We haven’t heard a ton from Peter Murphy since summer 2022. That’s when the Bauhaus frontman canceled the US leg of tour and entered rehab, which was only a few months after Bauhaus released their first new song in 14 years. Murphy has still been working, though. In May, he launched his own record label with two live albums, and last week, Murphy announced a joint single with Boy George. Titled “Let The Flowers Grow,” this track is produced by Martin “Youth” Glover (founding member of Killing Joke), who called it “stunningly good” on Instagram.
Murphy says he first met Boy George backstage when Bauhaus were on tour with Magazine in 1980. Decades later, while working with Youth in sessions for his 2014 album Lion, Murphy heard an early demo of a song the producer wrote with the Culture Club frontman. “It only had one verse and a chorus,” Murphy tells Rolling Stone. “I was urged to have Youth prepare it for me to sing and finish what was missing – 1st verse, 3rd verse and harmonizing with Boy George on the choruses. In a matter of 20 minutes, we had ‘Flowers…’ finished and we played it for Boy George, who wasn’t expecting it.”
“With everything going on in the world about identity it feels very powerful,” Boy George adds. “The production feels very epic like Scott Walker. It makes me dizzy and proud.”
“Let The Flowers Grow” is Murphy’s first release since a 2021 collab with Cheb i Sabbah that was recorded before the DJ died in 2013.
Hear it below.
“Let The Flowers Grow” is out now via Metropolis Records.
