Several friends and collaborators from the the city’s punk and jazz scenes took to social media to bid farewell to the influential Bush Tetras drummer
Ron Hart
For over 45 years, New York City’s own Bush Tetras have been making music that’s inspired punk rockers and jazz musicians alike.
So it should come as no surprise to see the outpouring of love and condolences on social media from prominent members of both communities upon the news that the group’s famed drummer Dee Pop has passed away.
Surviving band members Pat Place and Cynthia Sley wrote to a public statement confirming his passing on Sunday at the age of 65.
It is with great sadness we report Dee Pop, drummer for Bush Tetras since 1979, passed away in his sleep last night. Dee Pop was a quintessential New Yorker, growing up in Forest Hills Queens and living in New York ever since. He was not only Bush Tetras drummer, but also our archivist, owning an original copy of every Bush Tetras release and T-shirt and also maintaining the band’s masters. In addition to Bush Tetras, Dee Pop played with Richard Lloyd, Michael Karoli (Can), the Gun Club, Jayne County, and the Shams, William Parker, Eddie Gale, Roy Campbell, Freedomland, Hanuman Sextet, Radio I-Ching, and 1000 Yard Stare. Dee Pop is survived by his son Charlie and daughter Nicole. He will be sorely missed by his bandmates and the many people he touched throughout his life. Rest in peace, Dee.
In honor of Dee’s strength and resilience, the Tetras will carry on with surviving members Sley and Place as they just announced their next show will be on November 13th at Le Poisson Rouge in the Village.
Further testaments to Pop’s legacy can be read in some of the heartfelt eulogies posted by his fellow travelers in jazz and punk.
Rest easy, Dee.
“Dee Pop was an original; an explorer who stepped back in order to go forward. A great musician and organizer of sound. And bringing people together.” – William Parker
“Drummer Dee Pop passed away last night, in his sleep, shockingly. We were friends since I moved to New York in 2000. Some of my first performances were booked through him. Dee Pop was the drummer in the band Bush Tetras & ran many music series’ all across the city, featuring improvised music, weekly – a music that he also frequented. He also had studied with Milford Graves, so we shared that brotherhood. In 2005, my apartment burned. Not long after it happened I had a performance at Dee Pop’s series at CBGB’s. Immediately after my performance, Dee Pop said to me I was “far too good a drummer to be playing on burnt equipment”. He offered me a complete Ludwig kit on the spot – for keeps! WHAT?! WHO ELSE DOES THAT?!All I really needed was a bass drum that wasn’t split, so I agreed to take just that, a beautiful Ludwig bass drum from the 1940s. Still use it frequently and it sounds beautiful. No one has ever been that immediately generous to me in my life, before or since, and it speaks to Dee Pop’s generosity as a person, musician and friend. Years later, Amy Schumer gave me a seemingly unlimited budget to purchase a new ride cymbal (among other things), so I bought one from Dee Pop. Felt great to do so. What a gentleman to so many of those coming after him on the scenes. You’ll be missed, brother Dee Pop. ROCK IN PEACE.” – Mike Pride
“Dee, what happened? I always thought you were indestructible. Thank you for being an amazing friend. I will miss you, and will think of you often.” – Richard Barone
Bush Tetras (Image: Discogs)
“I became aware of Mr. Pop in the Waldo days. He was playing with a very good band with a very good guitar player. Somehow or another I start jamming with…whatever the name was when I could. I thought great, a non-Waldo thing. Anywho, things never work the way they should; the fuckers. I can keep this up, however, I will not. Except to say, Dee was a good man. I fucking loved Dee Pop.” – Joey Pinter, The Waldos
“It is with great sadness we report Dee Pop, drummer for Bush Tetras since 1979, passed away in his sleep last night. Dee Pop was a quintessential New Yorker, growing up in Forest Hills Queens and living in New York ever since. He was not only Bush Tetras drummer, but also our archivist, owning an original copy of every Bush Tetras release and T-shirt and also maintaining the band’s masters. In addition to Bush Tetras, Dee Pop played with Richard Lloyd, Michael Karoli (Can), the Gun Club, Jayne County, and the Shams, William Parker, Eddie Gale, Roy Campbell, Freedomland, Hanuman Sextet, Radio I-Ching, and 1000 Yard Stare. Dee Pop is survived by his son Charlie and daughter Nicole. He will be sorely missed by his bandmates and the many people he touched throughout his life. Rest in peace, Dee.” – Mike Edison
RIP Dee Pop
https://evgrieve.com/2021/10/rip-dee-pop.html
The New York Times. Dee Pop, Drummer and Downtown New York Fixture, Dies at 65
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/24/arts/music/dee-pop-dead.html
How Did The Bush Tetras Drummer Dee Pop Die?
https://youtu.be/8_Cdas5MYzA
