Armor for Sleep

Armor for Sleep is an American rock band from New Jersey. Their current lineup consists of lead vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter Ben Jorgensen, lead guitarist PJ DeCicco, bassist Anthony DiIonno and drummer Nash Breen.

Armor for Sleep
Armor for Sleep performing in 2008. From left to right: Ben Jorgensen, Nash Breen and PJ DeCicco.
Armor for Sleep performing in 2008. From left to right: Ben Jorgensen, Nash Breen and PJ DeCicco.
Background information
OriginNew Jersey, United States
Genres
Years active
  • 2001–2009
  • 2012[1]
  • 2015[2]
  • 2020–present[3]
Labels
Members
WebsiteOfficial Facebook page

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, the band signed to Sire Records and Warner Bros. and released their last album Smile for Them (2007) before a yearslong hiatus.[4] The band announced their disbandment in October 2009, only reuniting briefly for tours in 2012 and 2015. They officially reunited in 2020 and released a new album in September 2022, The Rain Museum, on Equal Vision Records and Rude Records.[5]

During their recording career, the band has been known for their blend of alternative rock, atmospheric emo, and dream pop.[6][7][8]

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 a two-song demo containing the songs Dream to Make Believe and Slip Like Space, which would later be re-recorded and released on their first album Dream to Make Believe. Former guitarist Paul Abrahamian went on to form It's Called the Ghost Town Symphony in November 2002. Later that month, Armor for Sleep recorded a three-song demo with producer Dan Coutant; Mark Kenask of Blind Society played drums on the demo.[9]

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".[10]

Bassist Anthony DiIonno in 2006

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.[11]

Disbandments and reunions

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.[12]

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."[13]

At the Bamboozle Festival, and on the band's Facebook page, Jorgensen 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 20, 2015, the band announced an eight city tour to celebrate the 10th anniversary of What To Do When You Are Dead.[14]

Post-disbandment projects

In January 2009, Abrahamian formed the band 1984.[15]

After the group parted ways, Ben Jorgensen briefly 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.[16]

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 has since joined The Cold Seas, who opened for Armor for Sleep on select dates of their What to Do When You Are Dead 10th anniversary tour in 2015 as well as the 15th anniversary tour of the aforementioned album in 2021. As of 2022, Breen remains active with both Armor for Sleep and the Cold Seas.

Return and fourth studio album

On February 24, 2020, the band announced on Facebook that they would be reuniting for a summer tour including nineteen US cities to celebrate the 15th anniversary of What to Do When You Are Dead. The tour was later postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and on August 13, 2020, the band announced the new tour dates for 2021. In July 2022, the band announced a new album, The Rain Museum, which was released on September 9, 2022.[17]

In the summer of 2022, Armor for Sleep performed on select dates of the Hello Gone Days tour, co-headlined by Dashboard Confessional and Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness.[18]

In the spring of 2023, the band co-headlined the Pitch Black Forever tour with Hawthorne Heights. In the fall of 2023, the band went on tour celebrating the twentieth anniversary of Dream to Make Believe.

Personnel

Line-up
  • Ben Jorgensen – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, piano
  • PJ DeCicco – lead guitar
  • Anthony DiIonno – bass, backing vocals
  • Nash Breen – drums, percussion

Touring Members

Discography
Main article: Armor for Sleep discography

Studio albums

References
  1. Triggs, Marcus. "Alternative Vision - www.alternativevision.co.uk - Where Alternative Music Meets Your Vision". Alternativevision.co.uk. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
  2. "Armor For Sleep". Facebook.com. Archived from the original on February 26, 2022. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
  3. "Armor For Sleep - We are very excited to announce that we..." Facebook.com. Archived from the original on February 26, 2022. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
  4. "Discography | Armor for Sleep". Archived from the original on February 10, 2009. Retrieved June 26, 2009.
  5. Armor For Sleep announce new album 'The Rain Museum'
  6. James Christopher Monger. "Armor for Sleep | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
  7. "Ben Jorgensen of Armor for Sleep Interview". Archived from the original on June 15, 2009. Retrieved January 6, 2010.
  8. "Interview with Ben | Armor for Sleep". Archived from the original on November 21, 2008. Retrieved January 6, 2010.. Originally from "Armor for Sleep: 50 new songs - the Buzz". Archived from the original on March 4, 2008. Retrieved January 6, 2010.
  9. White, Adam (November 15, 2002). "ex-Armor For Sleep guitarist starts new band". Punknews.org. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  10. "chorus.fm". chorus.fm. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
  11. The Way Out Is Broken Archived September 2, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  12. Karan, Tim. "Armor For Sleep break up". Alternative Press. Archived from the original on November 1, 2009. Retrieved October 29, 2009.
  13. "Facebook - Log In or Sign Up". Facebook. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
  14. "Armor For Sleep". m.facebook.com. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
  15. August, Justin (January 5, 2009). "1984, The Scare, Suburban Vermin". Punknews.org. Retrieved October 2, 2022.
  16. "There Is Nowhere Left To Go". Amazon.com. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
  17. Sacher, Andrew (July 7, 2022). "Armor For Sleep announce first album in 15 years (new single & behind-the-scenes video)". BrooklynVegan. Archived from the original on July 7, 2022. Retrieved July 7, 2022.
  18. Dashboard Confessional and Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness Announce 2022 Co-Headlining Tour
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