Fred Cole has 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, 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 might be offered with the upcoming Dead Moon box set on Sub Pop Records. 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.
Fred and Toody are in their sixties. They currently own the Tombstone General Store in Clackamas, Oregon, and are building a shopping center nearby.
Pearl Jam often covers the song It's OK.
In December 2006 they retired:
2006-12-13 - AN ANNOUNCEMENT FROM DEAD MOON
After 20 yrs, Dead Moon is retiring. It has been a journey we will always treasure and feel that a worldwide family has emerged in its place. Dead Moon became much bigger than the band itself, it became a DIY underground hopeful for a lot of people. The candle is still burning!
--Fred Cole
(from http://www.subpop.com)
2007-05-18 PIERCED ARROWS
For the first time in a long time, Fred and Toody Cole were nervous. Six months after the breakup of their legendary garage-rock outfit, Dead Moon, the Coles were about to debut a new group—something they haven’t had to do for 20 years. And their new trio, Pierced Arrows, had only six practices under its belt at showtime.
http://localcut.wweek.com/2007/05/23/pierced-arrows-at-ash-street-saloon-may-18-2007/
Animal
Dead Moon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Gets you so tired, realise you've been fired
Your ambition, your position is lost
Your the hostage working for the new age
The force of unthinkers, the system dog
The concrete line, the sex-drive unit
The trenches of agony, yeah
Your getting restless everyday
Population, extermination
The desease to expire, it's a deperate fix
The damaged are screened
By a steel machine
They just hook you into the chair
But don't you worry 'bout the sweat on your brow
Your dangerous now, you can't get a job
The panic crunch-you just better run
Your marked, you're a target, a victim
Your just an animal with no way out
Your getting restless
Your getting restless everyday
The lyrics to Dead Moon's "Animal" present a bleak picture of modern society, portraying it as a place where individuals are reduced to mere cogs in a machine. The first few lines of the song speak of the exhaustion that comes from living a life devoid of meaning, where one's desires and ambitions are brushed aside by the demands of the system. The lyrics go on to describe the dehumanizing effects of this system, highlighting the way it reduces people to little more than animals trapped in a cycle of desperation and despair.
The song suggests that the systems in place are designed to eliminate those who don't fit a certain mold, with the "damaged" being screened and cast aside by a steel machine. The repeated references to being hunted and marked create a sense of paranoia and helplessness, making it clear that the song's protagonist is trapped - a hostage working for the new age. Although the lyrics are bleak, they do carry a sense of defiance, suggesting that even in the face of such overwhelming odds, it's possible to resist and stay dangerous.
Overall, "Animal" is a scathing critique of the modern world, highlighting the way it dehumanizes and crushes individuals, leaving them feeling like mere animals with no way out. The song is a call to action, urging listeners to resist the forces of conformity and control, and to hold onto their humanity in a world that seems determined to strip it away.
Line by Line Meaning
Mechanical wires and hidden desires
Your life is controlled by external forces and your own unexpressed wants and needs.
Gets you so tired, realise you've been fired
You're exhausted and burnt out from following the system, only to find that you're no longer needed.
Your ambition, your position is lost
Your dreams and identity have been crushed by the demands of society.
Your the hostage working for the new age
You're a prisoner of the trends and expectations of the current era.
The force of unthinkers, the system dog
The people in power are blindly following the rules without questioning their impact on individuals.
The concrete line, the sex-drive unit
Your life is dictated by society's expectations of masculinity and sexuality.
The trenches of agony, yeah
Your existence is filled with pain and suffering.
Your just an animal with no way out
You are a helpless creature, trapped in this system with no means of escape.
Your getting restless everyday
You're becoming increasingly uncomfortable with your situation.
Population, extermination
The government and society at large are aiming to control, eliminate or suppress certain groups of people.
The desease to expire, it's a deperate fix
The solution to the problems of society is to get rid of the people who do not fit the mold.
The damaged are screened
Those who show signs of deviating from the norm are identified and dealt with.
By a steel machine
The system is impersonal and unfeeling, treating people like objects.
They just hook you into the chair
You are trapped and at the mercy of forces beyond your control.
But don't you worry 'bout the sweat on your brow
Despite the difficulties you face, the system does not care about your well-being.
Your dangerous now, you can't get a job
Your actions and beliefs make you threatening to the established order, so you are excluded from traditional opportunities.
The panic crunch-you just better run
The pressure to conform to societal norms is so great that it feels like a life-or-death situation and running may be the only option.
Your marked, you're a target, a victim
You are singled out and attacked by those in power for not following their rules.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ANDREW WYATT BLAKEMORE, CHRISTIAN KARLSSON, PONTUS WINNBERG, HENRIK JONBACK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind