Armor For Sleep Biography

Origin : New Jersey, United States

Genres : Emo, pop punk, post-hardcore, indie rock, dream pop

Years active : 2001–2009, 2012

Labels : Sire, Equal Vision

Website : http://www.armorforsleep.com

Past members :

Ben Jorgensen

PJ DeCicco

Anthony DiIonno

Nash Breen

AJ Resnick

Paul Abrahamian

Armor for Sleep was an American rock band from New Jersey, formed in 2001 and disbanded in 2009. The final lineup consisted of lead vocalist, guitarist and songwriter Ben Jorgensen, lead guitarist PJ DeCicco, bassist Anthony DiIonno and drummer Nash Breen.

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). The following year they signed to Sire Records/Warner Bros. and released their last album Smile for Them (2007). They announced their disbandment in October 2009.

During their recording career, the band were renowned for their blend of alternative rock to atmospheric emo and dream pop.

History

The band was founded by Ben Jorgensen in 2001, in New Jersey. Nash Breen and PJ Decicco later joined Armor for Sleep after leaving fellow New Jersey band Prevent Falls, whose singer in turn went on to form The New Self Defense. Jorgensen stated the name of the band, Armor for Sleep, 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."

The band originally signed to Equal Vision Records and released their first two albums, Dream to Make Believe in 2003 and What to Do When You Are Dead in 2005, with the label. Armor for Sleep signed to
Warner Brothers/Sire Records in 2006 to release their third record, explaining it was "time for a change".

A Machine Shop remix of their track "Remember to Feel Real" was featured on the Snakes on a Plane soundtrack in August 2006. The band had a new track entitled "End of the World" on soundtrack for the 2007 film Transformers.

Their third full-length album Smile for Them was released on October 30, 2007.

On August 20, 2008, a blog entry on the band's website announced an extended play (EP), entitled The Way Out Is Broken. Armor for Sleep announced a recent unreleased track of theirs on their official website entitled, "Chameleons". The track was posted onto Supload.com to download.

Disbandment

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.

The band will regroup to play the 2012 Bamboozle Festival in New Jersey.

Current projects

After the group parted ways, Jorgensen started an electronic project called God Loves a Challenge alongside Sierra Shardae. He's also embarked on a solo career.

PJ DeCicco has also moved on playing in Love Automatic with former Senses Fail bassist Mike Glita.

Nash Breen is playing with New York Rivals.

They will be doing a one-day reunion show at The Bamboozle Festival, to put the band to rest for good.

The band will be reuniting for one show only, as a farewell to the fans who did not get to say a proper goodbye, at the Bamboozle Festival 2012. A clip from the statement from the letter is here:

"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."

At the Bamboozle Festival, and on the band's Facebook page, Jorgenson 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.

Final line-up :

Ben Jorgensen - vocals, rhythm guitar, lyricist

PJ DeCicco - lead guitar

Anthony DiIonno - bass

Nash Breen - drums, percussion