In what is their biggest surge of activity in quite some time, stoner metal titans Sleep have announced their first new music in eight years, a forthcoming North American tour, and even their debut comic book. Maybe they should rename themselves to “Wide Awake,” amirite?!
“Have Spacesuit Will Travel” isn’t just Sleep’s first single since 2018’s The Sciences — it’s also the first track to not feature founding member/guitarist Matt Pike. Bassist/songwriter Al Cisneros is now officially joined by guitarist Bubba Dupree (Void) and drummer Dale Crover (Redd Kross, Melvins).
In a press release, Sleep mentioned that Cisneros “wishes Matt the best on his earth-bound maneuvers” before adding that “the music and art are alive after the decades of obstacles that Sleep has overcome.” Despite Pike’s clear absence, “Have Spacesuit Will Travel” (which has been released by Jack White’s Third Man Records) maintains Sleep’s trademark sludgy wall of sound, with the new trio apparently “composing in the spirit of that which had been established so long ago.” Head here to grab the song from your streaming service of choice.
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Meanwhile, on the touring front, Sleep have two North American legs scheduled for later this fall. The first spans all of September, and includes dates in San Diego, Austin, Boise, Seattle, and Portland. Then, Sleep pick back up in early to mid-November, including shows in Detroit, Toronto, Boston, and Philadelphia. Check out the full schedule below.
An artist pre-sale begins on Tuesday, June 23rd, at 10 a.m. local time via Ticketmaster, with a general on-sale slated for Thursday, June 25th, at 10 a.m. local time.
And last but certainly not least, Cisneros has teamed up with artists Dave Kloc and Arik Roper for Sleep Comic Book (also released via Third Man). Issue #1 introduces us to The Marijuanaut from Planet Iommia, as he “encounters The Weedian” while also exploring the planet’s “deeper reverential practices.” The book is said to mirror the “universe that Cisneros’ lyrics created from the riff-filled lands of Sleep’s discography.” Grab the standard edition here; or, snag the limited edition bundle here that includes the comic, a signed bookplate, and a flexidisc of “Have Spacesuit Will Travel.”
Sleep exited their most recent hiatus back in 2021/2022 for a handful of shows. (Sleep’s first run lasted from 1990 to 1998 and then again from 2009 to 2019.) In addition to Pike’s surprise departure, drummer Jason Roeder revealed back in spring 2025 that he’d been “unceremoniously” fired from the band, and hadn’t spoken with either member in quite some time. As for Pike, there’s little word about his actual exist aside from the press release. As recently as March 2024, Pike had hinted at upcoming recording/performing plans alongside Sleep.
“Have Spacesuit Will Travel” Artwork (by Dave Kloc):
Sleep 2026 Tour Dates:
09/08 – San Diego, CA @ The Observatory
09/99 – Phoenix, AZ @ The Van Buren
09/10 – Albuquerque, NM @ The Revel Entertainment Center
09/12 – Dallas, TX @ Granada Theater
09/13 – Austin, TX @ Levitation
09/14 – Oklahoma City, OK @ Tower Theatre
09/16 – Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre
09/17 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The Grand At The Complex
09/18 – Boise, ID @ Treefort Music Hall
09/20 – Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom
09/21-22 – Seattle, WA @ Neptune Theatre
09/23 – Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater
09/25 – San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
09/26 – San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
09/27 – Santa Cruz, CA @ Catalyst
09/28 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Wiltern
09/29 – Santa Ana, CA @ The Observatory
11/04 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
11/05 – Milwaukee, WI @ Pabst Theater
11/06 – Chicago, IL @ Riviera Theatre
11/07 – Detroit, MI @ St. Andrews Hall
11/09 – Toronto, ON @ Phoenix Concert Hall
11/10 – Montreal, QC @ Club Soda
11/11 – Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground Ballroom
11/12 – Boston, MA @ Roadrunner
11/13 – Hudson, NY @ Basilica Hudson
11/15 – Philadelphia, PA @ Theatre of Living Arts
11/16 – Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Paramount
11/17 – Washington, DC @ Lincoln Theatre
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source consequence.net ’
