Beauty Sleep was a Brooklyn, NY, band that swam happily between the sounds of sweet indie pop, rock, and melancholy melodies without ever stopping for breath. Their catchy melodies pulled together a semi-sweet, playful sound and a unique intensity.
The band started in 2004 when old college friends Annabel Kaplan (vocals, guitar, keyboards) and Tony Larkin (vocals, guitar) ran into each other at a show in NYC. They shared similar influences (Rilo Kiley, Built to Spill, The Kinks, Grandaddy, Masters of the Hemisphere) and after a few practices, it was obvious that the two of them created a unique, complimentary sound. Beauty Sleep's lineup was later rounded out by Rob DiCaterino on drums and Brian DiFeo on bass.
Annabel Kaplan, originally from Anna Maria Island, FL, has sung and played piano since she was a child. She didn't start playing guitar until college, where she was left alone with one for a weekend and was determined to write a song before the owner returned. She eventually formed the acoustic pop duo The Slight in Tallahassee, FL. After living in Florida for most of her life, she needed a change and moved to Chiba, Japan. While teaching English in the suburbs of Tokyo, she started a band called Nico Desu with three Japanese friends. The band released a four-song EP comprised of songs in both English and Japanese.
At ten years old, Tony Larkin, originally from Atlanta, GA, found a beat up Lotus electric guitar in a dumpster, fixed it up, and has been playing ever since. His past musical projects include the experimental lo-fi Florida band The Return of the Ice Cube Trays and Ry Black and Tonely, a collective of film score composers.
Rob DiCaterino, originally from Belleville, NJ, started imitating Ringo on a toy drum set at the age of three. He has been heavily influenced by classic rock, old pop, 1990s alternative, and novelty songs. Former bands include Rhexis, Rim, Fuzzy Daupner, and The Greylocks.
Born and raised near the Jersey shore, Brian DiFeo traveled to upstate New York for college with his guitar and percussive instruments and eventually acquired a used Rickenbacker bass. Brian was in the band Solpatch, which later became Walk Shakin, and also played bass in the college's jazz orchestra. Influences include Rick Danko, The Flaming Lips, Fela Kuti, and the jazz of Monk, Mingus, and Miles.
Beauty Sleep recorded their songs in their slanted Brooklyn apartment. Their EP Nature vs. Nurture was released on Skipping Stones Records in 2006. The band also recorded an unreleased full-length album. Beauty Sleep split up in November 2006.
