By JOHN ZEWIZZ
Welkum back. Finding out that the data from our Archives iz limited to each Posting we have to have multiple pages to complete the historic documentation ov each subject. The MANRAY Post waz our largest Post. After that the company seems to be limiting our videos and pictures. We will try and work with that. Unfortunately dates ov Shows many have to be mixed into other years. There iz a lot ov date and its very hard finding all the same period photos by publishing time. The Kaos you expect from SLEEP CHAMBER anyway. Just remember … Much data iz being provided by many Fans & collecters to provide you the best info possible.
SLEEP CHAMBER
SLEEP CHAMBER Began performing at THE MIDDLE EAST Club in 1991. I think we opened for no more than 2-3 bands in our whole collective ov performing. Admittedly I am no singer and am clueless about cords and notes. Its all improv. I see myself az more ov an entertainer. Make no mistake. My goal haz never been anything but to stand outside the establishment goonies. You could say I have a grudge or a anti-social attitude on the way I establish my form ov Musickal expression. On the other hand I do not fantasy or worship any Musickal efforts in Musick. Its all a form ov creative expression. I like all Musick’s-(mostly)- I do not adore or worship bands or idols. I regret very little. And assumed even less. My Musickal expression iz a reflection ov my emotions. In the past 30+ years and the thousands ov Musick I have rekorded and arranged, there iz more rejected than accepted. One thing I can admire iz the amount ov Musick I have established without Any Major Label support or the approval ov any other Musickal collectives. Bands, Singers, DJs, Musick critics, etc. I stand alone. I have outlived most all ov your idols and hero’s. If not for my efforts in underground, Industrial and alternate Musick the artists JONATHAN BRILEY, DOKUMENT, WOMEN OF THE SS, and SLEEP CHAMBER to mention a few would have Never existed. Even My BARBITCHUETTES. So, when making your judgements with the opening terms like ‘apparently’ and ‘actually’ and the rest ov your poorly conde verbs always remember … your discord ov my Musick iz seen az a form ov Envy or jealous beta-bitching. I never found it ov any significance to condescend anyone else’s Musick or expression. Never mind do such great layouts ov CD covers and extensive ridicule ov my many different styles ov underground Musick that I have produced in many forms and styles. I am the Alpha father ov hundreds ov releases on INNER-X-Musick. No matter the format. Not many at all call challenge my prolific output ov Musickal expression or the assistance to other Musickal artists that you seem to worship with the failing ignorance to recognize that without me-(John Zewizz)- theze Individual idols you admire would never had seen the light ov day. I seek no glory. Only the view from my insight.
THE MIDDLE EAST Club waz a Club I had to prove that SLEEP CHAMBER & our BARBITCHUETTES could Sell-Out and charge at least $12. a ticket for the downstairs ballroom. We had already done it a few times at MANRAY. (Across the street). It took a specialized kind ov propaganda and promotion. The flyers & posters had to be an image that people found provocative and intriguing No Problem. SLEEPCHAMBER by 1992-1994 had a reputation ov having Vixen Dancers much like a curiosity about a outlaw rebel group like THE HELLS ANGELS. I Conditioned THE BARBITCHUETTES to reflect desire but at the same time remain totally unobtainable. Many females wanted to join. They saw the power evolving from the SLEEPCHAMBER Performances and the videos I waz producing for the Musick releases. There were offers to sleep with me to be part ov the BARBITCHUETTE Pride. It waz hard. The females had to own their own Fetish gear, they had to be naturally sexual and have some stage talent. Lastly, they had to understand the concept ov SLEEPCHAMBER to induce the live performances. There waz also the element that I had to ensure. Sexual Vixens can distract the whole focus from SLEEPCHAMBER and draw attention and insight from the Musick and performance establishing a simple thrill instead ov a complex effort ov an experience.
I would have to say THE MIDDLE EAST Club waz worse than MANRAY for Drugs. The dressing room for THE BARBITCHUETTES waz 12 X 12. It waz on the side ov the stage. I would rest back there with THE BARBITCHUETTES chatting and laughing away. When it first started in 1992 . Then there waz a parade ov boyfriends, husbands, and club owners constantly walking in the dressing room. That stopped right after the first performance. The band did not need to be back there. The 2-brothers who owned the club were just getting cheep peeks and were trying to get laid. After they were banned, it waz boyfriends, husbands and wardrobe groupies. Finally I had Devlin make up some signs. “OFF LIMITS” to other signs stating “NO ONE BACKSTAGE”. At MANRAY too. They (MANRAY)-had a whole downstairs landing. Still needed security. Odd-balls would sneak in. Plus MANRAY waz 10 times more kinky. I gave orders out for No BARBITCHUETTES getting whipped by audience members. No pissing on male slaves in the ladies room, and obviously no eye contact with audience or contact with the audience at all. At both clubs theze Rules were paramount. Oh, one more thing …half way through the final song, after the feathers are thrown …”follow me off the stage….after final song”. If I left them out there they would stay till the song finished and the audience would start screaming for more. No Encoures. It waz at THE MIDDLE EAST Club I realized how many BARBITCHUETTES were doing heroin. It waz not a problem, just 90% were sniffing bags backstage. Late for intros to their songs on stage. They also progressively got more sexual and improvised parts we had already planned. BARBITCHUETTE~ Semiramis waz the muscle. She did flips, splits, and had the best Tits on stage. A Pro with cracking the whip. Never stood still for a second. Only problem, she waz a climber. I never knew when she waz going to mount me-(front or back)- and start climbing up to the stage celling. When she had a Burmese Python-(14-feet / 90 pounds)- it waz almost impossible to hold her & the snake in one arm and sing with the other hand. It worked about 4-times. Then I told her I almost fell with both them. So, we or I stopped the snake on stage with BARBITCHUETTE~ Semiramis.
After working with ELAINE WALKER in late 1991 the first song recorded waz “Cat Woman”. It waz early. Later in 1992 Elaine waz providing me with programming and drum trax for “Anakonda” & “Cockwork” ….SLEEP CHAMBER already had “Cockwork” in 1989-1990 when ARTHUR WOZNIC waz in the band. He programmed a drum track for it. SLEEP CHAMBER performed it a few local times. But when Arthur left the band he took the backing track for “Cockwork” with him. So I had to arrange a new version around Elaine Walkers drum trax. It ended up better I think. The SIAMESE SUCCUBI CD release waz 86% Elaine Walker drum programs. I arranged “Sweet Dreams Sweet”, “Serpents Egg”… and some other demos. Arthur Woznic & Eugene Difrancisco left the official SLEEPCHAMBER Line-up after returning from the 1992 LEATHER & LUST TOUR ov California. I will admit mostly from me. Yet, not all goez well on any tour. No matter how small. I’m always a mad-man but haz never failed to complete a Full Performance even including The BARBITCHUETTES. My responsibilities are always paramount and overwhelming. Most band members expect a form ov perfection based on fantasy, Ego and no experience on Touring. I actually understand this. My behavior most ov the time iz centered on drugs, sex and adventure. The band usually haz had no experience ov their leader being unleashed and feral to supporting their inhibitions and concerns ov their insecurity. On random Tours stress iz continuous Especially if you are directing a band and BARBITCHUETTE dancers. After the 1992 LEATHER & LUST TOUR ov California Arthur Woznic & Eugene Difrancisco officially quit SLEEP CHAMBER. (Upon landing back in Boston right away)-That iz when Elaine Walker waz drafted into the band az a Synth player and programmer. Straight out ov Boston’s BERKLEY SCHOOL OV MUSICK. She waz a Musick instructor. So above the SLEEP CHAMBER pay grade. I also encouraged BARBITCHUETTE~ Laura Chopelas to play Sax in some studio & live pieces. Truthfully, I waz a mad heroin addict and attempting to manage and accomplish what I could – From pure instinct.
“ANAKONDA” waz a song made for BARBITCHUETTE~ Semiramis. Although the shortest song, it waz a song she mastered a performance around. No one could beat her moves or sexual attention. After breaking up with BARBITCHUETTE- Laura, (girlfriend and lover), I drifted from a few BARBITCHUETTE romances to a female hunter ‘Semiramis’. Az highly sexual az she waz I avoided the allure. Yet, her pursuit caught up with me and seduced my need for uninhibited romance. Our Love affair started out wild and romantic. But it waz not long before her possessiveness with other BARBITCHUETTES interacting on stage with me became an emotional issue where she warned all ov them to keep ‘Hands off’ me when performing. I noticed this right away. This iz why I created a Rule ov No band members involved with THE BARBITCHUETTES. I rule I could not keep or enforce. There were issues that caused performance absences because ov fights between band members and BARBITCHUETTE relationships. Az the BARBITCHUETTE Line-ups became more refined and instinctive, the early BARBITCHUETTES were departing because ov serious commitment and competition. I ruled over them az I had to. There were performances where I waz distracted, and dominant BARBITCHUETTES took it upon themselves to choreography their own concepts ov my vision. I waz more into a fetish burlesque concept. Some BARBITCHUETTES were assuming a B&D show. That waz too exploitive for me. My songs were Erotica and romance, in a fetishistic way. They wanted more ‘slaves’ and genetic S&M much like THE GENOTORTURES and simular live shock performance. I had been around the B&D scene long enough to know it waz not my concept ov SLEEPCHAMBER and my BARBITCHUETTES.
When ELAINE WALKER left SLEEP CHAMBER shortly after a few live performances ov the SIAMESE SUCCUBI CD Release in late 1993 I teamed up with GRAIG WEIN and ANDREW WOOLF. Now Craig Wein had also graduated from BERKLEY SCHOOL OV MUSIC but az a student. Andrew Woolf waz hiz Musickal friend. SLEEPCHAMBER had obligations for shows in Providence, Rhode Island, Boston, Cambridge, New York City and Vermont. Craig waz very smart with ‘Pro-Tolls’ and other studio needs. Andrew played Flute, percussion and a ‘Rain-stick’ at shows. Which waz not up to my expectations. Plus he waz now dating BARBITCHUETTE~ Sin. I waz uncertain how I felt. Then I got together with Larry Van Horn and Andrew Woolf and others for the SONOROUS INVOKATIONS OV BRIAN JONES release. A release that I very much favor. I allowed Andrew Woolf to stay in SLEEP CHAMBER. He eventually purshaced a very high end synth. So, it changed a lot ov the concept. Andrew earned hiz role in SLEEP CHAMBER by being a multi tasker. Doing imitations ov William Burrows, John Lennon and acting az a part time SLEEP CHAMBER Tour manager for European shows. If you do not understand the paramount rule in SLEEPCHAMBER I will explain it now. I -(John Zewizz)- am not only the Alpha, but the dictator, Boss, and all ruling Life-line and only part ov the SLEEPCHAMBER concept that makes SLEEPCHAMBER what it iz. (Period). Ask any member. (past or present). Its just the natural order ov the concept. Sounds Egotistical or Narcissistic ?? Maybe. I would gladly hand the reigns over to any other Individual that could satisfy the accomplishments born from my experience. There iz a “Comment Section” below. Please feel free to mention ANY member ov SLEEPCHAMBER that haz either surpassed my efforts or haz even kum close to my 30+ year Empire ov underground Musick, artists or Individual stand alone idols worth OUR Reputations ~
WATCH for THE MIDDLE EAST SHOWS -(Part #3)-