WCA Podcast, Ep. 7: Paul Wendell Draper (The Sleepers)

Sleepers bassist and founding member Paul Wendell Draper recounts the rise and fall of (for my money) the best band to come out of San Francisco in the late 1970s…even if they technically came from Palo Alto/Mountain View/Menlo Park.

Mr. Draper takes us from his pre-punk days in the glam band Trigger to his early encounters with eventual Sleepers frontman Ricky Williams and then on through the rollercoaster ride that was the Sleepers’ existence.

Along the way, we also get to hear some choice anecdotes about Michael Kowalsky, De De Troit, and Iggy Pop, along with some discussion of Mr. Draper’s WIN Records imprint as well as his more recent production and songwriting endeavors.

Links

• Follow the Sleepers: Facebook | Instagram
• Hear the full version of “A Love Song (Stuff is Worth Repairing)” by Paul Wendell Draper (feat. John Murry, Tim Mooney, and Alex Benitez) | Download (for $0.99) on Amazon
• Read When Can I Fly? The Sleepers, Tuxedomoon & Beyond by Michael Belfer (and me)
• Listen/subscribe to the podcast: Apple | Spotify | Podcast Addict | Justcast (direct download link) | More
• Buy the book (Who Cares Anyway: Post-Punk San Francisco and the End of the Analog Age)

Music Credits

• The Three Doctors, “Leaving Has Hurt”
• The Sleepers, “Linda”
• The Sleepers, “Mirror”
• The Sleepers, “Zenith”
• The Sleepers, “Flying”
• John Cale, “Mr. Wilson”
• Paul Wendell Draper, “A Love Story (Stuff Is Worth Repairing)”