In October—just prior to the release of the band’s retrospective box set—Bush Tetras’ founding drummer Dee Pop died at age 65. Prior to a handful of shows they’re playing later this year, the band members announced today that they’ve brought on a new drummer: Sonic Youth’s Steve Shelley.
In a statement, Bush Tetras said they’ve known Shelley for years. “We knew it would be impossible to replace Dee in many ways, but having Steve join us has been both comforting and invigorating,” vocalist Cynthia Sley said in a statement. “He just fit in seamlessly, like a missing puzzle piece. We can now see a future for the Bush Tetras.”
Guitarist Pat Place added, “It’s been nothing but fun playing with Steve and we are really excited about our first official shows with him.”
The band has been rehearsing classics from across the Bush Tetras catalog, as well as new material. Check out a new video for “Snakes Crawl” below.
Bush Tetras:
06-01 Brookly, NY – Elsewhere (Rooftop)
07-23 Kingston, NY – Tubby’s
09-03 Portland, OR – Lose Your Mind Festival