Watch Codeine cover Joy Division song ‘Atmosphere’ in tribute to Low’s Mimi Parker
Following the tragic loss of Mimi Parker, the drummer and vocalist of the indie-rock band Low, Codeine have paid tribute with a cover of Joy Division’s haunting track ‘Atmosphere’.
The New York indie rockers reunited for their first show in 11 years at Union Pool in Brooklyn on Saturday (February 11th) ahead of their appearance at the Numero Group anniversary festival on February 18th and 19th. Known for their pioneering slowcore sound, the band released two records in the early 1990s, Frigid Stars LP and The White Birch, before splitting up in 1994.
After reuniting in 2012 at All Tomorrow’s Parties’ sister event, I’ll Be Your Mirror, at the request of Mogwai, the band played a few more shows that year to celebrate the reissuing of their work via The Numero Group. Ten years later, they released a collection of tracks initially recorded in 1992 called Dessau.
Reuniting for their first live performance in over a decade, the band decided to pay tribute to Parker, who passed away on November 5th, 2022. The musician received an ovarian cancer diagnosis in December 2020. However, she did not reveal her condition until the following summer, when the band were forced to cancel a string of live dates. She was married to bandmate Alan Sparhawk, and the pair had two children, Hollis and Cyrus.
Low cancelled all of their remaining 2022 tour dates in October before Parker passed the following month. Sparhawk wrote on Twitter: “Friends, it’s hard to put the universe into language and into a short message, but she passed away last night, surrounded by family and love, including yours. Keep her name close and sacred. Share this moment with someone who needs you. Love is indeed the most important thing.”
Recently, Death Cab for Cutie also commemorated Parker with a cover of ‘The Plan’ by Low. The band’s lead vocalist Ben Gibbard said, “We believe the best way to remember the musicians we lose is to play their songs. ‘The Plan’ has always been one of our favourite Low songs and is presented here in tribute to Mimi.”
Watch fan footage of Codeine paying tribute to Parker below.
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