Team Sleep originated as Chino Moreno’s idea to create a softer, moody side project from his mainstay, Deftones. Originally, the song “Teenager” (released in 2000 on the Deftones record “White Pony”) was meant to be a Team Sleep song. DJ Crook, a long-time friend and roommate of Frank Delgado, had done the beats on Teenager. Chino Moreno decided to start Team Sleep with DJ Crook, and Chino’s childhood friend, Todd Wilkinson. To date, Zach Hill and Rick Verrett have been added to the permanent roster as drummer and bassist.

Team Sleep performed a number of live shows on the United States’ west coast in late 2001 and early 2002 with Todd Wilkinson, Dan Elkan (Pocket For Corduroy), Sonny Mayugba (Phallucy), Zach Hill (Hella), Rick Verrett (Tinfed) and DJ Crook handling instrumentation.

“We were never going to make a record, or start a band,” adds Wilkinson, “I was just sitting at home, playing guitar, and I started recording some stuff. It was never about trying to play shows, record in a studio, or anything of that sort. It was just bumming around. I had never been in a band, and I never wanted to be—we were just friends.”

It was rumored that Mike Patton (Fantomas, ex-Faith No More) and Melissa Auf Der Maur (ex-Hole, ex-Smashing Pumpkins) would be involved in recording sessions. While Mike Patton did indeed contribute vocals to the track “Kool-Aid Party”, this song did not make it to the album. Due to contractual obligations, any material Team Sleep releases will be through Maverick Record.