Features | Awards

Lifetime Achievement Award for Greatest Contributions to the Low "C" String

By Christopher Alexander | 18 December 2012

Sleep: Dopesmoker

Several amusing things that I’ve thought, my friends have said, or have coincidentally happened this year while listening to Sleep’s Dopesmoker, which was reissued by Southern Lord this year, and you should buy it, because it sounds great, and they also put it on triple vinyl, which doesn’t really make any sense, but I encourage you to buy that too (and, although I’m three years clean in a month, I nevertheless encourage you to roll joints off the inside spine because CAN YOU IMAGINE?).

1) First of all, the insert has an order of riffs:

This is the recipe for “Dopesmoker.” I’m sure if you say it slowly enough, it also turns into a Weedian Incantation that will rain down lunar rockets. I have been trying to find the right speed since May. One day I shall get it right and point the rocket to the moon. Then I will be complete. THIS WILL DEFINITELY HAPPEN DO NOT CRUSH MY DREAMS.

2) I sent this text to my boss and close friend, Steve.

3) Steve used a part of “Dopesmoker” as walk-in music introducing the groomsmen at his wedding. (Beginning 16:29, Track 1)

3a) Oh by the way, you know the song “Dopesmoker” is 63:31, right? No? Oh, God, it’s the best song.

3b) At that same wedding, his best man Christian raised a toast to love, happiness, “and the reptilian shape-shifters that walk among us.” This is not directly related to the song, but it was awesome, and it happened.

4) “DROPPPPPPPPPPPPP OUUUUUUUUUUUUT OF LIFE WITH BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOK EEEYUNNNNNN HAAAANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNDDDD”
[silence]
“FOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW THE STEPS TOOWARRRRRRRRRRRDS THE RIFF
FILLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLED LANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNND”
“Uh, Toph?”
“Come on, man, how brilliant would this be? Dopesmoker as interpreted through the twelve steps! TWELFTHSTEPPER!”
“There are, at maximum, ten people in the world who would get BOTH references.”
“What do you think the equivalent would be to the marijuanaut?”
[angry silence]

5)


“Dopesmoker”