Previously, while this standalone single was originally released under October's former band with her former bandmates from Wanderlust Grrrl, October herself with a new slew of studio musicians prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, has relentlessly and endlessly worked on a new version of this song by rewriting the lyrics, making it better than ever before, and reworking the instrumental tracks to do something entirely different that is akin to notable musical influences of Stone Sour, Korn, Seether and Nirvana as official inspirations for October's newly released standalone single as a solo artist for the first time in nearly 6 years since it was originally released with her old bandmates from Wanderlust Grrrl on an 3-EP album series.
Since revamping the song, and releasing it as a standalone single, October and the crew has worked hard during the COVID-19 pandemic, because technically, this single was supposed to be ready for release in early 2020, but budget constrictions and then the COVID-19 pandemic further delayed the release, thus leading October and her crew of studio musicians under the new solo project that's been around since 2014, to work on the single some more, coming up with different versions of the song, and then crossing paths with studio owner/music producer, Taylor Bull of Seventh Wave Records, to add the final finishing touches in mixing, mastering and a lot of post-production work to get it to where it is today, thus leading to almost 2 YEARS IN THE MAKING since it was originally delayed in late 2019/early 2020 before the pandemic began.
Working in multiple studios all across America with studio musicians in several different states in the United States alone and one or two of the studio musicians in western Canada (British Columbia, specifically) and Taylor Bull having to relocate in the midst of the pandemic following the closure of her original recording studio facility and indie record label headquarters in a town somewhere in Pennsylvania, and then picking up where she left off in the post-production process before getting it mixed and mastered, October and the entire crew were able to finally pull off not just the official studio version of this newly released standalone single, but to create 2 "B-Side" versions of the single, along with an official acoustic version of this powerful, brutally honest and soul-baring song, after nearly 2 years of writing and re-writing, re-recording several different versions in multiple takes, overcoming budget constrictions and relocations during the pandemic, and an entire music industry halted due to said pandemic with delayed releases and more, "Sleeping Awake" is finally here in the form of a "Single Promo Mini-EP" version, that allows us to not only enjoy the official studio version of this single, but 2 b-side versions and official acoustic version of "Sleeping Awake" at long last.
However, this will be considered as October's final release as a solo artist, as she prepares to transition full-time into a new band called Imperfectly Human and work on new music multi-releases slated to come out later this year in 2021 and in 2022 as well.
lyrics
[VERSE 1]:
In the darkness I am bound to the pain
Always waking up to the cold rain
Lost and dizzy from Absinthe
Is there anyone here who can understand the state that I’m in?
[VERSE 2]:
Drinking every memory away
Trying to escape the trauma I don’t wanna relive every day
All I wish for is silence from the transphobic hate you put me through
There seems to be no way to get through to you
[CHORUS]:
I’m just sleeping awake
Knowing everyone here is fake
I’m just sleeping awake
Drowning in addiction, about to break
I’m sleeping awake watching everything disappear
I’m sleeping awake watching it all fall, gone forever
[VERSE 3]:
Watching life fade in a blink of an eye
Too many mistakes I’ve made, turned comfortably numb inside
My smile fools them while I pretend to be fine
Lost along the way, wishing I was home in the mountains tonight
[CHORUS]
[BRIDGE]:
This journey has been all too surreal
All my life, I was forced to learn how to fail
Holding on for a second chance this time around
Looking for peace before it’s too late to save myself now
Sleeping awake [x2]
[Verse 4]:
Sleeping awake no more
I won’t stay numb, missing too much of my life anymore
I know I can face this shit sober
20 years later and here I am, letting out all the shit I was forced to hold inside.
[ENDS]
credits
from Sleeping Awake (Single Promo Mini-EP),
released May 30, 2021
Recorded, Mixed, Produced, Edited and Written in multiple studio locations across the United States and parts of Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic by the following musicians whose credits are listed below in their assistance with this release:
October Rain Evans - Lead Vocals/Lyricist/Singer-Songwriter
Paul Kinman - Lead Guitarist/Co-Songwriter/Acoustic Guitarist
Mark Corradetti - Bass Guitarist/Co-Songwriter
Brandon Davis - Drummer/Percussionist/Co-Songwriter
Recorded at Chiaroscuro Music Studios in Vermont and several other music studio locations in Pennsylvania, California and Vancouver (British Columbia, Canada).
Mixing and Mastering by Taylor Bull at Seventh Wave Records
Post-Production by Taylor Bull at Seventh Wave Records
Executive Producer: Taylor Bull
Co-Executive Producer: October Evans
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