Dead Moon
Encyclopedia
Dead Moon was a United States
punk rock
band from 1987 to 2006, formed in Portland, Oregon
. Fronted by singer/guitarist Fred Cole
, the band also included bassist Toody Cole, Fred's wife, and drummer Andrew Loomis. Veterans of Portland's independent rock scene, Dead Moon combined dark and lovelorn themes with punk
and country music
influences into a stripped-down sound. Fred Cole engineered most of the band's recordings and mastered them on a mono lathe that was used for The Kingsmen
's version of "Louie Louie". Their early records, such as In the Graveyard, were released on the Tombstone Records
label, named for the musical equipment store Fred and Toody operated at the time. Soon they caught the attention of the German label Music Maniac Records, and toured Europe successfully. Not until the mid-nineties did they tour the United States. Much of their following is in Europe.
A U.S. filmmaking team (Kate Fix and Jason Summers) produced a 2004 documentary, Unknown Passage: The Dead Moon Story, which played in independent theaters around the U.S., New Zealand, and Melbourne International Film Fest, and was released on DVD in the fall of 2006. Dead Moon has recorded for labels such as Empty Records, but most releases are on Music Maniac abroad and Tombstone in the U.S. The Tombstone label has also provided cheap mastering and duplication for other bands, serving more as a cooperative than a promotional vehicle. Though Fred and Toody are in their fifties, they showed no signs of slowing down on their 2004 release Dead Ahead, continuing to tour the globe until 2006, which saw the release of the Echoes of the past compilation.
In December 2006, near the end of the Echoes of the Past tour, Dead Moon announced their disbandment. Their last gig was at the Vera club in Groningen on November 26, 2006. Fred and Toody currently own the Tombstone General Store in Clackamas, Oregon
, and are building a shopping center nearby.
Pearl Jam
covered the song "It's Okay"; they often segue
it with their song "Daughter" in live performances. Eddie Vedder
of Pearl Jam has also covered "Diamonds in the Rough" and "Running Out of Time" with C-Average.
Fred and Toody formed a new band called Pierced Arrows with Portland punk musician Kelly Halliburton, whose father played in a band called "Albatross" with Fred in 1972, of Severed Head of State
, Defiance
and formerly Murder Disco X. Pierced Arrows played their first show debuting on May 18, 2007 at Portland’s Ash Street Saloon with the reformed Poison Idea
. Andrew Loomis now plays drums for a band called The Shiny Things from Longview, Washington
, along with Terry French (vocals) Becca D. (lead guitar) and Marc Nelson (guitar).
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band from 1987 to 2006, formed in Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
. Fronted by singer/guitarist Fred Cole
Fred Cole
Fred Cole is the singer, guitarist, and songwriter of the band Pierced Arrows and formerly Dead Moon.-The Lords:In 1964, Cole began his recording career in Las Vegas with his band, The Lords, at the Teenbeat Club, releasing a single called "Ain't Got No Self-Respect." His next single, from 1965,...
, the band also included bassist Toody Cole, Fred's wife, and drummer Andrew Loomis. Veterans of Portland's independent rock scene, Dead Moon combined dark and lovelorn themes with punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
and country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
influences into a stripped-down sound. Fred Cole engineered most of the band's recordings and mastered them on a mono lathe that was used for The Kingsmen
The Kingsmen
The Kingsmen is a 1960s garage rock band from Portland, Oregon, United States. They are best known for their 1963 recording of Richard Berry's "Louie Louie", which held the #2 spot on the Billboard charts for six weeks...
's version of "Louie Louie". Their early records, such as In the Graveyard, were released on the Tombstone Records
Tombstone Records
Tombstone Records is an American record label that was founded in 1988 by Fred Cole of Dead Moon in Portland, Oregon, with his wife Toody.The label was named for the musical equipment store they operated at the time...
label, named for the musical equipment store Fred and Toody operated at the time. Soon they caught the attention of the German label Music Maniac Records, and toured Europe successfully. Not until the mid-nineties did they tour the United States. Much of their following is in Europe.
A U.S. filmmaking team (Kate Fix and Jason Summers) produced a 2004 documentary, Unknown Passage: The Dead Moon Story, which played in independent theaters around the U.S., New Zealand, and Melbourne International Film Fest, and was released on DVD in the fall of 2006. Dead Moon has recorded for labels such as Empty Records, but most releases are on Music Maniac abroad and Tombstone in the U.S. The Tombstone label has also provided cheap mastering and duplication for other bands, serving more as a cooperative than a promotional vehicle. Though Fred and Toody are in their fifties, they showed no signs of slowing down on their 2004 release Dead Ahead, continuing to tour the globe until 2006, which saw the release of the Echoes of the past compilation.
In December 2006, near the end of the Echoes of the Past tour, Dead Moon announced their disbandment. Their last gig was at the Vera club in Groningen on November 26, 2006. Fred and Toody currently own the Tombstone General Store in Clackamas, Oregon
Clackamas, Oregon
Clackamas was a census-designated place in Clackamas County, Oregon, United States. The population was 5,177 at the 2000 census. It is a suburb of Portland, Oregon.It is the location of Camp Withycombe, a military base...
, and are building a shopping center nearby.
Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam is an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. Since its inception, the band's line-up has included Eddie Vedder , Jeff Ament , Stone Gossard , and Mike McCready...
covered the song "It's Okay"; they often segue
Segue
A segue is a smooth transition from one topic or section to the next.-In music:In music, segue is a direction to the performer. It means continue without a pause. It comes from the Italian "it follows". The term attacca is also used in classical music.For written music it implies a transition...
it with their song "Daughter" in live performances. Eddie Vedder
Eddie Vedder
Eddie Vedder is an American musician and singer-songwriter who is best known for being the lead singer and one of three guitarists of the alternative rock band Pearl Jam. He is widely considered a cultural icon of alternative rock.He is also involved in soundtrack work and contributes to albums...
of Pearl Jam has also covered "Diamonds in the Rough" and "Running Out of Time" with C-Average.
Fred and Toody formed a new band called Pierced Arrows with Portland punk musician Kelly Halliburton, whose father played in a band called "Albatross" with Fred in 1972, of Severed Head of State
Severed Head of State
Severed Head of State is a hardcore punk band with members split between Austin, Texas & Portland, Oregon. Band members play in other bands such as World Burns To Death, J Church, Tragedy, Warcry, Defiance. Their lyrics usually focus on deep detestation of both human nature and the Christian belief...
, Defiance
Defiance (punk band)
Defiance are an anarcho street punk band from Portland, Oregon formed in 1993. Their discography includes five E.P.s, four full-lengths, and one album of out of print and rare songs...
and formerly Murder Disco X. Pierced Arrows played their first show debuting on May 18, 2007 at Portland’s Ash Street Saloon with the reformed Poison Idea
Poison Idea
Poison Idea was an American hardcore punk band formed in Portland, Oregon in 1980. The band originally dissolved in 1993, but has been playing intermittently since 1998.-Formation, 1980's and 90's:...
. Andrew Loomis now plays drums for a band called The Shiny Things from Longview, Washington
Longview, Washington
Longview is a city in Cowlitz County, Washington, United States. It is the principal city of the "Longview, Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area", which encompasses all of Cowlitz County. Longview's population was 36,648 at the time of the 2010 census and is the largest city in Cowlitz County...
, along with Terry French (vocals) Becca D. (lead guitar) and Marc Nelson (guitar).
Albums
- In the Graveyard (1988)
- Unknown Passage (1989)
- Dead Moon Night (1990)
- Defiance (1990)
- Thirteen Off My Hook (1990)
- Stranded in the Mystery Zone (1991)
- Strange Pray Tell (1992)
- Crack in the System (1994)
- Nervous Sooner Changes (1995)
- Hard Wired in Ljubljana (1997)
- Destination X (1999)
- Trash & Burn (2001)
- Dead Ahead (2004)
Singles
- "Parchment Farm" (1988)
- "Don't Burn the Fires" (1988)
- "Black September" (1989)
- "D.O.A." (1990)
- "Over the Edge" (1991)
- "Fire in the Western World" (1992)
- "Day After Day" (1992)
- "Clouds of Dawn" (1992)
- "Dirty Noise" (1993)
- "Ricochet" (1994)
- "Sabotage" (2002)