Lee Williams of Sleeper Agent

1. Sleeper Agent website
2. Sleeper Agent Facebook page
3. Sleeper Agent Facebook group

Few bands are courted by the music business with the kind of whirlwind romance that Sleeper Agent has enjoyed in the last 15 months. Freshly reformed, with a lineup still in flux in 2010, they would create a buzz at South by Southwest in early 2011 that would launch a firestorm of media accolades in rapid-fire succession before their debut album was even complete.

The release came in September, and by year’s end the first single made its way to No. 14 on Rolling Stone’s 50 Best Songs of 2011. New Year’s Eve would find them at Chicago’s Aragon Ballroom before a crowd of 6,000, sharing the stage with other hometown bands Cage The Elephant and Morning Teleportation. With the new year came the news that not one, but two local bands held the top spots on the Rolling Stone reader’s picks list for Best New Artist of the Year – Sleeper Agent in the No. 2 position and Cage the Elephant at No. 1.

It wasn’t the first time the two were associated. They toured together several times, their debut albums were both produced by Jay Joyce and they both were part of an extended music family that grew out of a supportive and vibrant, albeit mostly underground, youth music scene. And, the members are quick to credit those who nurtured their talent and return their support to a community that raised them and its artists who are as yet undiscovered in ways such as showcasing their friends as warm up acts and donning I Love BG buttons in their videos. “We are ‘Kentucky Proud,’ ” grins bassist Lee Williams.

Sleeper Agent actually formed in 2008, without serious intentions. Songwriter Tony Smith was ready for a new direction. His previous endeavor, Decade of Experts & Assassins, which had enjoyed a strong local fan base since 2005 when it formed from the remnants of The New Eclectics, had evolved into Downtown Handshake which would continue through 2010, releasing singles in 2008 and an album in 2010. But Smith was ready for a lighter, less introspective project.

The original Sleeper Agent lineup of Tony Smith, Michael Dean (Bossa Nosferatu), Mike O’Brien (Bossa Nosferatu), Justin Wilson (The Secret/Von Guarde) and Thomas Bullen (Perfect Confusion) featured two vocalists, Smith and Wilson. Needing some demos on their MySpace page, the band released a rough EP, aptly titled “We Got Drunk And Did This.” They were taken by surprise when the hits on the recordings began to grow well beyond expectation and began more serious work on an EP. Self released in 2009, “Bigger Than A Baby’s Arm!” would not be received as well. Bullen left the band, with Aaron Clark (Miss Umbrella) taking over bass duties.

“With ‘We Got Drunk And Did This,’ we had the element of surprise. Nobody, including us, knew what to expect from it. It was an under thought project we did for fun in our drummer’s basement. The title mirrors the experience we had making that EP. We literally bought a case of beer and recorded those five songs. ‘Bigger Than A Baby’s Arm!,’ at least for me, was over thought, rushed and we’d lost that element of surprise to ourselves and others,” surmises Smith regarding the disappointing reaction.

Whispers of interest from distinguished producers faded and Clark, Dean and O’Brien opted to change paths, forming The Black Shades, while Smith and Wilson held their course and continued as a duo. But before long they would recruit Wilson’s previous bandmates from The Secret, Zach Lindsey, and Jordan Young. The Secret, later redubbed Von Guarde, had enjoyed regional success from 2003-08, the pinnacle of which were appearances on David Letterman and the reality show “My Sweet 16.”

The Secret wasn’t the first time Justin Wilson had experienced success. According to his parents, Rick and Teresa Wilson: “From the beginning, we tried to give Justin the tools to craft his talent. “We’ve always had music in our home, be it rock, soul, jazz or classical. Justin was always daring. Around age 2, he loved pulling pots, pans and spoons out the cabinet to beat on them. He found our old 45’s around age 8, and picked ‘Born to be Wild’ by Steppenwolf as a favorite. By 10-11, the interest was apparent. His dad gave him practice pads and he began learning beats and time signatures, practicing occasionally on his dads drums. By 12-13, Justin and friends practiced in our basement and we heard his dedicated, unmistakable attempts to play ‘Moby Dick’ by Led Zeppelin until he nailed it. At age 15, he sat in with a friends well known band in Louisville, playing along to two of his favorite songs by KISS & Aerosmith.”

After listening to a MySpace song by a girl named Alex Kandel, Smith recalls, “It reminded me of something that I would do when I was her age. It’s rare to find a natural creative partner who’s passionate and really, truly wants to pursue music full time.” His interest was piqued and he considered including her. But, when it was discovered the singer/songwriter was only 16 the band shied away. But, Kandel, had decided it was an opportunity she wouldn’t let pass by.

An enthusiastic music fan, Kandel now describes herself on her Facebook profile as “I’m Alex. I have all these things I want to do. And I do them.” She was not one to be deterred from reaching for her dreams already then and she had been raised to dream big.

According to her mother, Amy Kandel, who had exposed her throughout childhood to music and travel, “I always knew Alex was going to do great things with her life. She always pushed herself to go beyond normal expectations – typical was never in her repertoire.” Alex grew up entertaining her family and their friends with funny puppet show and director, novelist, actor and comedian were among the career paths that her mother expected. And she always tried to nurture her independent spirit, suggesting “I would say my biggest contribution was simply allowing her to grow into such a strong independent woman at such a young age. I never gauged maturity based solely on age … for me it was around how you act. And Alex had such an understanding way beyond her years.”

And so, by 16, Alex was working as a barista in a local coffeehouse, performing at its open mic night or by request from customers and networking with other local musicians, booking them into the venue. She was also persistently imploring Tony Smith for a role in his band.

Impressed by her talent, personality and drive, the band decided to give her a chance and began work on their next release, “Interrobang.”

And so, Tony Smith’s latest vision was taking form. It would all come together with the same urgency as the media storm that would follow it. Having several occasions where producers and labels expressed interest in his projects, he was slow to react to the news that someone was now. Friend Matt Shultz, singer/songwriter for Cage the Elephant, had shared “Interrobang” with his band’s producer Joyce, telling him he’d like to produce their album. But, upon hearing it, Joyce expressed interest in producing it himself.

Drummer Justin Wilson had gone to high school with the Shultzes and since meeting Tony and Matt had made it a practice to exchange feedback concerning each other’s material. Though excited, Smith didn’t immediately react to the news and continued working on song ideas. So, it took him by surprise when Joyce called, asking “Where are those demos?” and it began to sink in that he had serious interest and was ready to move.

Smith was at home with creative binging, as can be seen on an early MySpace timelapse video he recorded of himself studying for two exams and completing both an art project and an English paper during an eight-hour, all-nighter.

In just a few days he had worked up several songs to go with the five from “Interrobang,” making rough recordings with a single microphone on his Macbook.

His father, Galen Smith, recalls it very well, saying “I remember when he wrote the song ‘Be My Monster’ for their debut album, ‘Celebrasion.’ He was in his bedroom at our home and working on his computer laying down some of the first demo tracks or whatever, he kept playing it over and over and over. I was thinking to myself ‘What the hell? This kid is getting on my nerves with that stuff!’ ”

Though their son was already playing by the age of 10 and writing songs at an early age, the Smiths expected music to be a hobby, particularly when Tony choose graphic design for the degree he would earn at Western Kentucky University. Galen recalls, “Tony was constantly drawing and creating things as a child and as a teenager. As far as his artwork, he won several awards while he attended St. Joseph’s Catholic School and Bowling Green Middle School and Bowling Green High School. He once had some of his artwork displayed in the State Capitol in Frankfort at the request of State Sen. Jody Richards. He made a lot of films too with the video camera around the house too along with his childhood buddies. He was constantly making movies as a child.”

Joyce responded to the demos he received, noting they were really raw, but he loved them and the band was called in to record them in just seven days. Smith told Our Vinyl “10 out of the initial 16 made the cut. Two out of a second batch of 5 did as well.”

But the new band configuration was short lived when Lindsey and Jordan choose to dedicate themselves full time to the Nashville-based Mona. The punk, rock-n-roll group hit its stride when their debut album was released to critical acclaim in the UK and they began a successful tour of Europe, winning MTV’s Brand New for 2010 competition and joining the Kings Of Leon for their stadium tour in 2011. Smith, Wilson and Kandel wished them well and once again looked to other projects for talent. Zach did however lend his bass to the album tracks in the meantime. Downtown Handshake members Scott Gardner and Lee Williamson filled the bill as keyboardist and bass player, respectively.

Scott Gardner was one of Smith’s oldest music comrades, having been a member of almost every one of his projects since they were 14 as well as additional projects including a foray into rap under the moniker Saga. He also shared the group’s dedication to a career in music. According to his mother, Marilyn Garner, “As a fifth-grader, Scott announced what he was going to be when he grew up: A rock and roll star, and when he got old (about 30!), a priest. Only one part of his declaration surprised me, given his love of music and performing. He started his first official band in the third grade, and has, for the most part, been in one ever since.”

His parents had insisted on lessons from an early age and he was trained on both piano and drums. “He’s had wonderful instructors and has attended schools that valued music education.” Marilyn Gardner said. As a junior in high school, his first year in the band program, Scott was among only four percussionists in the state selected for the Governor’s School of the Arts and both mother and son see it as a turning point in his life. Not having played percussion other than drums before, Kevin Briley the band teacher and Chris Osborne, his drum instructor, both helped prepare Gardner. “Royal Music was even involved in finding me a practice xylophone for home; I fell asleep nightly to the tinkling of Scott practicing. I miss that!” Marilyn recalls. It paid off, she continued, “He became a true musician that summer, and I think it really showed. In addition to being offered full academic scholarships (Scott was National Merit Commended), he was also offered several music scholarships.”

For Scott, the experience was as much about confidence as ability. He says, “For my whole GSA experience, I was tormented by one of my assignments: a duet for four-mallet marimba and clarinet … Joining band exposed me to the new world of orchestral percussion, instruments like xylophone, marimba, and timpani … However, I had never been asked to perform anything written for four mallets before attending GSA.” He continued, “About a week in, I even had a breakdown where I called my mom crying, and told her I wasn’t sure if I could pull it off, if I’d ever be good enough, or if I was always going to be one step behind all these people who had more experience in band programs. Recalling it, I feel like I was overdramatic but I was young and being challenged by music in brand new ways. She told me she knew I could, giving me the support I needed to get my — back in the practice room. I don’t want to make it sound like the experience was a negative one, it was actually really positive. But not because it was all fun and games, but rather because of the musical knowledge I gained from it and self-knowledge that I could push through and overcome any obstacle music would throw my way. Also, this gave me my first experience playing jazz, another passion I hope to return to at some point. It was tough but the whole experience made me realize I had the work ethic necessary to major in music in college.”

He gained additional skills from his experience in student government and serving as his class president, most notably according to him, “practice in sensing and relieving tension within a group.”

Lee Williams, like Alex, had previously taken an interest in joining Sleeper Agent, saying “I was always into it, but when they dropped ‘Interrobang’ I was blown away. It was exactly the kind of music I wanted to be playing at the time I first heard it, and thankfully it still is now.” But, Smith he says “wasn’t having it” due to a desire to keep the two projects separate. Downtown Handshake had also garnered industry interest, but it eventually became apparent that one band should be chosen as the primary focus and soon Downtown Handshake would go into hibernation.

Before Downtown Handshake, Williams had honed his skills with several harder bands including hardcore/screamo band Bears! He recalls that experience saying, “Through Bears! I found a widespread scene of DIY punk bands from all over the country (La Dispute, Native, Young Widows, Sohns, etc.) and was fascinated with both the music and the aesthetic of the scene. I had never seen so much passion put into performance and I totally got off on the eardrum breaking volume. Besides, I was sixteen and filled with angst, so it worked.”

And like Scott and Alex, Scott had had had early experience in similar arts. According to his mother Holly Williams, “Lee has always been musically inclined. From the time he was in kindergarten, all the way through high school, he was in every musical production/play offered by his schools. Lee began piano/keyboard lessons at around age 9, guitar lessons at around 11 and bass lessons by 13 or 14.” But the Gardners actually expected their son, who was a proficient English student, to pursue a career in journalism. Instead, after talking it through with his brother, who serves as bass player for Canago, he choose Belmont to further his education. He began the Commericial Music Program in the fall of 2010 just after joining Sleeper Agent.

Holly Williams recalls, “His very first weekend home from Belmont was probably the hardest of his life, because he came home to tell us that the band was getting “serious attention” from labels and he just could not give 100% to school and to the band… Lee has traveled, literally, around the country 3 times and learned so much about the ins and outs of the music business. Maybe more that he would have learned in the classroom at this point!… One thing I frequently tell people is, there is no greater sense of pride than watching your children do what they love to do, and do it well!”

By the time Williams and Gardner had joined, the band’s debut album, “Celebrasion” was nearing completion. Three days of studio time were added. “Bottomed Out,” “Far and Wide,” and “All Wave and No Goodbye” were recorded and their parts were added to other songs. The project also resulted in being signed by Mom+Pop. The label was perfectly suited to become part of their extended family and the group likes that they know the name of each of its employees.

Something crucial was still missing and once again, the extended BG music family facilitated the solution. Josh Martin, a Nashville-based musician, was the son of an A-list sessions guitarist, Grady Martin, who performed on dozens on hit songs by artists from Joan Baez to Roy Orbison and toured for 16 years with Willie Nelson. “My dad was a famous guitarist so I did have some childhood experiences that were kinda cool. Like being on the golf course with Willie Nelson or being in the studio while dad recorded with Merle Haggard. But I was just a kid taggin along with his dad, and I didn’t realize how cool it was at the time.” Josh stated.

Josh Martin happened to be in LA looking for filmmaker to do a documentary on his father. He recalls, “While I was there I went to the KROQ weenie roast to hang with some friends. I was hangin with Brad from Cage and he asked me if I play sessions in Nashville. He told me about Sleeper Agent and that they might have lost their lead guitarist. Some months later I got a call from Zum to head over to Jay Joyce’s studio to play on an album.”

Martin, Smith told MusicRadar.com “He learned all of our songs in less than 24 hours, and he played them with grace and style. Plus, he was available and willing to give up his current life for this crazy … thing we’re doing. … Josh came in and just nailed everything – it was almost like serendipity.” The band was sold and Martin was invited to become a permanent member.

From there, the story has been well documented in the alternative media, through both mainstream outlets and citizen journalists. From the SXSW appearance where Spin’s Interactive Director choose them as Best Discovery to Rolling Stone ranking them No. 2 on their Rookies of 2011 list. Mediabase Alternative Rock Chart listed them as No. 2 Most Added, behind Coldplay. Gig opportunities also presented themselves, from Coachella to the Weezer Cruise.

Once the album was released in September, accolades began pouring in throughout the blogosphere and rarely were they critical. Spin described the album as, “A dozen deliriously catchy gems … the sound of high fives and Makers Mark spilling from the speakers.” and Hellhoundmusic referred to it as a “riotous debut” which “reflects the easy camaraderie in the band.”

This camaraderie is easy to see. When I met with the band, Alex spoke of how they balanced each other out and all the members stressed they were a family who had learned to get along while living together in the band house. And truly, all six complemented each other even when answering questions, avoiding interrupting each other, while all giving some input for every question.

Given the band was not intact for the writing and recording of “Celebrasion,” the dynamic may be actualized even further on their upcoming project. All members tell the same tale, Tony Smith, the heart of the songs, brings his concepts to the band and together they flush out a song.

I asked if the new project was more self-conscious, given that they are taking the time to present Joyce with a selection of 25 alternatives instead of using every song. While the bandmates mentioned intentional changes like adding some less aggressive breaks, they also emphasized an organic, natural approach which they felt made “Celebrasion” and their relationship with Joyce work. Case in point, they described a day when Smith brought in a song for feedback, but in the course of discussing it he played a little riff and the others began to jam around it, creating an entirely different song.

The newer members are looking forward to full participation this time around. “Now that we have time to really focus on our next batch of material and that I’m involved in the writing process from the get-go, I’m seeing new ways my technical training comes into play every day. A lot of this comes from my knowledge of music theory. For example, if someone’s stuck on a chord or if Tony wants to write a harmony part for a vocal melody, my theory knowledge kicks in and I can quickly figure out the missing chord or play some harmony options with the melody on piano. We all help each other out though.” said Scott.

After being home less than three of the past 15 months, they are dedicating several months to Monday through Friday writing sessions with a just a few pickup shows. They are however releasing one more video from “Celebrasion,” “That’s My Baby.” According to Alex, it’s one of two with a very personal connection” and Josh referred to it as “tender.” Fans, said Lee, have used it in their weddings.

Their first video release, “Get It Daddy” was a rousing success. The single had been featured as the iTunes single of the week in August and made No. 14 on Rolling Stone’s year-end list, 50 Best Songs of 2011. MTV showed it first in the premiere of the revival of “120 Minutes,” the show that introduced fans to bands like Radiohead and Smashing Pumpkins. Host Matt Pinfield had been blown away by their Bonnaroo performance. It was also used in both the trailer and the sountrack of the movie “What To Expect When You’re Expecting,” starring Cameron Diaz and Jennifer Lopez. The group had a blast smashing pinatas for the video with a wide range of weapons and the video was extremely well received.

The second video release, for the single “Get Burned” was the directorial debut of Matt Shultz. Filmed in several locations in Bowling Green, including Labold & Sons Salvage, an art and vintage boutique in a building with a long history including as an early location of the famed Pauline’s brothel and in the woods surrounding local landmark Lost River Cave. The video is fun and offbeat.

For “That’s My Baby,” plans are for Tony to direct the video, which will be shot by local artist co-op Yellowberri. After watching several early YouTube and MySpace video created by Smith, I inquired about his use of masks as well as the band’s early use of psuedonyms. He responded, “Being in a band is fun. Growing up, playing music was a break from reality. It’s like picking up a stick and thinking, ‘this is my sword’ and pointing at a large tree and saying, ‘I’m going to slay that dragon.’ Music has always had its characters and our nicknames were a fun way to role-play.” He continued, regarding the masks: “It’s like the movie, ‘Jaws.’ You don’t see the whole shark till the movie’s almost over and when it’s finally revealed, it’s spectacular.” When pressed for a hint of his vision for the video, he offered, “There will be masks.”

As to a future for film and visual design projects, he concluded, “There’s no limit to what you can explore through music and I wouldn’t mind trying it all. This applies to Sleeper Agent too. We’ve never said, ‘We’re ONLY a ROCK N’ ROLL band!’… I’d love to be able to do it all. Music’s my gateway to explore other and all artforms. ”

The other members are likewise prone to exploring new horizons with their creativity. Josh advised, “I say I’m into all kinds of music because I can usually find at least one element that I can appreciate, no matter what the song or style. I’m primarily a fan of the guitar but over the years I’ve grown to respect any music that epitomizes culture. These days I’m more drawn to memorable melodies and interesting harmonies.”

But, if there’s one perspective they share most, it is their regard for Smith’s creativity. In their videos created at Tennessee State Prison (the filming location for “The Green Mile,” “The Last Castle,” “Ernest Goes To Jail”), which are an interesting mix of self produced acoustic versions of their songs and band members intereviewing each other, Alex names Tony as the person she most admires. And, Scott, who has known him the longest offered a unique perspective of the evolution of Smith’s work saying, “I know plenty of people can play music well but its much harder to find a competent, talented songwriter like Tony. For this reason, I told myself I always wanted to be involved with his music projects from the first time I played with him in 2003 … I’ve seen his songwriting refine itself over the years. At first, almost every idea seemed to make it into a song, but over the years he’s learned how to pick the best parts for the song, making the more focused, cohesive music you hear today. His songwriting is also very reactionary to itself. I see the easygoing, fun qualities of Interrobang/Celabrasion as a direct response to the somber, attention-demanding qualities of Downtown Handshake’s Revival Revival. He’s very forward looking in this way, as soon as one song or record is done he seems to ask himself ‘Now how to do I top that with the next one?’ I’ve also seen his songwriting go from a game or hobby to an actual skill. At first, I think he approached songwriting like most people and waited for inspiration to come to him. Now, his inspiration seems to be attached to a switch that’s constantly within reach. He’s the only person I know with this ability.”

There’s little time left for much beyond Sleeper Agent at this juncture. In fact, all the members have moved back in with their parents, finding it wasteful to keep an apartment that will sit empty the vast majority of the year. They’ve gone back to their original practice house, behind the Gardner’s house, where one outside wall still brandishes the graffitti style artwork done by Tony, Scott’s brother Will (who was singer for The New Eclectics and went on to study Opera at UK before switching to a criminology major and dedicating himself to community work with the Kelly Autism Center) and a friend.

There are some side projects that still live on though. Downtown Handshake is said to be in hibernation rather than defunct. Josh continues to perform with Chris Nation, an acoustic soul artist in Nashville. “I’ve known Chris Nathan for years now and he has one of the best soul voices I’ve ever encountered. We’re really great friends and we hang out all the time so I’ll always sit in with him when I have time off. It gives me an outlet to play some blues and jazz and funk.” he explained.

Scott says, “In 2010, I had a short return to rap music via playing set for Natty Bumpoe, Joey Stratton’s rap project. The rest of the backing band was filled out by Jeremi Simon on bass and Billy Swayze on guitar, with a revolving door of back-up singers… It might be worth noting that I made my debut The Colour Orange, Max Scholz’s super cover group, this past December. Although there have been many iterations of his backing band, the most recent line up included myself, Justin Wilson, Zack Lindsey, and Neal Clayton. It’s a great chance for Justin, Zack, and I to get to do something different whenever Sleeper and Mona are both home. This “band” usually only does one local show a year, but we’re going to try to line up a second show of 2012 this summer since we all have some downtime around BG.” He added, “ I also hope that one day the songs I write on my own will get the chance to see the light of day.” and “One day I would like the chance to produce records, and for now I’m getting practice in producing and engineering by demoing the new Sleeper Agent material.”

It’s hard to be a hero in your hometown, but while the members have stated in interviews that autograph requests in Bowling Green are few enough to recall each one, a show with music family members Cage the Elephant and groups like Thee Japanese School Girls, Schools or Canago announced just hours in advance quickly becomes an event that fills the lot outside Tidballs and a month’s notice for a WKU lawn show attracts 3,000 music lovers. So while they continue to play house shows, it’s kept on the downlow.

The band has as it’s next goal a tour of Europe and hopes to repeat the successes of their friends Cage the Elephant and Mona. But it’s main goals of keeping it fun and keeping it family seem to endure and the love is contagious whether watching a live show, watching their videos or listening to the album. Sleeper Agent admitted loving fan videos covering their songs. A favorite for all was one where 8-9 year old children at a birthday party were performing Get It Daddy. The little girl singing did not appear to be much more than 5, but the band agreed she was truly channeling Alex. “And the the kid playing guitar was rocking hard” exclaimed Josh. Lee added, “When fans care enough to learn our songs, that’s amazing.” To which Josh emphasized, “And it’s major when music passes the kids test because they’re so honest and they don’t know they’re gonna die!” The whole band laughed and nodded in agreement.

The talent in the band grew out of a culture of support from family, friends, school and the local scene. And the band proudly boasts that it has no unsupportive parents. As Galen Smith boasts, “ Patty and I were just besides ourselves and extremely proud of Tony and his band mates. Now, I think we are getting are used to the fact that writing, recording and playing music is Tony’s chosen path in life and it has become a way of life which has become his career with a small income currently but with great earning potential in the future. Basically, he is living his dream. And not everybody can say that they are doing that these days.”

Galen maintains a Sleeper Agent as well as a Cage the Elephant facebook group where he posts nearly every mention made of the groups. Scott’s mom renovated their practice room, Justin’s dad helps build their sets and keep their trailer in repair and all the parents regularly attend shows and feed the group when they are in their areas and help spread the word about their accomplishments.

As Marilyn Gardner put it, “I also REALLY think that the BG environment was crucial in his development of a musician, as well as the band’s success… As their road crew, I got to watch them develop relationships with other local bands who were a few years older than them, including Cage the Elephant who, of course, were instrumental in bringing Sleeper Agent into the limelight. One of the things that always struck me about all of the young musicians they played with in those days and now, is, for the most, they are a tight-knit group who genuinely root for one another. They often jammed with one another, formed side-projects, and always went to one another’s shows. They still do… Older musicians in town were also really supportive. … Webb, as I mentioned, was always really encouraging to Scott, as were people like Steve Wilson and Jim DeCesare. Skip Bond let the boys come up and play a song at one of their performances, and Steve remarked to Jim, “I didn’t know your drum could play like that!” Lynn O’Keefe at Gallery 916 used to sell their CDs back before they were signed, as did Great Escape Records and Comics.” She concluded, “I really believe in the proverb that it takes a village to raise a child.”

About the author: Kim Mason is the Content Manager of the Amplifier which was founded by her in 1995.  She serves as Executive Director for the Bowling Green International Festival and designs websites.