The Sleeping Years

The Sleeping Years

The Sleeping Years is a UK indie folk and singer-songwriter project led by Dale Grundle, formerly the singer in Catchers. Grundle is born in Coleraine, Northern Ireland, and starts his first band, Catchers, while at school. Catchers signs to Setanta Records, and Grundle later tours with Pulp, Edwyn Collins, The Divine Comedy, Dr. John and Oasis.

Releases and early activity

The Sleeping Years releases a trilogy of EPs in handmade covers in 2007: You and Me Against The World, Setting fire to sleepy towns and Clocks and clones. The project’s debut album, We’re becoming islands one by one, is released in 2008 on Talitres Records in Europe and Rocketgirl in the UK and Ireland. The act is active from 2007 onward.

Performances and collaborations

The release of We’re becoming islands one by one leads to performances across France, Italy, Belgium, Spain, Portugal and the UK, as well as dates in Vienna and Ireland. These shows include support slots for Bowerbirds, Damien Jurado, Gregor Samsa, Edwyn Collins and Okkervil River.

Grundle also works with Rothko and with songwriter Ted Barnes, who has worked with Beth Orton and Clayhill. A song by Grundle and Ted Barnes, This old world grown quiet, is performed with an orchestra at London’s Union Chapel.

Earlier band work

With Catchers, Grundle records the second album Stooping to Fit with string and brass parts arranged by Robert Kirby, who is known for his work with Nick Drake.