Bush Tetras could only be described as one of New York’s most cherished treasures, grit and salacious energy that captures the energy that courses through the city’s veins.
Founding member and drummer Dee Pop passed away in his sleep this past weekend at the age of 65. Pop along with singer Cynthia Sley and guitarist Pat Place would form Bush Tetras in 1979, earning their place in the downtown No Wave music lineage of the early ‘80s alongside contemporaries Sonic Youth, Lydia Lunch and more.
Bush Tetras laid the foundation for danceable post-punk infused tracks that were akin to funk as much as downtown art hedonism. Spoken word, spastic guitar and Pop’s sharp rhythmic tempo gave Bush Tetras the right balance that made them so uniquely New York.
The legacy of the band lives on with their upcoming retrospective box set and compilation, Rhythm and Paranoia: The Best of Bush Tetras, set for release on November 12 via Wharf Cat Records. Featuring 29-songs including unearthed never-before-heard remastered tracks, a 46-page booklet with exclusive photos and intro essay by Marc Masters. The box set also features original short essays from the likes of Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth, R&B legend Nona Hendryx, The Clash’s Topper Headon and more.
Today, Ears to Feed shares an exclusive premiere of an unearthed alternate version of their track, “Mr. Love Song,” taken from sessions of their 1997 album Beauty Lies. However, this version and Pop’s preferred of the two features Nona Hendryx with legendary singer Darlene Love providing an extra air of soul to the track’s cold slicked back edge and trudging grooves.
Listen to the track below and you can snag tickets to their record release show at Le Poisson Rouge with Public Practice and Sunk Heaven on Saturday, November 13.
Preorder Rhythm and Paranoia: The Best of Bush Tetras here.