The Bad Plus calling it a day

Posted 18 February 2026

Cover art of Bad Plus album ‘Suspicious Activity?’ — Cover art for *Suspicious Activity?* (2005) by The Bad Plus. Although probably most famous for their off-kilter covers of rock songs, this album is, with one exception, all original tunes. (Sony BMG)

Today I learned, via the group’s former pianist Ethan Iverson, that The Bad Plus is calling it quits after 26 years. I must confess to having not really followed them since Iverson left in 2017, but they were a big early inspiration for me.

Suspicious Activity? (2005) and Prog (2007) rank as my personal favourites among their recordings. I had the former on repeat for a while (standout tracks for me: ‘Prehensile Dream’ and ‘Lost of Love’), and the latter provided inspiration while driving to gigs. The original tune ‘Giant’, built around a hypnotic nine-beat metre, is simply beautiful. Prog also has great covers of ‘Life on Mars’ and ‘Everybody Wants to Rule the World’. And ‘Physical Cities’ (an original) is an absolute banger (I’d like to know how in the heck they counted the breakdown bit).

Fare ye weel, TBP, and cheers for the music.

Me in a Bad Plus T-shirt at a gig in Edinburgh in 2010 — While I’m in a nostalgic mood, here’s me playing a gig with Clusterphonic in 2010 at the Voodoo Rooms, Edinburgh, sporting my well-worn Bad Plus T-shirt.

← Back to blog