount of venues which will promote original bands unless they have a huge following already," says Loz. "This is a catch-22 situation, but the reaction to the shows we have done so far have been fantastic." The brainchild behind the band, seasoned musician Loz has been a fixture on the city's live circuit for years and even tasted fleeting success in the US in the mid-eighties as part of rockers Surface. The Wolverhampton University graduate initially formed Sleepyhead as a solo vehicle but an impromptu jam session with local bassist Dave Clarke and percussionist Bepa added a beefier dimension to the sound, convincing Loz that a band was a more exciting proposition. Since then, the line-up has swelled to a six-piece and gone through various changes, with Loz the only remaining original member. He is joined by David King on guitar and vocals, Lisa Robinson sharing vocal duties, bassist David Banting, Chuddy on percussion and drummer Mark Ernest. Their 2005 EP, Change of Season, racked up the accolades and hooking up with Incubator Records - the Birmingham-based development label that nurtures a roster of promising artists for a year - allowed them to strike up an intriguing musical partnership.
 | | Sleepyhead |
"The producer of our EP was Surinder Sandhu who is a revered Indian musician, composer and producer from Wolverhampton. He is highly respected having received critical acclaim for his own albums and showed real belief in Sleepyhead. "It was a great experience as musically, we come from very different backgrounds and the fusion of our different styles was mutually inspiring and creative." "Incubator is a great opportunity for up-and-coming bands," he says. "You are limited as to the amount of studio time that’s available so it's in your interest to have a focussed idea of what you want to achieve. "I had a lot of material to choose from and some great musicians around me so we were able to record quickly and get our five-track EP released." Although there have been a few knocks along the way, Loz's self-belief is undimmed and if the clamour among labels itching to sign them since the band's link-up with Incubator came to an end and the electric atmosphere at their gigs is anything to go by, the lull in their schedule will have to wait a little longer. "Barry Tome from Gotham records heard a preview of the album and is keen on using some songs for a compilation under the Birmingham Music Network banner later this year," reveals Loz. "We’re currently finishing off the album artwork and are hoping to have distribution backing soon. If we could get a label behind us, we know we have a masterpiece in the making." For more details, check out www.sleepyheadmusic.co.uk | 
