Photo by Shawn Brackbill
Memory Minus Plus Minus, a Sleepytime Trio discography, will be released in October digitally and on limited edition colored vinyl through Lovitt Records and Solid Brass Records. Pre-order it now here.
Listen to “Butterfly Scaries” (remixed and remastered).
Sleepytime Trio was a post-hardcore band that formed in 1995 in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Originally a side project of the band Maximillian Colby, the original trio featured Drew Ringo (guitar), Ben Davis (bass), and Jonathan Fuller (drums). The 3-piece quickly took off as they played shows around the mid-Atlantic region; building a reputation for their volatile, emotional sound and unpredictable live energy. In the summer of 1995, when Maximillian Colby abruptly ended, Dave Nesmith joined the trio on 2nd guitar and Sleepytime Trio, now a four-piece, became the main focus for all involved.
By the summer of 1996, the band was playing extensively and shared bills with bands like Shotmaker, Rye Coalition, Tristeza, Lungfish, 400 Years, Hot Water Music, Frodus, Regulator Watts, Boys Life, Men’s Recovery Project, The VSS, Great Unraveling and many more. Sleepytime Trio shows were notorious for exploding into controlled chaos. They were a cacophony of tangled limbs, busted gear, and a visceral sense that everything might combust in a split second. In 1998 the band went on an extended hiatus. During that time the other members went on to form other bands like Engine Down, Rah Bras, Bats & Mice, and Milemarker.
Sleepytime Trio remained a cult favorite and have emerged periodically over the years for special occasions, short runs, and even took their brand of post-hardcore chaos to Japan in 2014. And it seems the band’s story is still not over. In April of 2025 they announced they would play the Dark Days Bright Nights festival in Richmond, VA in September with a host of other great bands. They also announced a show with Policy of 3 and Frail on 9/29 at the First Unitarian Church in Philly.
Lovitt Records partnered with Solid Brass Records in 2024 to release a discography honoring this important band. Memory Minus Plus Minus is a single LP collection that brings together all of their studio recordings. Several tracks were newly remixed by J. Robbins at Magpie Cage Studio, with the entire set remastered by TJ Lipple.
Catch Sleepytime Trio live:
September 27, Brooklyn, New York (with Policy of 3, Frail)
September 28, St. Stephen’s, Washington, DC (with Policy of 3, Frail)
September 29, First Unitarian Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, (with Policy of 3, Frail)
January 17, Several States Fest, Remova Theatre, Chicago Illinois (with Hey Mercedes, Exit Angles, Pohgoh, Samuel SC, and more)
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