A little earlier this month, we were very sad to learn of the loss of Psychic Ills founder, frontman, and songwriter Tres Warren at just 41 years old. Regulars on MM, at the time of his death, Warren was overflowing with creativity, actively writing new songs, and excited about the next phase of the band and was getting ready to go into the studio alongside longtime collaborator Elizabeth Hart and their bandmates to record the sixth Psychic Ills full-length, which was supposed to be out this fall.

While those songs were tragically not recorded, the band did record a pair of covers for a new 7″, which we’ve got for you today. Never Learn Not to Love and Cease to Exist are the first new Psychic Ills songs to be released since 2016’s Inner Journey Out, and while they no longer precede a new album as originally intended, they stand as a celebration of Tres Warren’s beautiful musical spirit. You can listen to both songs now, and order the vinyl from the Sacred Bones website.

Originally appearing on The Beach Boys 1969 album 20/20, credited to Dennis Wilson and with changes to the arrangement and lyrics, Never Learn Not To Love was written as Cease To Exist by a then unknown songwriter named Charles Manson. His version would eventually appear on his album Lie: The Love and Terror Cult, released in 1970, by which time he was already incarcerated for the events that he is most commonly known for today.

Stream them both below.

 

 

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