Sleigh Bells (band)

Sleigh Bells
Sleigh Bells performing at the Southbound festival in March 2011
Background information
Origin	Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Genres	Noise pop
Years active	2008–present
Labels	Mom + Pop N.E.E.T. Torn Clean
Associated acts	Poison the Well RubyBlue
Website	www.bitterrivals.us
Members	Alexis Krauss Derek E. Miller

Sleigh Bells is an American noise pop musical duo based in Brooklyn, New York, formed in 2008. The duo consists of vocalist Alexis Krauss and guitarist Derek Edward Miller. After signing to N.E.E.T. Recordings and Mom + Pop Music, Sleigh Bells released their debut album, Treats, in May 2010. Their follow-up album, Reign of Terror, was released in February 2012. In October 2013, the band released their third album, Bitter Rivals while their fourth album Jessica Rabbit appeared in November 2016.

Both members of Sleigh Bells had previous experience performing and touring in a musical ensemble. From age 17 to 22, Florida native Derek Miller was a guitarist in the hardcore band Poison the Well. He last performed on the band's 2003 major-label debut You Come Before You, leaving the following year due to creative differences. He wrote songs while working as a waiter or barback in various cities across the United States. Alexis Krauss grew up in New Jersey and has a background in theater and television. As a young girl she appeared in a Nickelodeon Magazine commercial. From age 12 to 16, Krauss performed in the teen pop group RubyBlue. After RubyBlue broke up, Krauss went to college (majoring in political science), taught Spanish to elementary school children in The Bronx and performed at weddings on the side for fun.

In March 2008, Miller moved to Brooklyn to find a female vocalist for some song demos he was working on. In April 2008 he started working at Miss Favela—a Brazilian bistro in Williamsburg, Brooklyn—and in July 2008, Krauss and her mother dined at the restaurant. Miller expressed his interest in finding a female vocalist for his new project and Krauss was immediately volunteered by her mother. The two met in a park and listened to Miller's demos through headphones. In a 2012 interview, Krauss remembered her first impressions, saying: "Derek's music sounded like a really interesting challenge, but I wasn't thinking he was somebody I wanted to develop a creative relationship with." Krauss was pursuing a Rhodes Scholarship at the time, but decided to join forces with Miller instead.